Peaceful. Stress-free. Love. Family. Friends. Warmth. Support. This is Accra, Ghana. This was home.
Five years ago David Dosoo immigrated to New York City with a dream on a promise from his uncle. He yearned for better educational opportunities and a realistic chance at pursuing his dream, his passion, his love – music.
Aware that he would miss his family and friends he still made the decision to journey by himself to this unknown land. Pushing his emotions aside David focused on achieving his goals by “making decisions that will not only benefit me, but others.” This method, however, did not last. “It became harder with time. After two years it was a different plateau. It hit me later.”
His dreams, fueled by anticipation and passion, soon came to a screeching halt. Promises of aid and support were broken. Already experiencing harsh loneliness and isolation from strangers and other ethnic groups who ostracized him, instead of going to school, David was home for two years. “Everything was at a standstill. That was a major, major breaking point for me. I was a teenager, you know, It’s like telling a five year old ‘Hey, listen, I’m going to get you a lollipop’ and then you don’t.”
This was not the image, the vision he painted for himself. Loneliness, grief, hurt and regret engulfed his mind.
“For the first two, three years every day I had a wet pillow. I’m dying. I’m going to die young. It was hard.” David could not share in the growth of siblings. He did not have many friends. Stereotypes, his accent, and nationality made him the target of merciless comments and judgments. He had no insurance, no social security, no comfort, no one to lean on or trust. “If anything happens to you right now, if you get sick, get hit by a car, you have no one.” This was his life.
Fortunately, there was a saving grace. After service one day at Love Gospel Assembly David had an encounter with Sylvia. One comment changed his situation. “ ‘My name is David, and when praise and worship was going on I kept having a feeling for you to be my mom.’ She didn’t say anything, and she just gave me the biggest hug ever.” Immediately, David found peace in the embrace of his godmother. They provided a home and the support he desperately desired. They kept him going. He found happiness.
Today, David cries less and believes things will work out. He has learned to persevere, experiences joy, and is accepting the growing process.
“My dream today is to accomplish my educational ambitions and my inborn talents in terms of music, and have a beautiful family. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
