John, Fr. George and 10-month-old Louret

The sky shone brightly on Sunday morning June 13, 2004, spotlighting the two new immigrant families from Sudan. A welcoming reception was held between the 9:00 and 11:00 am Masses in the courtyard outside the gym. Warmth from the sun, the Lako families, volunteers, and members of SJA filled the area. Cake and conversation added a glow to the crowd.

The Minnesota Council of Churches assisted the resettlement of Alferd, Jacklin, and now ten-month-old Louret in January. April brought Alferd’s brother John, his wife Florence and their children, Emma (Jiggi), age 7, and Laro, age 6, to Minnesota. SJA is hosting these two families, as they are Catholics of the Bari tribe whose members have experienced political and religious persecution.

Alferd Lako

Alferd and Jacklin came from India where they have lived the past year, while John and Florence arrived from Cairo. Both families speak fluent English and have professional backgrounds. Everyone felt the warmth and peace as the Lako’s, with their sparkling eyes, joined in conversations about the issues of everyday life.

What a pleasure to meet and converse with our new friends. May God shine on them brightly as they start their new lives in Minnesota.

Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years of this period (1972-82). The wars are rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. Since 1983, the war and war- and famine-related effects have led to more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people displaced. The ruling regime is a mixture of military elite and an Islamist party that came to power in a 1989 coup. Some northern opposition parties have made common cause with the southern rebels and entered the war as a part of an anti-government alliance. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-03 with the signing of several accords, including a cease-fire agreement.

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Nancy Lynch says, "Joy is being a wife, Mom of fourteen, eight with varying disabilities and living at home, Grandma of thirteen, and Great Grandma of three. Serenity is listening and watching the ocean, alone, at our home on Maui. Passion is friends, photography, reading, swimming and children." Nancy can be reached at nalynch@aol.com.

Jacklin Lako with Louret	6 year old Laro