---

http://bit.ly/2FcwccW

After enduring countless hardships and overcoming unimaginable obstacles,
Airman 1st Class Guor Maker, a dental assistant currently in technical
training, found his way out of war-torn South Sudan, Africa and into the U.S.
nearly 20 years ago.

在通過無數的難關、克服完全無法想像的困境後，美國空軍一兵，Guor Maker，
一位牙助，目前在技術訓練上就位。他在20年前戰亂的南蘇丹逃到美國。

As one of roughly 20,000 children uprooted by the gruesome Second Sudanese
Civil War, Maker's childhood was far from normal. After losing 28 family
members, including eight of his nine siblings, 8-year-old Maker set out on
foot from South Sudan to live with his uncle.



"The country I came from was torn apart by war," said Maker. "It was all I
knew growing up, nothing else. I've seen people die in front of me, but I
knew no matter what, I had to make it."

「我出生的國家被戰爭整個撕裂。這是我成長時唯一知道的。我看到很多人死在我面前，
但我知道無論如何，我一定要活下去。」

During his harrowing journey, Maker was captured and enslaved twice: once by
Sudanese soldiers, and once by herdsmen.

「在他的悲慘旅途中，Maker被捕抓並且奴役兩次：一次被蘇丹軍人奴役，一次被
一次被牧民奴役。」

"When I was captured, I was forced to be a slave laborer," said Maker. "I
would wash dishes or do anything else needed to get by. I slept in a small
cell and rarely got to eat...but not always."

「當我被抓的時候，我被迫成為奴隸。我要洗碗洗盤子或做其他事情來度過。我在一個
小小的牢獄過活，而且能進食的次數不多...儘管不是每次都這樣。」

Both times, Maker successfully escaped from enslavement and was finally able
to join his uncle in Khartoum after three perilous years. However, his
journey to safety was far from over.

Maker兩次都成功的逃脫奴役，並且在三年的顛簸後重新加入他在喀土穆的叔叔。但他
邁向安全的旅途還沒有結束。

During a nighttime attack on the perceived safety of his uncle's home, Maker
sustained serious injuries when he was beaten unconscious by a soldier who
smashed his jaw with a rifle.

在一次的夜襲中，在本來感覺應該是安全的叔叔家，Maker受到重傷，他被軍人
用步槍尻下巴，直接把他打到失去意識。

"My mouth was shut for two months and I could only consume liquids because my
jaw was broken," he said. "We fled to Egypt after that, and the United
Nations treated my injuries."

「我的嘴巴兩個月完全不能張開。我只能進食流質食物，因為我下巴碎掉了。」
「在那之後，我們逃到了埃及，受到聯合國的照護。」

After two years of filling out paperwork at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services in Egypt, Maker and his uncle's family were finally granted
permission to enter the United States.

在兩年的申請移民後，Maker跟他叔叔的家庭終於成功接受申請，進入了美國。

"I was very excited to come to the U.S.," said Maker. "Looking back at
everything my family and I endured, it is a miracle that we made it out of
there."

「我當時非常期待來到美國。往回頭看我的家人和我所承受的一切，能夠離開
那裏真是個奇蹟。」

When Maker first arrived in the U.S. in 2001, he settled in Concord, New
Hampshire. Not only did he want to survive, but he wanted to thrive.

當Maker在2001年抵達美國時，他在新罕布什爾州的康柯德定居。他不只想要
活下來，他還要活得精采。

"I wanted to change my life, help my parents back in South Sudan, and give my
future children a better childhood than the one I had," he said. "And the
only way to do that was through education and determination."

「我想要改變我的人生，幫助我遠在南蘇丹的父母，也給我未來的孩子一個遠比我的童年
好更多的童年生活。我唯一能這樣做的辦法只有透過教育還有自身的決心。」

Maker started with the basics and began learning English by watching
children's cartoons and spending plenty of time with other high school kids
just listening to their conversations and absorbing all that he could.

Maker開始透過看兒童卡通學習英文，並且跟其他高中小孩混在一起，只為了透過他們的
對話學習聽力，並且吸收他所能吸收的所有事物。

"Within a short amount of time, I was able to communicate with effectively
with other students and teachers, order food, and really get by on my own,"
Maker said.

「在短時間內，我能夠有效率地跟其他同學以及老師們溝通，也能夠自己訂外食，並且
能夠靠自己好好地生活下去。」

While learning English was a crucial step on his personal journey, Maker's
high school career really took off when one of his teachers introduced him to
running.

儘管練習英文是他人生旅途中重要的一步，Maker在高中時他的生涯在他的一位老師介紹
他跑步後正式起飛。

"Running was always just natural and easy for me," said Maker. "It was a
great high school experience and it helped me meet a lot of friends, build
confidence and it was genuinely fun."

「跑步對我來說很自然而且簡單。高中經歷非常棒，也讓我遇到很多摯友、建立自信心
，高中生活對我來說就是非常的有趣。」

After winning the National High School indoor two-mile title, Maker received
a scholarship to compete at Iowa State University, where he allowed himself
to dream of things that had never been done before.

在贏得全國高中兩英里田徑大賽後，Maker得到Iowa州立大學獎學金。他在那裏夢想
完成從來沒被達成的目標。

"When I got to college in 2005, I remember hanging a piece of paper on my
wall that said I was going to run in the Olympics in 2012 for South Sudan,"
said Maker. "I thought 'Why not me? Why can't I do it?'"

「當我在2005年念大學時，我記得我在我的牆上掛了一張紙，寫著我要在2012當南蘇丹
代表參加奧運。我想著『為什麼不是我哩？我能成功的吧！！』」

Maker graduated with a bachelor's degree in Chemistry and reached
All-American status as a student athlete, Ready to start his new life. Maker
planned to head to Flagstaff, Arizona to train for the 2012 Olympics.

「Maker得到化學系學士學位，並且以學生運動員身分得到全美代表。Maker計畫到亞歷桑
那州的旗桿市來訓練參加2012奧運。」

The same day he left for Arizona in 2011 was the day South Sudan officially
gained its independence.

他在2011動身前往亞利桑那的那天，南蘇丹官方宣布獨立。

"I drove the whole way celebrating and it was a very special day that I will
always remember," said Maker.

「我開車整路都在慶祝，那是我永遠都會記得的一天。」

Following his year of training, Maker qualified to run the marathon in the
2012 Olympics in London.

在他一年後訓練，Maker得到2012倫敦奧運的馬拉松資格。

Even though South Sudan officially gained its independence, the country was
not yet a member of the International Olympic Committee and Maker was still
not an official U.S. citizen.

儘管南蘇丹宣布獨立，該國當時尚未成為國際奧委會成員之一，Maker也不是一位官方
的美國國民。

"State senators from New Hampshire and Arizona presented my case to the
Senate in Washington D.C. so the International Olympic Committee allowed me
to run in the Olympics without a country," said Maker.

「新罕布什爾州的州議員把我的案子呈上給華盛頓參議院的議員，讓國際奧委會通過
讓我不代表任何國家但能夠參加比賽。」

Even though his dream of running for South Sudan had not yet come true, Maker
accomplished a great deal as an unaffiliated Olympian.

儘管為南蘇丹而跑的夢還沒成真，Maker以一位無國籍代表成為奧運選手的事情仍然
非常偉大。

"All of the people in South Sudan knew where I was from," said Maker. "I
wanted to be the inspiration for the children to say, 'Hey, if Maker can do
it, you know what, I can do it too.'"

「南蘇丹的所有人都知道我從哪裡來，我想要成為小孩的榜樣，讓他們說『如果Maker
能夠做到，我也可以RRR』」

After the 2012 Olympics, Maker was undeterred and set a new goal for himself
and his country.

在2012奧運後，Maker仍然風雨無阻的為自己也為自己的國家立下新目標。

"I said to myself, 'In 2016, I'm going to bring South Sudan to the Olympics
for the first time,'" said Maker. "I wanted to try to do more for my country
and the 2012 Olympics only strengthened my conviction to accomplish my goal."

「我告訴自己：『我在2016年要把南蘇丹帶進奧運』。我想要為我的國家做更多。在2012
奧運之後只更強化了我想達成目標的決心。」

This time around Maker's dream became a reality in Rio de Janeiro 2016 when
he became one of three athletes to be the first to represent South Sudan in
an Olympic games, as well as South Sudan's flag bearer for the opening
ceremony.

這次Maker的夢想成真。2016里約奧運他成為南蘇丹代表的三位選手之一，並且也是開幕
典禮時南蘇丹的國旗手。

"Walking into that stadium, carrying the South Sudan flag was just
indescribable," said Maker. "The people of South Sudan were in my mind the
whole time I was running into the stadium with that flag and it meant so much
to me."

「拿著南蘇丹的國旗走進去那個會場感覺真的很難形容。當我舉著旗幟，跑進
會場時，南蘇丹的人民在我的腦海中浮現。這對我來說真的意義非凡。」

While it was a truly incredible and improbable moment for Maker, his thoughts
were filled with the people of his home country while he was running with
that flag.

這對Maker來說是個非常美妙並且難忘的一刻。但是他舉旗奔跑時，他心繫著他家鄉的人
們。

"Over 50 years of civil war and my country finally got independence," said
Maker. "So many lives were lost for our freedom, it was just ringing in my
head that we have done it, we have done it. On that day, everyone in South
Sudan was at peace watching the Olympics for the first time."

「超過50年的內戰，我的國家終於獨立了。好多好多人都為了自由失去性命。這在
我腦中只浮現了一個心情：我們成功了。我們成功了。在那天，南蘇丹的所有人第一次
沒有在戰亂中看奧運。」

The 2016 Olympics were an enormous accomplishment for the former slave and
South Sudan native that went far beyond his 82nd overall finish.

2016奧運對這位前奴隸的南蘇丹國民而言是非常大的成就。儘管他是第82名，但這成就
遠遠超過獎項。

"I couldn't have accomplished any of it without all the support I received
from my family and the opportunity the United States gave me. It's the
highlight of my athletic career so far and a moment I'll treasure forever."

「沒有我的家人給予我的支持還有美國給我的機會的話，我什麼都做不成。這是
我身為運動員最大的成就，也是我永遠會記住的一刻。」

The next chapter in Maker's life began when he decided to join the U.S. Air
Force to serve the country that gave him so many opportunities.

Maker人生的下一章在他決定加入美國空軍以報答這個給他眾多機會的國家後，畫下了
新的開頭。

"All of the things I've accomplished have derived from the opportunities the
U.S. has afforded me," said Maker. "When I first came to America, I didn't
have hardly anything, but with the support and opportunity this country has
given me, I've been able to completely change my life."

「我所有能完成的目標都是美國提供給我的機會。當我來到美國時，我根本沒想過要
完成什麼。但這國家給予我的機會與鼓勵，讓我能夠完全的改變自己。」

The staff at basic military training had no idea who Maker was, but he
quickly stood out to leadership at the 324th Training Squadron.

美國新訓中心完全不知道Maker是誰，但他在第324中隊中很快的嶄露頭角。

"I went out to the track and saw the instructors were putting their attention
on one trainee in particular," said Maj. John Lippolis, director of
operations for the 324th TRS. "I could see him running noticeably faster than
everyone else and the instructors explained to me that we had a two-time
Olympian at BMT."

「我走到田徑場上，發現訓練員對一位新兵特別關注。」324中隊長，少校John說。

out Lippolis.

除了Maker的奧運經驗，他獨特的個人故事更讓John覺得精彩。

"I was just absolutely floored when I talked to him about what he went
through to get to where he is today," said Lippolis. "Not only did he get
survive, he wanted to better himself and he has accomplished so much. He has
an amazing story and the drive he has displayed to succeed like that in the
face of such adversity is truly inspiring."

「我跟他聊到他一路走來的心路歷程後，我完全嚇傻了。他不只活了下來，他還讓自己
更好，而且也完成了許多事物。他有著一個精彩的人生故事，而且他在逆境下的努力展現
真的太令人激賞了。」

Maker not only inspired Lippolis, but other members of his flight were
inspired too.

Maker不只感動了John，其他同T的鄰兵也都感到佩服。

"All of his wingmen said the same things when I talked to them," said
Lippolis. "They told me what an inspiration he was within the flight; that
the flight rallied around him and he doesn't do anything he's supposed to do
for himself until he helps out everybody else."


dreaming.

儘管Maker已完成他人生中很多夢想，他仍然沒有停止前進。

Maker hopes to join the Air Force World Class Athlete Program, a program
designed to allow elite athletes the opportunity to train and compete in
national events to make the Olympics. He also wants to make the 2020 Olympics
where he'll have the opportunity to represent his new home and the country
that gave him so much.

Maker想叫加入空軍體育班，一個讓菁英運動員訓練並且參加國家賽事以參加奧運。他
仍想參加2020的奧運，讓他為了一個給他許多機會的新國家當代表。

"Joining the greatest Air Force in the world has been an absolute miracle,"
said Maker. "I can't wait to see what this next chapter holds for me."

「加入世界上最厲害的空軍完全是個奇蹟。我等不及前往我人生的下個篇章了。」



備註：

1.翻了1個小時終於翻完了好累喔= =

2.Maker真的很屌，人生開局是Hardcore，還屌打一大群人

3.坐在電腦前的鄉民們，只要想要，一定會成功。大家一起加油～～

4.希望能夠給大家看到，前十推一人100P。只有前十位喔XD我錢不多

--

--
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc), 來自: 1.173.177.197
※ 文章代碼(AID): #1Qcwo8V5 (Gossiping)
※ 文章網址: https://www.ptt.cc/bbs/Gossiping/M.1520151688.A.7C5.html