At home in Harlan

HARLAN — A group of South Sudanese refugees have found their homes in Harlan and a place to belong  at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
“It’s a quiet town,” said Tino Ngelo. “It’s close to the city. I like the community. It’s been very welcoming.”
Ngelo and Jima Leko are among the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” a name given to the estimated 20,000 children who were orphaned or separated from their families during Sudan’s second civil war. The conflict, which lasted from 1983 to 2005, pitted the northern Sudanese government against southern-based rebel groups and displaced more than 4 million people. Many children fled on foot, walking hundreds or even thousands of miles to reach refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya.
During these years, families faced political persecution, famine, starvation, and little access to healthcare or education. Young boys were often targeted for forced military recruitment. In the early 2000s, the U.S. government launched a major resettlement program, bringing roughly 3,600 of these unaccompanied minors — including Ngelo and Leko — to safety in the United States.
After growing up surrounded by war and instability, Leko said life in Harlan feels profoundly different. “It’s safe here. It feels like home.”
When Leko first arrived in the United States almost 25 years ago, it was snowing at the airport in Chicago, and continued to snow on the way to Des Moines. “I thought that’s just how it was in America. . . it was always cold and everything was white,” he laughed.
Ngelo, Leko, John Wango, and Kelly Mure all come from Mabaan County in what is now South Sudan. The region, located between the Nile River and the Ethiopian Highlands, is home to one of the world’s largest refugee populations, with camps sheltering people fleeing violence in both Sudan and South Sudan.
Mure has lived in Shelby County for nearly two years, after spending 15 years in Storm Lake. “My aunt lives here. That’s why I moved,” she said. A mother of five, ages 10 to 18, Mure said she has found a strong sense of community in Harlan.
“We feel very welcome here,” she said. Her children — all U.S. citizens — have made many friends through school and church. One of her daughters hopes to become a doctor. “This generation has a chance we didn’t have,” Mure added.
“We did not have those opportunities.”
Earlier this year, members of Harlan’s South Sudanese community visited Harlan City Hall, where they met with Mayor Jay Christiansen, City Administrator Gervas Mgonja, and Shelby County Sheriff Neil Gross.
“It’s important for them to get to know us and for us to know them,” Leko said. “We are all part of the same community.”
“We follow the laws and we are safe here,” Ngelo said. “We are used to being scared, but it’s nothing like that here. We know we are safe.”
“This is our second home, our new home,” Wango said. “This was what we were looking for.”
Several members of the community — including Ngelo and Leko — also participate in Harlan’s Community Garden, a partnership between the City of Harlan, the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Iowa State University Extension Office.
“At one time, I would have liked to have been a farmer,” Ngelo said. “But there were no opportunities there [in South Sudan]. There were no jobs, just the military.”
While many of Harlan’s South Sudanese residents work at Monogram Foods or Essentia Protein Solutions, Wango recently spent four months working aboard a fishing vessel off the Alaska coast, often putting in 16-hour days. While it was his third expedition, he does not plan to return.
“It’s very scary at times,” he said. “You are in the middle of the ocean, so you can’t leave. You sleep 3–4 hours at a time. Your knees, back, and feet hurt.”
Bad weather and injuries are common, Wango said, but the earnings were worth the risk. Much of his income was sent to support his wife and children, who remain in a refugee camp in Ethiopia.
Wango, Mure, Leko, and Ngelo say Immanuel Lutheran Church has become both a spiritual home and a welcome source for building relationships. 
 Members of the congregation have also benefited from the new friendships. “They have been a gift,” said Pastor Phil Nielsen. “They have brought new life, new relationships, and a new understanding to all of us.”
The congregation has embraced the new arrivals. Three retired teachers offer tutoring for the children, and the church hosts quarterly meals where members share both Sudanese and American dishes. Game nights, which often feature a friendly but competitive Corn Hole tournament, have become a favorite.
“The South Sudanese have a great sense of community,” said Craig Olson, a church member who has formed close friendships with many of the refugees. “We’ve had big celebrations at the church. They have become a big part of our church family.”
“It’s been so much fun getting to know them and their children. It’s been a blessing.”
For many, Olson said, coming to the United States truly saved their lives. “There is so much violence and unrest. The periods of peace there are so short. You wouldn’t believe some of the things they have been through. We just thank God for bringing them here.”
Pastor Nielsen agreed. “It’s always great to welcome people who are new and fresh to the community,” he said. “The difference creates a sense of wholeness. It brings new life, new relationships, and a new understanding to us all.”
He hopes when people see stories about immigration on the news, they think of the South Sudanese neighbors they know. “They all came here legally with refugee or asylum status,” he said. “I hope people picture these faces and realize they aren’t statistics. They are our friends.”
The church accepts monetary donations to support the refugee camps in Ethiopia, where thousands of South Sudanese remain displaced. 
“We have resources, but sometimes it’s difficult to provide food without creating more friction,” Nielsen said. 
“We are working on a way to do it. We will find a way. We are determined to get there because of the people who are still in those camps.”