Peace Corps Volunteer's Photographs Bridge Decades and Continents for Sudanese 'Lost Boy' Family
Humanitarian photographer Steven Wade Adams's images, taken in remote Nuer villages along the Ethiopia–South Sudan border in 2016, have unexpectedly become a vital link to the past for a family of a 'Lost Boy of Sudan.' Peter, who fled his village at age three and later became a U.S. citizen and Peace Corps Volunteer, had almost no physical reminders of his childhood. Former Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet purchased one of Adams's prints, a young Nuer girl at sunset, as a gift for Peter and his wife, Anna Lena. This single photograph initiated a collaboration where Adams helped the family select images capturing the village life Peter remembered. These photographs now adorn their home, serving as a tangible legacy for their children. The story highlights the profound impact of human connection and service, reaching across continents and decades, and underscores the resilience of individuals displaced by conflict.
