Synopses & Reviews
In a discouraging and dangerous place,
he found a people of amazing faith and forgiveness.
For years, Gary Smith, a Jesuit priest, led a familiar life in the Pacific Northwest. Then, one day in 2000, he left that life behind to spend six years among Sudanese refugees struggling to survive in refugee camps in northern Uganda. He traveled to this dangerous, pitiless place to be with these forsaken people out of a conviction that “Jesuits should be going where no one else goes.”
Smith’s journal is a vivid, inspiring account of the deep connections he forged during his life-changing experience with the Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Along the way, he discovered a suffering people who, despite being displaced by a brutal civil war, find the strength to let go of the many and deep sorrows of the past.
Ultimately, They Come Back Singing is a window to the spiritual life and growth of a priest whose generous spirit and genuine love allow him to serve—and be served—in truly extraordinary ways.
“Read this remarkable journal for an intimate look at one of the most
important humanitarian and religious issues of our time.”
—James Martin, SJ, author of This Our Exile: A Spiritual Journey with the Refugees of East Africa
Gary Smith, SJ, worked for six years with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Sudanese refugee camps in Uganda. He is the author of Radical
Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor, an account of his ministry to the poor and disabled in Portland, Oregon.
In a discouraging and dangerous place,
he found a people of amazing faith and forgiveness.
For years, Gary Smith, a Jesuit priest, led a familiar life in the Pacific Northwest. Then, one day in 2000, he left that life behind to spend six years among Sudanese refugees struggling to survive in refugee camps in northern Uganda. He traveled to this dangerous, pitiless place to be with these forsaken people out of a conviction that “Jesuits should be going where no one else goes.”
Smith’s journal is a vivid, inspiring account of the deep connections he forged during his life-changing experience with the Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Along the way, he discovered a suffering people who, despite being displaced by a brutal civil war, find the strength to let go of the many and deep sorrows of the past.
Ultimately, They Come Back Singing is a window to the spiritual life and growth of a priest whose generous spirit and genuine love allow him to serve—and be served—in truly extraordinary ways.
“Read this remarkable journal for an intimate look at one of the most
important humanitarian and religious issues of our time.”
—James Martin, SJ, author of This Our Exile: A Spiritual Journey with the Refugees of East Africa
Gary Smith, SJ, worked for six years with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Sudanese refugee camps in Uganda. He is the author of Radical
Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor, an account of his ministry to the poor and disabled in Portland, Oregon.
Synopsis
For years, Gary Smith, a Jesuit priest, led a familiar life in the Pacific Northwest. Then, one day in 2000, he left that life behind to spend six years among Sudanese refugees struggling to survive in refugee camps in northern Uganda. He traveled to this dangerous, pitiless place to be with these forsaken people out of a conviction that -Jesuits should be going where no one else goes.-
Smith's journal is a vivid, inspiring account of the deep connections he forged during his life-changing experience with the Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Along the way, he discovered a suffering people who, despite being displaced by a brutal civil war, find the strength to let go of the many and deep sorrows of the past.
Ultimately, They Come Back Singing is a window to the spiritual life and growth of a priest whose generous spirit and genuine love allow him to serve--and be served--in truly extraordinary ways.
Synopsis
In 2000, Gary Smith, a Jesuit priest, left a familiar life in the Pacific Northwest to become a missionary in Africa, where he lived among Sudanese refugees struggling to survive in refugee camps in northern Uganda. Among other reasons, he went to this dangerous, pitiless place to discover the answer to a deep question many of us ask: What is most important in life?They Come Back Singing is Smith's inspiring journal of the deep connections he forged and the life-changing lessons he learned during his six years as a missionary in Africa. As he seeks the answer to his question, Smith is both a witness to and a teacher of how the Holy Spirit's power provides the spiritual strength to move forward in even the most difficult circumstances.
Synopsis
A moving and inspiring account of one priest’s
life-changing experience among
Sudanese refugees.
In 2000, Gary Smith, a Jesuit priest, left a familiar life in the Pacific Northwest to live among Sudanese refugees struggling to survive in refugee camps in northern Uganda. He traveled to this dangerous, pitiless place to be with these forsaken people out of a conviction that “Jesuits should be going where no one else goes.” But he also went to discover the answer to a question many of us ask: What is most important in life? For Smith, the answer came down to connecting with other human beings, to relationships—“to being loved and giving in love.”
Smith’s journal is a vivid, inspiring account of the deep connections he forged during his six years with the refugees in Uganda. Along the way, he discovers a suffering people who, despite being displaced by a brutal civil war, find the spiritual strength to let go of the many and deep sorrows of the past. Smith is both a witness to and a teacher of how the Holy Spirit’s power provides this spiritual strength to move forward.
Gary Smith, SJ, worked for six years with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Sudanese refugee camps in Uganda. He is the author of Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor, an account of his ministry to the poor, disabled, and needy in Portland, Oregon.
About the Author
Gary Smith, SJ, worked for six years with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Sudanese refugee camps in Uganda. He is the author of They Come Back Singing, a journal of his time in Uganda, Radical Compassion, an account of his ministry to the poor and disabled in Portland, Oregon, and Street Journal.
Table of Contents
Contents
Author’s Note xiii
Introduction xvii
Part 1: Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement
Journal: August 2000 3
Killer Lightning 8
New Life, New Hope 11
Letter from Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement 14
Letter from Kampala 18
And in God There Is No Darkness at All 21
Journal: June 2001 26
A Mother’s Voice Crying Out in the Wilderness 35
A Paratrooper in a Diaper 39
Letter from Arua 43
Cause of Death: Life 47
Letter from Mwanza, Tanzania 50
Journal: September 2002 54
Letter from Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement 59
Everything 62
Part 2: Adjumani Refugee Settlement
Letter from Adjumani Refugee Settlement 67
Standing Naked before an Angel 70
Journal: December 2003 76
A Noise in the Night 85
Yayo 90
The Beautiful Mouth of Jacelin Ojok 94
Journal: June 2004 104
Confirmation and Kalashnikovs 115
Letter from Nimule, Sudan 123
Holding Job in My Arms 126
Kogwon Narju 132
African Gem 138
Letter from Kampala 144
God Does Not Forget His People 147
A Love Story 154
Hakim 159
A Bridge to the Eternal 164
Holy Week and a Cloud of Witnesses 171
A Long Night’s Journey into Day 177
Say Yes Again and Forgive Forever 181
Journal: June 2005 189
The Tears of Rose Adoo 195
Journal: August 2006 202
God’s Sweet Gift 210
Those Damn Jesuits 216
Afterword 223