Better days

[Liqaye]

They went through hell in Mogadishu. But for 17-year-old Mohamed Abdullahi and other Somali immigrants, in Minneapolis it's still an uphill climb.

 

 

 

Article

[Matkey]

This is a very sad story! And I must say that it has become common occurrence in Somalis irrespective of their tribal differences. I liked how strong-minded the young boy (Mohamed) is and his impetus to someday move to some place where he can be with his religious group. He is a brave, in sense, his endurance to face the challenges and obstacle that awaits, as oppose join some ganges like most teenages.

 

I took thses qoutes from the article

 

 

"Sometimes people will talk a lot of trash and I'll just go, 'Whatever, just play on,'" Mohamed explains. "It's just that when they touch me, I gotta fight back, because that's me. Just handle it once and get it finished.

 

"I have no desire to join a gang or anything," he emphasizes. "But I am not scared when they come up to me and things have to go down. Everybody is going to die sometime, so let's just all get through it. I don't care, I'll step up to you if I have to. I'm not scared of anybody except God."

His Muslim faith is the core of Mohamed's existence.

 

When his mother expresses skepticism about a God who would allow so many of her people to be killed, he is quick to rebuke her. "No, Mom, it did help--because we prayed a lot and that's why we're here right now, because it is a more peaceful place."

 

Mohamed has a dream. "I've told her before I'm not going to stay here," he says, gesturing across the couch to his mother. "America is a fast land, a fast life. Everything is about money. As soon as I get married, I'm going to save up money, like a couple of thousand go to Africa, Egypt or something, and buy my own home. Because my mother sends, like, $200 to Africa and it can save them for a couple of months. I'm like, 'What are we doing here, then?' I want to go someplace where I'll be with my religious group, where you know it is time to pray because you can hear everybody praying, all over the country. I want to go someplace safer, someplace where life is simple."