Chasing Your Dreams

No one ever sat down with me to teach me about the history of my country, the culture, the wealth, or how to count, measure, or any basic skills that most children learn in school and when they are growing up as they become adults. Not because I was a bad kid but because the Civil War created dysfunction in our families and communities. I had to find a way to learn by myself instead. Most boys in South Sudan tend to learn from their fathers, but my father died before I was born. I didn't even have a chance to get to know him, so I had no choice but to rely on myself regarding things a child should learn from their fathers. My name is William Deng. My birth name was Deng Kuol Ahoi or Deng Kuol Ahoi Deng. In our culture, we use three to four names instead of two. I got the name William when I received my baptism. Baptism in Catholic Christianity is considered a rebirth, and I needed to add my Christian name, William. Deng means "rain" in my language.