Comments on: Discussion Question 5 for Strength in What Remains

By: K.R. SAROJA

K.R. SAROJA — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:30:13 +0000

I completely agree with Jan’s comments. Her comments are well thought out and real. Especially of our youth in the military finding it difficulty to adjust to the ‘Normal!’ life after witnessing so much of death and dying. I hope they get the help they need to deal with all those horrible memories.
For Deo growing up in Burundi was ‘natural and normal’ amongst his family and friends till the horror of genocide started. He remained innocent for a long time when compared to some of his friends. He was engrossed in his dreams of becoming a doctor and helping his people. When he arrived in New York he underestimated the practical difficulties he was just about to face. What were his expectations in a new world? I do not think he had any time to think about all that during his journey. He had just escaped being murdered/ killed if he had stayed in Burundi. He probably was still in shock when he arrived in New York alive in one piece. He had lot of disadvantages in New York. To start with language problem. Having no one to talk to or learn from. He learns lot of things by himself through observation and making his own mistakes. The great thing about Deo is his perseverance in improving himself and enduring all the difficulties in New York. With his never ending memories of genocide, not being able to sleep must have have been horrible. In spite of all this he determines to go back and forth between Burundi and New York to find his place and peace. Finally the process of healing starts when he started to build the clinic at Kayanza. He gave up his medical education at that time. His urge to help his people was so strong that he put his carrier on hold. Having said all this Deo in some way was lucky to run into Sharon and others who went out of their way to make his dream of building clinic in Kayanza a reality. How many refugees are so lucky?
Deo is great human being. He just suffered silently. Did not hold grudges. He rose above all and attained peace with in. Where did he draw his strength from? I strongly believe From ‘God’ with in.

By: Jan

Jan — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:50:40 +0000

An unusual book, one that caused many flashbacks in my own mind. Deo’s youth in Burandi was probably similar to that of many youth in developing countries in chaos around the world. As I read of the horrors he faced as he grew older I continually asked myself how he could do it, find the strength to go on, physically and mentally. My mind wandered to the wars in Central America in the 1980′s, the continual murders and butchering that children witnessed on a daily basis. I thought of the Mexican events of late that are similar, mostly due to drug trade. I thought of the massacres in all the wars waging right now around the world, wars that subject our young women and men to atrocities beyond comprehension. And I thought of my own family’s roots in Ireland and their entry to New York, only to find that “Irish need not apply.” It takes so much spiritually, deep in the core of our beings, to survive this type of life event. Would coming to American change things for the better? Deo found NYC scary and horrifying and deadly but he didn’t give up and didn’t give in. He found people, or people found him, people willing to risk helping him even when he didn’t know how to ask or accept that help. Many refugees are not that fortunate and are lost to human trafficers, drugs and an early demise. Thank God Deo kept his dream and was able to realize it in the midst of such suffering. He risked much to return to his homeland but it seemed a catharsis of sorts that helped him heal. As I read of his trips back and forth between New York and Burandi I kept thinking of the cost of such travel. He was so fortunate to have friends who had resources and were willing to share those resources and walk with him through his darkest hours. He found it difficult to talk about what he had endured for so long, just as many of our youth in the military find it difficult when they return from witnessing similar horrors. Who can understand? Who can listen non-judgmentally? I cannot help but think, “It takes a village…”