STORY: Here’s the second half of Carole Longo-Harris’ story.

“I huddled against my car. God bless cell phones! I thought as I dialed with my shaky fingers.

“’Emmanuel?’ I yelled. ‘It’s Carole.’ 

“‘Yes.’ His voice was soft and naïve.

“’Where are you? Hurry! You and your brother come outside. I am afraid.’

“Instantly Emmanuel and his brother, both wearing neatly pressed long-sleeve white shirts, emerged onto the stoop. I followed them up to the third floor apartment.

“What a wonderful visit! Veronica was Mary’s translator. The warm, loving woman thanked me for helping her son then proudly presented me with two hand-etched metal plates carried all the way from Egypt. Mary turned the plates over to point out the wire loops. She had someone weld the wire especially for me to hang the plates on the wall.  

“A week later, Emmanuel called to tell me about the Sudanese Peace Act finally signed with the help of Gen. Colin Powell, President George W. Bush and Sen. Frist from Tennessee.

He also said, ‘You and your American friends have been a part of eliminating some of the slavery in southern Sudan. We escaped, came with nothing and with God’s help we are free men in America.’

“Is there a better Christmas gift than freedom?”

The Peace Act passed in 2002 was a U.S. law designed to push for a permanent peace in Sudan’s civil war by authorizing aid for democracy and relief and condemning human rights abuses like slavery and child soldiers.

Sadly, any peace in Sudan didn’t last. Since April 2023 there has been an active civil war with famine and claims of genocide in the Darfur region.