Alephonsion Deng

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alephonsion Deng (c. 1982 - ) is a Sudanese writer. He is best known as the co-author of the book They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys of Sudan, along with his brother Benson, cousin Benjamin and American author Judy Bernstein.

In 1989, when Alephonsion was seven years old, his village in Southern Sudan was attacked by government troops. To avoid capture he ran into the night with many other young boys. Without food, water, shoes or parents, he crossed a 1000 miles of lion and crocodile infested territory. After five years of fleeing war, starvation and wild animals, he reached Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya and began his education.

In 2001, the Federal government of the United States welcomed Alephonsion as one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. His first job was at Ralph’s Grocery Store where he worked for nine months. An opportunity came up to be in a Russell Crowe movie hence he spent six months on the Fox Studios set in Rosarito, Mexico where he learned to sail a tall ship, fire a cannon and swordfight.He has spoken to over 100 schools, universities, clubs and organizations about his extraordinary story of survival in Africa, adapting to his life in the United States and his hope for peace in the world. In 2006, Alephonsion made his stage debut in the lead role of Ater in a Mo'olelo production of Mia McCullough's drama Since Africa at San Diego's Diversionary Theatre.

Alephonsion attends San Diego City College and works in the Medical Records Department at Kaiser Permanente Hospital.