15/05/2026
Deng and Wol Cross the Bridge
Drought killed the cattle and cut off the road in Deng and Wol’s village. At 17 and 15, they had two choices: stay and starve slowly, or cross the old swaying iron bridge to Juba and risk everything.
Halfway across, Wol froze. Deng said, “Mama said a bridge doesn’t care if you’re scared. It only cares if you keep moving.” So they kept moving.
Juba wasn’t easy. They slept under a market stall, carried water for pennies, and got sick. But they had a plan: learn a skill, work, send money home. Deng learned to fix phones. Wol learned to read and taught other boys at night.
Two years later, they had a small shop and a school corner. They sent money back, and their family ate again.
Meaning: A better life doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. It starts when you decide that staying stuck is scarier than crossing, even if the bridge shakes.