Originally aired December 7, 2001

People living in Sudan have been at war for many years because of religious and ethnic differences. Many died in combat, while others fled to avoid being forced to fight in the war. Some headed to neighboring African countries...others to America. They started coming to Nebraska about 10 years ago. Now thousands live in Eastern Nebraska.

Their long journey wasn't easy. They walked hundreds of miles every day, with no food and water and the constant fear they would be attacked by animals. Starting over in Nebraska was also a challenge. They had to find jobs and places to live, and learn our language. "Statewide's" Andrea Gallagher says Nebraska's "Lost Boys" believe it was worth it to be in America.

Reported by Statewide correspondent, Andrea Gallagher.

Imagine arriving at an airport, and experiencing the hustle and bustle of business travelers….then getting on an escalator where you can go from one place to another without even moving your legs. Most people don't give this a second thought…..
But for these young Sudanese refugees - the airport was a first glimpse of our world and its modern conveniences.
[Paul Matiop/Sudanese Refugee] "It seemed as a dream to me, I was you know in one day and one time I was in a desert and it was a dream to come here. I see a lot of things, funny things, a lot of vehicles, we don't have vehicles, a lot of foods, and there we don't have a lot of food. It is like a dream to be here."
[Santino Angok/Sudanese Refugee] "We are thankful for new life, we have suffered a long time, ten years in the bush in Sudan."
Today, the young refugees look at photos of their former life in Sudan. They want to remember their family and friends. Walking thousands of miles in the bush - not knowing if they would make it out alive --is something that will always haunt them.
[James Aguto/Sudanese Refugee] "I left my country in 1987 and I just walked to Ethiopia for ten years…..away from parent….so it is real difficult….terrible fighting in Sudan."
[Paul Matiop] "Also sometime when we went to desert, you use your urine as a water to drink."
[Santino Angok] "That war destroyed our homeland…they kill ladies and small children and all the generation has been killed."
These refugees came to America with help from the First Baptist Church in Bellevue. Pastor Ron Elliott said the congregation wanted to help out in any way possible.
[Pastor Ron Elliott/1st Baptist Church] "When I heard about the opportunity of sponsoring them and knowing what was going on in their country, the circumstances they were living in, it seemed like it was what God wanted us to do."
Elliott says the congregation welcomed the refugees with open arms…. An overwhelming amount of clothing was donated for the refugees who had next to nothing. They also received furnishings for their new home. Other church members took time to teach them how to do things we take for granted.
[Pastor Elliott] "Helping them get adjusted to life in America. Right now they're getting their learner's permit, learning how to drive, also teaching them to cook, how to live in American society."
Pastor Elliott says he'll always remember meeting the young men at the airport.
[Pastor Elliott] "It was an interesting experience when they came out of the airplane and we greeted them, we had a sign in their own language saying 'welcome', and they were just so excited to be here. They had no luggage, no baggage at all…just the clothes on their backs was all they brought with them. And even when we came to the escalator at the airport they didn't know what to do."
The 4 refugees live together in a Bellevue apartment. Initially, the church helped with the rent and donated furnishings like books, furniture and even a television.
[Pastor Elliott] "When they went to their apartment, the caseworkers showed them the microwave, the sink, the hot and cold water. Those kinds of things they're not used to. Even a bathtub and a shower - how that works - so it was just a whole new world and whole new experience for them, but they've done well, they've adjusted."
Now the young men are able to pay their own rent because they found jobs. They work in the custodial department at Nebraska Health System in Omaha. They're grateful for the jobs, and being together.
[James Aguto] "It's good to stay together, now we are like brothers, but each of us have his own tribe and we are together because of friendship."
Most of the time, they will work in the evenings and leave the rest of the time for school. It's important to develop good work habits now, because they don't want to be cleaning forever.
[Paul Matiop] "I want to be police."
[James Aguto] "The favorite thing is learning. The favorite thing is also the helpful people, to have work, to survive by your own….that is the great thing we are doing now because now I am working."
Helen Evans works with the Heartland Refugee Resettlement Program in Omaha. She says there's around 5-thousand Sudanese refugees living in Eastern Nebraska. Her organization helps the refugees get off to a good start.
[Helen Evans/Refugee Resettlement Program] "We have an opportunity to work with various different cultural groups. Probably the most prominent now is the Sudanese. We also have Bosnian, and we have Vietnamese, some Cuban, some Haitian, so just the opportunity within their lives. Helping them get acclimated to Omaha and welcome to their lives here and letting them know about the opportunities we have here in America."
Kuot Ngor also works at the Refugee Resettlement Program. He left Sudan and came to America back in 1995.
[Kuot Ngor/Caseworker] "I never had peace in my life. I was born in war since it started in 1956, and then I grew up in that war and it's never stopped."
Kuot says it took him awhile to get used to the fast-paced way of life in America. Cars and traffic especially shocked him. It took him awhile before he could gain enough composure to cross a busy street.
[Kuot] "Everything is so very different. In Africa, things really go slow and here when I came here I see everything very fast and I wouldn't even think I would be here in this environment."
But that wouldn't be the worst of his problems. Along with the fast-paced society came many luxuries he wasn't used to - like credit cards. Now he helps other refugees so they can learn from his mistakes.
[Kuot] "Actually I went through a lot of troubles. I have bad credit and I couldn't know to adopt to American culture. I was very frustrated. I thought it was going to be very bad.
Another problem some refugees run into is spousal abuse. In their country, it is not unusual to beat a wife if she does not obey the husband. In America, this behavior is not tolerated.
[Kuot] "They get in trouble because the woman wants to take advantage of freedom they got here and they want to move on very fast and that can get them in trouble with the man, so if they could help understand and go slow until they understand the culture here and customs here, it would be very fair."
Meanwhile, the young refugees are still getting accustomed to American life. Tasting American food is something different….they've never had so many choices before…now they have to choose wisely.
[John Kuol] "In our place, we don't have a lot of sweet food, we use only corn, beans and some oil. And the thing that was very scared for me. Even now I don't make good use of them."
[Paul Matiop] "Ice cream makes my blood cool as I was in a desert place."
[Santino] "We have security, medical also because we can have good life and food…and this is for a human being to live…if you have basic needs you can live and you will be happy in your lifetime….but in Sudan we didn't have basic needs."
The Sudanese population in Eastern Nebraska continues to grow….Four years ago, there were fewer than 30 Sudanese families in the Omaha area….now there's more than 35-hundred. Many of them are leaving other communities to come here.
[Helen] "We have a lot of people with warm hepers and open minds who are willing to help out."
[Pastor Elliott] "Most of those are secondary refugees. They've been settled somewhere else in the United States but come to Omaha because they've heard that there are a lot of their own people here."
Elliott says he hopes to sponsor another group of refugees in the future….but for now, he just wants to make sure these young men have every opportunity to succeed.
[John Kuol] "I appreciate what happened to me and I've very happy to be here."
[James Aguto] "It's like miracle because staying here is much better than the place we were."
[Santino Angok] "To look for the future….to start another life…"
The Lost Boys finally found their home.