By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com
John Bul Dau, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan featured in the documentary film "God Grew Tired of Us," recently shared his stories of being displaced during the second Sudanese civil war with about 1,000 students at Cold Spring Harbor Jr./Sr. High School.
"It's a great thing for students to hear this message around Thanksgiving," said principal Jay Matuk. "We all struggle with different challenges, but this is someone who's been through it all. What really stood out to students was the absolute deprivation these people have endured."
During the presentation, Dau screened the movie about three Sudanese men who - after 10 years wandering the African wilderness - fly to their new homes in the United States. He also described the violence, disease and starvation that scattered his village when it was attacked by government troops involved in the civil war in 1987.
"Some kids came up to him afterwards and just wanted to shake his hand," said Matuk, adding the film won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. "They were amazed he's kept a positive attitude after all he's been through."