'Lost Boy' carries US Olympic flag

TULLY, N.Y. - Robert Rogers was intrigued seven years ago by the advertisement in a church bulletin seeking foster parents for "Lost Boys" from Sudan."This looks interesting," he told his wife, Barbara, at the end of Mass at St. Leo Church. He still remembers her reaction: "You're out of your mind."

He was out of town on the day of the meeting about the foster children, so his wife went. "When I came home ... we were all signed up and ready to go," he said.

Two months later, the couple welcomed 16-year-old Joseph "Lopez" Lomong. He would be the first of six foster sons from Sudan they took into their home.

Since that July day in 2001, the Rogers have quietly served as foster parents for the young men who spent much of their childhood fleeing war, trekking all over Sudan and living in a refugee camp in Kenya for 10 years.

The Rogers' work became more public when Lomong, now a 23-year-old track and cross-country star, made the U.S. Olympic track team. He carried the American flag as he led the U.S. delegation into Beijing's National Stadium earlier this month.

Locals here have rallied to raise money to help send the Rogers to Beijing to watch their adopted son compete in the 1,500-meter race.

"It's been amazing, everyone is a part of it, and Lopez wants everyone to be a part of it," said Barbara, 49. "All along his journey, since the time he arrived here, everyone has been involved in interacting with him."

The couple moved here in 1987 when their son, Robert Jr., was five. They got involved in the community, volunteering and supporting various causes in the schools and at St. Leo and St. Patrick parishes. They own 27 apartments and a Laundromat in Tully, and Robert, 51, buys and sells construction equipment.

The Rev. Louis Aiello, the Rogers' former pastor, said it was a delight to have the couple as parishioners because they were strong supporters of his ministry and other causes in the community.

The couple bought cars for a nun and a deacon. Robert built a steeple for St. Patrick Church, put a garage behind the church and installed a handicapped ramp at St. Leo.

The Rogers are truly living the gospel message to love others through their support in the church and for fostering the young men from Sudan, Aiello said.

"It was exciting to see these young men become a part of our community," said Aiello. "Rob and Barb have done great things for Lopez, but they've done an equally great thing for that parish and community."

The Rogers said their charity began when they went bankrupt in 1984. At 30, Robert said, he had lost a $1.8 million in a failed investment. For the next 10 years, the couple struggled to get out of debt.

They had both grown up Catholic, but neither had a strong religious connection. While listening to Christian radio, Robert started to analyze his faith and realized that he needed to trust God more.

He started tithing even though he didn't have much money. He gave 10 percent of his income to God, and "miracles started happening at a rate that would scare us," he said.

He took a sales job that promised $45,000 a year but ended up making $138,000 in the first year, he said. The job enabled the couple to pay off all their debts.

"This is the basis for why we got the boys," Robert said. "I started saying if 10 percent of my money is what God wants, then he certainly wants 10 percent of my efforts and time."

The couple had been empty-nesters for six months -- their son was in college -- when they saw the church bulletin ad that changed their lives.

The call about Lomong's arrival came two months after the couple completed the six-week process to become foster parents. The only information they had about Lomong was his name, age and arrival date.

Initially, the couple decided to take two boys because they thought Tully would be too isolating for one. Nearly a year after Lomong moved in, they took in Dominic Luka, a 15 year old who was living with some young Sudanese men in Syracuse. Lomong and Luka would star in track and cross-country at Tully High School.

In December 2005, the couple welcomed 15-year-old Ohure Sam. Two months later, Obang Okor, 15, and Omot Okor, 17, who didn't speak English and had fifth-grade educations joined the family. The boys had lived with their aunts and uncles after their parents were killed in the war.

"When people decide to have a baby or something like that, this is a life-changing experience," Robert said. "But to bring teenage boys from such a radically different culture into your home, and accept them as your children fully, it totally modifies your life and the size of your grill.