Survival of the Fittest and How the Lost Boy Survived It All

Since 1983, Sudan has been the epicenter of a horrific conflict. Battles between the northern Janjanweed and the southern Sudanese People Liberation Army have left scars and ethnic divisions too numerous for world media to cover. Each day, thousands of refugees escape to neighboring regions. Mass killings, torture, and rape are common practice within and around the borders. Survival of the Fittest is not only the story of Mator Adol-Mawien survival, but his relentless drive to find freedom from his captures, and justice for his people.
Malek Tor, a wise man known for his predictions in my Dinka village, predicted my birth. He said my parent’s first born would be a boy, and they were to name him Mator. It means dust storm, wind storm, and tornado in the Dinka language. It would not be long before he was proven correct.
I was the throne holder for my family, a future king, and I was treated very well. For all who entered my kingdom knew that I had a big heart and followed in my father’s greatness. But when the northern army entered my village behind bullets, escaping Sudan became the only option for my survival.
I was only nine years old when Sudan People's Liberation Army, or the SPLA, soldiers rescued me from my village. SPLA soldiers told me that they wanted to make sure my village was safe before they would reunite me with my family. Thousands of miles later, I realized they lied. The civil war killed many in my village including my father and other family members. Many of my friends either died or found themselves torn from their families, as I had been.
Under control of the SPLA, I crossed dangerous rivers, traversed deadly jungles, and crossed the driest of deserts to get nowhere. The camps they kept us in were suffocating with disease, starvation, and abuse. Many boys, like myself, were forced to work like men, with bare feet and no protection from the elements or pests. Wild animals circled the camps and sometimes snatched an unsuspecting victim for a meal. Men were forced to kill like these animals. Rape was a weapon and violence was a way of life. I nearly gave into this brutality, in hopes that somehow power would bring freedom. Yet my heart would not allow it.
Undefined battle zones erupted at a moment’s notice. Bombs and bullets penetrated calm without warning. Both sides suffered great casualties. After three escape attempts, and subsequent punishments, I knew my time was limited. It was then a powerful general came into our camp. His words gave me reason and the idea for the last ditch effort to escape the bloody and brutal way of life. My only hope was to reach Kenya.
The way to Kenya, was not easy. I was lucky to meet people that gave me respite and assistance. From their goodwill, I made it to refugee camp and jailed for not having proper identification. Humiliated, I returned to the SPLA.
Try as they may, they could not hold me. I heard that some boys were granted an opportunity to receive an education in other countries. I knew this was my chance. I returned to the refugee camp and found my way on the list to escape the camps, greed, and humiliations. I was a Lost Boy and allowed entrance to the United States of America.
It was here that I found freedom and experienced the power of my own life, liberty and happiness. But I still remember the pain of death and destruction as my life has been a trial for the Survival of the Fittest.

Market
The civil war in Sudan is a regular feature in newspapers, national magazines, documentaries and memoirs since 2001. Recent elections and a fragile peace accord hold Sudan as a regular news topic. There are several nonprofit organizations dedicated to the plight of the Lost Boys and Sudanese refugees worldwide. The appeal of helping these people escape the atrocities of war is a viable effort that will continue for some time.
Survival of the Fittest is not overtly graphic, although it contains reference to moderate violence and adult situations. The focus of the narrative is faith and the emotional route of refugees to discover freedom in the United States of America. Similar memoirs rank between #1 and #29,646 in Kindle and Amazon sales for Africa and Sudan subjects.
This approximately 60,000 word count memoir will appeal to those interested in Africa war, and religion by a wide audience of young adults, ethnic Christians, Africa and African civil war readers. Popular magazines, such as National Geographic, have featured Sudan over 300 times in recent years. Christian nonprofit organizations collect donations for education, relief efforts, and resettlement. Young adults select African and Sudanese topics for required reading and research assignments. Furthermore, Sudan and the Dinka people’s plight have generated curiosity of intellectuals and compassionate persons alike. Ethnic book sales have shown steady increase in the past decade, along with a rise in Christian related subjects. The pictures and illustrations will help readers understand the magnitude and effect of this modern civil war.

Competition
There are a few successful books related to my subject. However, Survival of the Fittest encompasses the whole picture or account of a refugee’s journey before, during and after. Below are a few titles that closely resemble the content.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (2008). It ranked #1 in both Sierra Leone and West Africa subjects and #27 in Memoirs with Amazon. This memoir details a 12 year old boy’s journey from boy soldier to freedom in the United States of America. There are many good things to say about this books account of journaling the war and travels of this young man. There is much violence with little emotion that is disturbing to many people. My memoir shows the true emotional journey to freedom and the faith that I stored, knowing that I would escape some day.
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan, by Benjamin Ajak, Benson Deng, Alephonsian Deng and Judy Bernstein, published by PublicAffairs (2006). It is rated #1 for Kindle, Nonfiction, Africa and Sudan subjects. It also places at #5 for North African subjects with Amazon. These are other Lost Boys from the Dinka tribes in Sudan. It describes the attacks on their village and their journey to the United States of America. It does not show an interesting depiction of assimilation to the United States. My book details the language and cultural barriers that I had to overcome as a refugee.
The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience, by Mark Bixler, published by University of Georgia Press (2005). Amazon’s bestseller ranking places this book at #9 for Sudan subjects. A reporter chronicles the stories of Sudanese refugees now living in Atlanta, Georgia. This book mostly discusses the shortcomings of the United States policies and laws regarding the refugee resettlements. This book is written by a reporter. It also does not demonstrate an authentic emotional journey of a refugee.
God Grew Tired of Us: A Memoir, by John Bul Dau and Michael Sweeney, published by National Geographic (2008). It ranks #4 for Sudan and #29,646 on Amazon’s bestsellers booklist. This book was featured in a documentary about the war of Southern Sudan and refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. This book is a good book that details the struggles of assimilating into the United States and the struggles of leaving behind the Dinka culture. My book shows the entire journey from kidnapping to the struggles of assimilation to my new culture.