SHINING THE STORY OF A LUCKY MAN

<P>Abdi's world fell apart when he was only fifteen and Somalia's vicious civil war hit Mogadishu. Unable to find his family and effectively an orphan he fled with some sixty othersheading to Kenya. On the way death squads hunted them and they daily faced violence danger and starvation. After almost four months they arrived in at refugee camps in Kenya - of the group he'd set out with only five had survived. </P> <P>All alone in the world and desperate to find his family Abdi couldn't stay in Kenya so he turned around and undertook the dangerous journey <EM>back</EM> to Mogadishu.  But the search  was fruitless and eventually Abdi made his way - alone with no money in his pockets - to Romania then to Germany completely dependent on the kindess of strangers. He was just seventeen years old when he arrived in Melbourne. He had no English no family or friends no money no home. Yet against the odds he not only survived he thrived. Abdi went on to complete secondary education and later university. He became a youth worker was acknowledged with the 2007 Victorian Refugee Recognition Award and was featured in the SBS second series of <EM>Go Back to Where You Came From</EM>. </P> <P>Despite what he has gone through Abdi is a most inspiring man who is constantly thankful for his life and what he has. Everything he has endured and achieved is testament to his quiet strength and courage his resilience and most of all his warm-hearted shining and enduring optimism. </P> <P>'Powerful and uplifting' <EM>Bookseller + Publisher</EM></P> <P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt><FONT face=Calibri>'Aden's odyssey belongs to our time ... Here is a man who counts his blessings and has an inspiring story to tell.'  <EM>Sydney Morning Herald</EM></FONT></P>