God Grew Tired of Us

Dau dedicates himself to seeking an education in the camp, but it’s a difficult task since he “start[s] the first grade when [he is] 18 years old” (137) and many of the camp’s teachers aren’t qualified to teach their subjects. Dau and the other boys commit to school during the day and study at night. Although the UN improves “the camp’s education program by erecting a huge building” (142) for classes, educational materials like books, pencils, or chalk boards are scarce. As Dau’s studies progress, he notes that it’s a very Kenya-centered curriculum, which forces students from other countries to learn about this foreign land with no opportunity to learn about their own histories.

Although the UN provides food, the refugees must present ration cards when they pick up their food, ensuring that each person gets their portion. However, a person’s food often runs out before they can receive their next batch. The residents call these “black days” because “nobody kindled cooking fires at night, leaving the camp pitch-black” (146). Although the UN provides a safe place for the refugees, as well as education and basic living necessities, prospects for a future are slim. The residents aren’t allowed to leave the camp to venture into Kenya, they aren’t allowed to work, and the Kenyan police in the camp are often corrupt. This makes many of the refugees feel truly powerless. As Dau says, “It’s no wonder the Dinka in the camp tended to stick together. Kenya picked on us, yet there was nothing we could do about it” (151).

While some of the boys in the camp get married, Dau commits solely to school. He studies hard and moves through the camp’s educational system. After long hours and sleepless nights spent studying, he passes a difficult exam that allows him to enroll in the camp’s high school. His high score would have allowed him to attend an official Kenyan school, but he can’t afford the $250 tuition without being sponsored. He graduates high school in 2000, which qualifies him “as successful and highly skilled in Kenya” (158). After graduating, he gets a paying job in the camp working with residents who need support services. Around this time he hears that America is accepting some of the camp’s refugees. After completing each step in a lengthy process, Dau learns he has been accepted into the United States.

After many bittersweet goodbyes and much advice from the elder refugees, Dau boards one of many planes that will take him to New York. Christopher Quinn, a documentary filmmaker who has filmed Dau while in the camp, is also on the plane. He films this experience too.