Alix's Media Munch: God Grew Tired of Us: The Lost Boys of the Sudan

After taking the DVD God Grew Tired of Us out of the library three times, I finally sat down on my own to watch it recently. It follows three young men, all among the "Lost Boys of the Sudan" who were either orphaned or lost their families during war in the Sudan in the 1990s. A joint program with the U.S. government and the U.N. brought a few thousand of them to the United States for resettlement.

The movie shows first-hand the impact of war on human settlement and migration. The movie works best because it is not a high-level documentary, but shows the amusing and touching moments in the lives of three young men, John, Panther, and Daniel.

As the movie opens they are living in a Kenyan refugee camp, anticipating a move to America, a place they have trouble even envisioning because they have lived so far off the grid their whole lives. As they travel from Africa to Europe and on to the U.S., they encounter electricity, western food, and escalators. On arrival, a local refugee worker gives the men a tour of their new apartment, carefully demonstrating light switches, trash cans, and toilets. As viewers, we are amused by the reactions to everyday items that are so strange and surprising to them. It also gives a fresh perspective to us, particularly to kids who may not realize what it means to see and use these things we take for granted.

The excitement of the trip and relief at being out of the refugee camp gradually gives way to the grind of life in America. The film shows the difficulties of work and school in a strange place, and particularly highlights the stress of being so far from the families they have yet to locate in Africa and their friends in the refugee camp in Kenya. The hope and determination these men display in the face of overwhelming odds is truly inspiring, but the film is never heavy-handed. One of the most affecting moments of the movie comes when the mother of one of the men steps off a plane in America and he sees her for the first time since childhood.

The story is unfortunately not just something in the past. The New York Times reported on June 30, 2012 that a "New Wave of ‘Lost Boys’ Flee Sudan’s Lingering War."

The film is rated PG and could be used effectively in a classroom setting with some directed activities. National Geographic provides a leson plan for grades 6-8. "This lesson draws from the documentary film God Grew Tired of Us to teach students about concepts of migration, cultural mosaics, sense of place, and forces of cooperation and conflict among communities." It includes activities for three class periods, which could be used separately or all together.

Introduction and Activity 1 (Mapping the Migration Journey of the Lost Boys and Girls)
Activity 2 (Cultural Identity and Difference)
Activity 3 (Community Migration Connections)

There are many books for adults, young adults, and children, that tell the story of the Lost Boys, including: