Denver Catholic

11 DENVER CATHOLIC | SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 7, 2016 woman who shares his Dinka heritage and Catholic faith. In 2012, he made a one-month visit to his wife and held their son for the first time. To the par- ents' joy, a second boy followed. "Daniel's story is a true journey of faith," said Tom Platek, past grand knight of St. Paul's Council 11634. "I was an usher at St. Paul Church and quite often he would be there before me, sitting in church reading the Bible. I saw that he was very serious about his religion." On one occasion in 2010, Platek com- plimented Daniel about how nicely he always dressed and was moved by the response. "He said, 'Would it be any other way when you visit the house of the King of Kings?'" recalled Platek, who now lives in Michigan. "His respect for God and his house hit home with me. I said, 'My brother, how would you like to really be my brother?'" Platek not only recruited Daniel into Council 11634 but also took him to the meetings. Today, Daniel is a proud Fourth Degree Knight. "I like the Knights because they help people," Daniel said. "In Africa, we had a small Christian group to help each other, and I need to do the same here." SUPPORT FOR A FRIEND Orphaned and reared in refugee camps after fleeing for their lives, Lost Boys are among the most badly war-trau- matized victims, according to experts. "What's amazing about Daniel is you hear about PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), but he has a constant smile," said Morgan Moon of Council 11634. "He is very Christ-like and grateful for everything: his heartbeat, the sunrise." Having been to Africa while in the Air Force and aware of Sudan's history of violence and instability, Moon asked Daniel when they first met at St. Paul Church whether he was a Lost Boy. "He said, 'Yes,'" Morgan recalled. "He showed me a picture of his wife and kids and said they were still there." Moon immediately o€ered to assist Daniel with the immigration process to bring his wife and children to the United States. He also helped him get two full- time jobs: at a grocery store and at a resort. Yet even with two jobs, Daniel did not earn enough to meet immigration norms to bring his family to the States. Nor could he a€ord their airfare. Moon then took the situation to Council 11634, asking if they could help raise airfare for Daniel's family. Mem- bers readily lent their support and also urged him to appeal to other councils in the area. "The Knights said, 'Go for it, we'll back you!'" Moon recalled. And they did. Within 10 days, they raised the necessary $3,000 to fly the family to Colorado. "The founding principle of the Knights is charity," said Jim Lauer, a past grand knight of Council 11634 who set up the airfare fund through Colorado Knights of Columbus State Charities. "This is what the Knights are about." Lauer learned that a brother Knight was relocating and had a houseful of items to give away. Aware that Daniel needed furniture for his family, Lauer told him, "I know just the right guy!" Meanwhile, retired Air Force Col. Steve Steele, who had befriended Daniel soon after the refugee arrived in Colo- rado Springs, o€ered to be Daniel's immi- gration co-sponsor. The two met when Daniel took a class taught by Steele's wife, Mary Beth, and began attending the cou- ple's parish, St. Peter Catholic Church. Steele gave the financial aid quali- fying Daniel to bring his family to the United States, and St. Peter and St. Paul parishes provided $2,000 to help with rent and food expenses. "It's a very compelling story," Steele said about Daniel's hardships, deep faith and love for his new land. "He's very appreciative of being here and of what the Knights and the two churches have done." A REUNITED FAMILY On Jan. 22, Daniel welcomed his wife and sons at Denver International Airport. It was the first time he met and embraced his 2-year-old son, Maduok. He hadn't seen his 5-year-old boy, Wol, since the child was a toddler. And he'd only spent a total of four months with his wife, Mary, now 26. "Even though I didn't see them, I knew God would help me," Daniel said of the years his family lived an ocean apart. He had to deal with mounds of paperwork for his family members as they lived in Nairobi, Kenya, and lacked identification papers from the fledgling South Sudan. "When they got here, they were already grown," Daniel said of his pre- school-age sons, whom he had never held as babies. "I would just send them money." But the chance to hold a newborn child is on the horizon. "We have another one coming," he said with a smile. "Due December 24, Christmas Eve. That's our present!" Today, Daniel's sons, formerly with- out a country, are U.S. citizens. Mary has an immigrant visa and aims for citizen- ship within five years. Their adopted nation is the land of promise that o€ers his family hope of a better life, Daniel said. "They will never go hungry. Now, they are in a good situation," Daniel said. "I like the United States because it is a place of opportunity – to get a job, to follow your religion. Here you can wor- ship whether Catholic or Muslim." Now Daniel dreams of the day when he can work just one job and pursue an education, which would enable him to better provide for his family. "What makes America great is educa- tion," he said. "Education makes every- thing better." He hopes to pay forward what he's received. "How can I pass my thanks?" he said. "I want to do the same – to help, to vol- unteer, to sponsor someone. There are still many people who need help." This article appeared in the August 2016 issue of Columbia magazine and is reprinted with permission of the Knights of Columbus, New Haven, Conn. Daniel Maduok, his wife, Mary, and their two children enjoy a moment together in Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs. PHOTOS BY RYAN DEARTH/COURTESY OF KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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