B3-U3-课文

Unit 3 Humanitarians

Reading 1 John Bul Dau and the “Lost Boys of Sudan”

1 In Northeastern Africa from 1983 to 2005, when Sudan was one country, the Second Sudanese Civil

War was fought between the north and south. During that time, about two million people died from war,

hunger, and disease. Five million people were displaced, including the 27,000 “Lost Boys of Sudan” who

were driven from their villages by the war. Among these boys was a resilient, persevering, and courageous

born leader named John Bul Dau.

2 Dau’s challenges began in 1987, when he was 13 years old. His village in the south was attacked by

government troops from the north. As bullets from guns shrieked and his village burned, Dau made an

escape. In the chaos, he became separated from his family and had to survive on his own. After a while, he

joined thousands of other boys as they escaped on foot. We now know these boys as the “Lost Boys of

Sudan.” At that time, Dau didn’t know that his journey would be over 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) long

and last 14 years. He didn’t know that he would survive his many trials, and show leadership, compassion,

endurance, and the courage of a hero.

3 Many of the boys who escaped the fighting had been taking care of their cattle when the soldiers

attacked their villages. They ran when they saw the soldiers coming and hid anywhere they could. At first,

the boys were alone but eventually they came together as a group. As Dau and the other “Lost Boys” walked

across Sudan, they faced many life-threatening challenges. Every day was a test of strength, courage, and

endurance.

4 As the soldiers went after them, the boys encountered the added dangers of wild animals, hunger,

thirst, and illness. Some boys were killed by lions. At night, the boys hid in trees to get away from the wild

animals. They ate grass, tree leaves, and mud. Hunger and thirst were their constant companions. Like a

herd of desperate antelope, they searched for water in a dry wilderness while keeping an eye out for their

hunters. Their tongues were like sandpaper and their stomachs an empty, bottomless hole. They were

barefoot and wore thin pieces of clothing that didn’t protect them from the sun during the day and the cold

desert at night. Many died, as death followed them like a hungry animal. And all the time, fear and

loneliness hung over them like a dark cloud, and they thought constantly of their parents and longed to see

their families again.

5 Yet Dau persevered courageously by putting one foot in front of the other along the endless journey

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ahead. He did not only think of himself. Caring and compassionate, he looked after the younger children,

some only two or three years old. As one of the older boys, he led several groups on their journey over

hundreds of miles. He was a young leader and a source of comfort for the suffering children.

6 Finally, the boys reached a refugee camp in Ethiopia. It must have seemed like finding a lake in the

desert. They found shelter there for almost four years. But war broke out there too, so the boys escaped

back to Sudan. The Ethiopian soldiers pushed them to the border, where they had to cross the Gilo River.

The soldiers shot at them, so the boys jumped into the water. Many drowned because they couldn’t swim.

Others were eaten by crocodiles. And many were shot before they reached the other side.

7 Back in Sudan the boys went to a refugee camp, but there was no relief from their suffering. The

government of the North heard that the boys had returned. Twice every day the military bombed the camp.

The boys decided to move again. With the Northern Sudanese soldiers following them, many of the boys

were killed or taken along the way. Somehow, Dau and the other survivors found the strength and courage

to continue their escape to safety. Again, Dau showed his leadership, courage, and compassion as he cared

for and led groups of boys on their journey.

8 Finally, they reached a refugee camp in Kenya, where Dau stayed for the next 10 years. Now 17, he

attended school for the first time in his life. He started out with only sticks to write his numbers and letters

on the ground. Nevertheless, Dau was a hardworking student. Determined not just to survive but somehow

to succeed, he received the Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education.

9 Over the years, people around the world learned about the “Lost Boys”. In the United States, several

organizations started programs to resettle the refugees. In 2001, Dau became one of the 3,800 chosen to

begin new lives in the U.S. He joined 140 who were brought to Syracuse, New York. Like so many others,

Dau experienced culture shock in his new country. He felt like a fish out of water in the modern city.

Everything was so different from anything he had ever known or experienced before. On his first trip to a

supermarket, he may as well have been on the moon. But as he had shown time and again, John Bul Dau

was a resilient young man. Eventually, he adjusted to his new life, and with his usual courage, determination,

and hard work, he made another journey—this time on the road to success. Working 60 hours a week at

two and sometimes three jobs, he earned enough to bring his mother and sister from Sudan. He also received

an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University.

10 Dau’s success was far from the end of his story. The leadership, compassion, and caring he showed

as a young man followed him into adulthood and led him to start three nonprofit organizations. In 2003, he

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helped start the Sudanese Lost Boys Foundation of Central New York to raise money for education and

medical expenses of the other “Lost Boys” living in the United States. Then in 2005, Dau was one of the

founders of the American Care for Sudan Foundation, which raises money to build and operate clinics in

Southern Sudan. In 2006, Dau told his life story in a co-authored book, God Grew Tired of Us. He wrote

his story so people would learn about the “Lost Boys” and the people of Southern Sudan. A documentary

was made with the same name, and it won awards. Dau believes there is a reason why he survived—to help

his people.

11 Today, John Dau is the president of both the John Dau Foundation and the South Sudan Institute. In

his efforts to bring peace, hope, and help to the people of South Sudan he has won many awards and raised

millions of dollars. Dau has also become a well-known speaker. He tells people to always be hopeful and

to never give up, even when things are at their worst. Dau doesn’t only speak those words. He is a living

example of courage, resilience, and perseverance under the most hopeless and unimaginable circumstances.

“Keep trying,” he tells people. “You can’t give up.”

Reading 2 Patrick Meier, Crisis Mapper

1 What can speed humanitarian response to tsunami-ravaged coasts? Expose human rights atrocities?

Launch helicopters to rescue earthquake victims? Outwit corrupt regimes?

2 A map.

3 But not just any map. Patrick Meier pioneers the lifesaving new field of crisis mapping and makes it

available, accessible, and free to humanitarian organizations and volunteers across the globe. As director

of crisis mapping at the nonprofit technology company Ushahidi and co-founder of the Standby Volunteer

Task Force, he is helping to revolutionize the power and effectiveness of relief efforts worldwide.

4 Imagine the chaotic scene on the ground as any natural disaster or human rights crisis unfolds. Then

imagine an online map lit up with crucial information pouring in, real time, reflecting exactly what is

happening, what is most urgently needed, and precisely where.

5 Welcome to the 24/7 world of crisis mapping, where texts, tweets, emails, and mobile phone photos

and videos meet the world’s most highly respected, official players in humanitarian response. Meier is

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bringing the two worlds together for the first time, connecting an explosion of social media and satellite

imagery with the United Nations, U.S. Marines and Coast Guard, the World Health Organization, Amnesty

International, and other groups that can mobilize help when the worst crises hit.

6 Situational awareness is key to allocating resources and coordinating logistics,” says Meier. “These

dynamic ever-changing maps are like having your own helicopter. They provide a bird’s-eye view as events

unfold across time and space. Gaining information like this straight from crisis zones is a game changer;

these technologies didn’t exist just a few years ago.”

7 Meier’s nonprofit company, Ushahidi, provides free, open-source platforms that allow anyone in the

world to gather information and use it to create live, crowdsourced, multimedia maps. Ushahidi, which

means “witness” in Swahili, began during Kenya’s post-election violence in 2008.

8 “It was a simple Google map of Kenya with a form people could fill out to describe what they saw

during the violence,” he explains. “An SMS option was also provided so people could send text messages.”

Since then, the technology has been refined and used in more than 140 countries with software available

in 20 languages.

9 When crises occur, the Standby Volunteer Task Force gathers messages, photos, video, and high-resolution satellite imagery and integrates them on a live Ushahidi map. More than 800 volunteers from 80

different countries make up the decentralized network that works closely with local and international

responders. The trained, tech savvy mappers mobilize at a moment’s notice. Since they occupy every time

zone, work can continue around the clock. “Anyone can join and use a skill set they already have or learn

a new one,” says Meier. “These people are passionate about helping and making a difference.”

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