-Siblings excited about future-
OSOYOOS TIMES-December 12, 2007-
By Chad IngramrnOsoyoos Times
It has been a year of transition, change and hope for William, Zechariah and Charles Nyarza.
The brothers are three of the seven Sudanese siblings who arrived in Osoyoos a year ago after escaping the civil war that had haunted and hunted them in Africa.
The family came to Canada with the help of Elizabeth Cooper, daughter of Osoyoos attorney and former mayor, John Cooper. She'd met Peter John, the oldest Nyarza sibling, at a Kenyan refugee camp where she was working on her master's thesis.
After meeting the rest of the family and hearing their story, Elizabeth was determined to help.
The Nyarza children had been orphaned and tortured after their parents were assassinated by Sudanese rebel forces.
Because of a refusal to join the Sudan People's Liberation Army “ the group responsible for the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Muslims in that country “ Peter John had suffered months of torture at the hands of the army before he escaped.
Returning to his family's home in southern Sudan, Peter John rounded up his remaining siblings (two had been killed) and led them on a dangerous journey through the jungle and into neighbouring Kenya.
Even in the Kenyan refugee camp, they were subjected to violence by members of rival tribes and passing members of the people's army.
Before Elizabeth left Africa in 2004, Peter John gave her a note requesting help for his siblings. It had been his parents' dying wish that their children be freed from the violence and hatred surrounding them.
The Nyarzas' transcontinental relocation was co-sponsored by the Cooper family and the Osoyoos Baptist Church.
One year later, the siblings seem content and say they are adapting well to their new country.
Things are going great, says William, 21. The people here, they are a lot like friends.
William works part-time jobs at both Buy-Low Foods and 7-Eleven. He and his brother, 19-year-old Zechariah, are takingcourses at the Osoyoos Learning Centre.
William excitedly lists the subjects he is studying.
Accounting, computers, English as a second language . . . A lot of things are happening in my life. I can speak a little English, read a little.
Zechariah agrees that learning the world's most widely-spoken language has been a highlight of the last year.
The best thing happening in my life, I can speak English, I can understand, he says. When he's not in class, Zechariah works part-time at the local Home Hardware store.
The two brothers occupy a small house near Osoyoos Elementary School where their nine-year-old brother Charles is a student.
Charles says he enjoys science, spelling and has recently discovered a passion for the great Canadian pastime “ hockey.
He scored his first goal the other week, says Pastor Phil Johnson of the Osoyoos Baptist Church. At this point, he's probably skating as well as a lot of the other kids.
Charles and his seven-year-old brother Victor live with Johnson.
Hockey isn't the only sport the athletic Charles is excelling at.
He's doing very well with soccer too, Johnson says. He was moved up to play with the 11- and 12-year-olds.
The other three Nyarza siblings, Peter John, 25, Joice, 23, and James, Zechariah's twin, have all moved to Brooks, Alta. to pursue employment at a packing house.
Peter John left in May, Joice in June and James in September.
Both William and Zechariah say being separated from their siblings has been the most difficult part of the last year.
Whenever I talk to them, they say they are doing great, William says, adding he hopes they will all be reunited during Christmas.
It's been a challenge for all of us, Johnson says of the separation, adding that for Peter John, Joice and James, Brooks offers the kind of lucrative, full-time employment that Osoyoos can't.
For William and Zechariah, however, the little lakeside town is where they want to stay. In fact, the brothers say they plan to spend the rest of their lives in Osoyoos, and eventually want to buy some property of their own.
I love the landscape . . . the trees and the mountains, William says, adding that he finds the people here to be polite and respectful.
Nobody talks bad words, he observes.
Zechariah says he is attracted to the calm atmosphere Osoyoos provides.
I see Osoyoos as the best place where people live, he says, noting he's been to Vancouver, Tofino, Kelowna, Penticton and other cities in the province.
Osoyoos is a rest place. People that are retired, they come here to live.
Zechariah also seems astounded by Canadian police officers. Most of his life he has been exposed to corrupted law-enforcement officials.
Cops here are friends, he says. They help us.
He is also amazed by how well he is treated by his employers and at the sense of fairness and equality that Canadians seem to possess.
Here, people don't say, 'your skin is black, and my skin is white,' Zechariah says. We are all of the same body.rnHe explains that a friend from home who was relocated to Australia has experienced incidents of racism in that country.
For all the positive changes that have occurred in the last year, the Nyarzas are of course still haunted by the tragic events of their past.
I don't want to have any more bad dreams, Charles says while sitting at a table in his brothers' kitchen.
William admits that while exploring the Internet, he'll read up on the political corruption and humanitarian atrocities still unfolding not only in Sudan, but in Liberia and many other African countries as well. However, this world seems to be one William is attempting to distance himself from.
I don't need it, I don't want it, he says.
William would much rather concentrate on learning about Canadian history and politics. While the Nyarzas currently possess permanent resident cards, one day they plan to become Canadian citizens.
Three years, William says excitedly, as though he is counting down the days until he'll be an official resident of this country. I am trying to learn about Canadian politics . . . who is on the right and who is on the left.
William says he would like to continue his schooling and perhaps become a counsellor one day. Zechariah intends to become a pastor, and Charles, while he knows he still has a long time to decide, thinks he might like to become a police officer.
The siblings recognize the great contribution Johnson has made to their lives, emphasizing the pastor is there for them any time, day or night.
We are so happy for that, Zechariah says.
