a must see

When I get on a documentary kick, I can't stop. Tonight I watched a movie, that has truly touched me. It is called God Grew Tired of Us. It was a Sundance winner in 2006. I am putting this on my must see, must read list.
I won't even attempt to give a synopsis of the movie in my words, but will cut and paste what is on the website.

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In the late 1980s, 27,000 Sudanese "lost boys"–some just toddlers–marched barefoot over thousands of miles of barren desert, seeking safe haven from the brutal civil war raging in their homeland. Half died from bombing raids and starvation; the others reside together in Kenya's Kakuna refugee camp, with few prospects. Recently, the U.S. invited some of the boys to settle in America. Moving and mind-expanding, Christopher Quinn's God Grew Tired of Us follows three unforgettable young men–John, Daniel, and Panther–on their unbelievable odyssey in a strange New World. The culture shock begins with airplane loudspeakers and processed food and continues as they orient themselves to refrigerators, running water, and fluorescent-lit supermarkets. It's fascinating to witness their wonder at Western customs, and even more gripping when the film monitors their spiritual temperatures. Things are tough as the boys juggle multiple menial jobs; for the first time, they find themselves well fed, yet painfully isolated from the brotherly fellowship that once enabled their survival. They face hints of racism and are perplexed by Americans' obsessive need for privacy and anxious about loved ones struggling in Africa. Yet John, Daniel, and Panther–each radiantly charismatic and thoughtful–meet their challenges, fueled by a desire to help others. Though they were bred in unspeakably dehumanizing circumstances, their integrity and honor are impeccable, raising profound questions about the conditions necessary to create a civilized society.— Caroline Libresco

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I was so touched by this movie. But what hit me the most was when the young men saw Christmas in country for the first time. One boy said, "you have so many things to celebrate Christmas, but in our country we just celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ" This is worth watching every year at the beginning of the Christmas season.

I received an email today from Mark Bittner, the man on Telegraph Hill, I was thrilled to be able to share with him how his movie touched me. I look forward to finding a way to contact those in God grew tired of us to also share my feelings with them.

Have you read this book? Have you seen this DVD? I would love to know how this has touched or changed you if you have seen it.

watch trailer here