FORT ERIE, ONTARIO - By any account, Leo Johnson (25) is a remarkable young man; enough to make any mother proud.
This fall Johnson begins study in the McMaster University Economics program. He works part-time at TDCanada Trust as a teller.
In October 2007, Johnson entered the "Canada's Next Great Prime Minister" contest. On video Johnson discussed a great idea that will make Canada a better country. His entry was chosen out of 366. In the CBC studios, Johnson answered questions posed by a panel of dignitaries including former PMs Paul Martin, John Turner, Kim Campbell and also by comedian Rick Mercer. Johnson made it to the top 10 but not the top 3; still, quite an accomplishment especially for someone who had just arrived in Canada in 2006.
Johnson is a Liberian refugee. In 1998 when the civil war in Liberia was at its peak, Johnson's parents and 7 siblings were forced to move house every 3 weeks to stay out of the line of fire. But one day when Johnson was at school, the fighters and the rebels advanced on his neighbourhood and Johnson was forced to dodge bullets as he ran for his life. He followed the crowd and crossed the border into the Ivory Coast still wearing his school uniform. At sixteen he found himself alone sharing a tent with other orphaned youth in the Danane Refugee Camp. Johnson thought that his family had been killed. He tried to find them but with no telephone access and so many internally displaced persons, it was impossible.
There was no official school in the refugee camp and so Johnson approached a Catholic School outside of the camp. The school agreed to provide him with a uniform and books even though these things are the responsibility of the family in most of Africa. Two years later, Johnson graduated at the top of his class. Back in the refugee camp, Johnson tutored math and reading and led worship in the camp's church.
He moved to the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana. There he worked as an amateur journalist and sold stories to the BBC. He helped a mother of two who couldn't speak English apply for refugee status in Canada. Johnson applied as well and was accepted.
This winter Johnson received an unexpected phone call. His friend from the refugee camp noticed a woman in a waiting room in Monrovia who looked exactly like his old friend Leo.
Turning to the woman he asked her, "Do you know someone named Leo Johnson?"
"Do you know what you're asking?" the woman snapped and turned away.
Johnson's friend knew he was on to something and so he persisted.
"I know someone who looks like you. Do you know Leo Johnson?"
"What do you know about my Leo?" she said with tears in her eyes. "He's dead."
Johnson's friend took her by the hand and rushed back to his apartment. He showed her a picture of Leo that had been taken in the refugee camp a couple of years earlier. Then he grabbed the phone.
"Leo," he said, "I've got your mother on the line."
After nine years of separation, Leo found his family. It's a God thing. Imagine the celebration when this remarkable young man finally sees his family face-to-face. BLM
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