• At the Evangelical Free Church in Holladay, Sudanese men and women gather on Sunday mornings for Bible study and English lessons. In their homeland, the Mabaan and Uduk tribes were at war. Here, tensions are left behind, although the faces of several gathered are marked with the ritual "gar" scarring specific to their tribes.

• At the African Community Daycare, 21 Somali Bantu children younger than age 3 play with balls and Play-doh. They are learning English and sign language. The drawings posted on the wall are painted by Abdi, Khadija, Salat and Mohamed.

Earlier this month, at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980, a refugee from Cambodia called the act a turning point in helping America live up to its potential as a world leader and caretaker of the world's most vulnerable people.

Since the act was signed in 1980, more than a quarter million refugees have come to the United States.

"These are people who literally have no place to go, no place to live," said Bouy Te, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center.

Martin BuBa, born in southern Sudan, considers his resettlement a gift.

Twenty years ago, Muslim fundamentalists from the north burned and murdered their way to his village. The 7-year-old BuBa ran, eventually making his way to Ethiopia. But his father, the Uduk tribal chief in his village, died in the conflict.

He witnessed much death, starvation and violence in refugee camps before being resettled in the United States five years ago.

He married his wife, Tabith Kwayee, at age 14 in the camp. Today they have four children.

But BuBa, 27, is surviving. He has good housing. His children are flourishing in school. He will graduate this summer from the University of Utah in political science and plans a career in international relations. He is dedicated to educating and promoting democracy in his home continent of Africa, where about half the countries are decimating themselves in civil strife.

"I want to be part of the movement that changes things."

Coming Monday: Starting over

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