Too Harsh to be True ---When Stars are Scattered

 When I first found out that "When stars are Scattered" was a graphic novel I felt that it would be boring. It was more like stepping down a level instead of moving up. A range of emotions ran through me- mostly confusion. Stumped, I did what I usually do when in doubt. I read. And read.

The book caught my attention and the fact that it was a true story amazed me even more. Boredom- a feeling that was never expressed and enlarged by any authors was constantly used here, rightly so.

This book is about Omar and his brother Hassan who are in a refugee camp called Dadaab in Kenya- taken care of by their foster mother, Fatima. They were forced to move there during the war in Somalia, their hometown. With their father dead and their mother lost they don't have a purpose in life- a feeling enlarged by the boredom. Education here was limited, like a lollipop. Only if you were among the toppers would you have a chance to go to middle school or high school. They tried to savour their education while they could but unluckily Omar quit school so he could take care of his younger brother who had an intellectual disability.

The refugee camp was bigger than I thought it was. It stretched for miles and was very difficult to navigate through since it all looked the same. They had one schedule - do chores. Play (if you had time). Eat. Sleep.

I feel that people who weren't optimistic here would get pushed away and lose track of their life in the camp.

Only if you were lucky would you be called upon by the UN and sent to other countries- a process that took many years. 

Marilla and a couple of other girls plead to their parents- begging them to send them to middle school- something they had earned being toppers but they were forced to marry, denied an education.

Omar's entire life was spent waiting- for his mother to find him- for UN to call upon him- sometimes he didn't know what he was waiting for.

Finally it came.

Omar was in school when suddenly a friend rushed there and told him that he was in the list- names of people shortlisted by the UN, randomly picked. They now had a chance to become immigrants in other countries.

After a few years the immigration process was over and he was going to leave to USA. Finally, he looked back at his home for the last time- not per se , but still a home. He friends were waving him goodbye , overjoyed that somebody would atleast get a chance at life. He wondered how happy they were for him even though they were still stuck in a refugee camp.

He got a chance at life. He was lucky unlike many of his friends. 

After a few years his mother came to the camp. She was redirected to Fatima by others there. Fatima showed her a photo of Omar and Hassan. Their mother saw them for the first time in a decade. Soon she connected with children and moved out of the camp to live with them.

They had lost half of their life but were now happy to atleast live in proper conditions. 

Omar now lives with his wife, brother and five children in Lancaster, PA.

A true story of moving on.....