‘Little brothers’ are family
By Diana Elliott
Of the Emerald
When Ibraheem Wabah, a
University student, came to the
United States from Afghanistan
three years ago, he left behind
six brothers and three sisters.
That'8 why he enjoys taking
time from studying to visit his
new ‘‘little brothers,” Nathan
and Peter Prengaman, several
times a week.
Wabah met Nathan and Peter
last fall through the YMCA’s
Big Brother/Big Sister Program
of Oregon. The Big Brother/Big
Sister Program assigns
volunteer adults from the com
munity to befriend grade school
children who are referred to the
program for special attention by
their school counselors.
Wabah says Carolyn Higgins,
director of the program, match
ed him with the Prengaman
brothers, sensing they would
relate well to each other.
Wabah and Nathan
Prengaman have more than just
the YMCA brotherhood in
common.
Both came here three years
ago from Eastern countries. But
while Wabah left his home by
choice, to avoid joining the
military and pursue his educa
tion in America, Nathan was
abandoned by his family in In
dia, and adopted by his
American mother, Ann Marie
Prengaman.
Nathan and Peter Prengaman
have developed a brotherly
friendship since Nathan joined
the family three years ago.
‘‘They get along so well
together that I think it would be
awkward to spend time with
Nathan without having Peter
around,” Wabah says. “Peter is
learning as much as he can.
He’s learning about another
culture, something most kids
his age don’t know about. We
are all getting something out of
this (relationship).”
Peter is 9 years old and at
tends a special education pro
gram at school because
sometimes he has problems
paying attention,” Wabah says.
“Peter is very shy, which is dif
ferent from Nathan.
“Nathan is very aggressive in
the way he plays. He sometimes
has problems with the other
kids because he is very
physical. But that’s just because
he’s used to a culture where it’s
OK to be physical,” he adds.
Nathan is also in a special
education program at his
school, and Wabah says many
of his problems may stem from
culture shock.
“Nathan left his entire life
and culture behind him. The
way he’s living now is totally
different from anything he
knew in India,” he says.
Wabah says though he seems
to understand Nathan, he
doesn’t really know that much
about him.
“Because no one knows
Nathan’s exact age, his mother
and he have agreed on the age of
11,” Wabah explains. “We
don’t know much about his
previous life because he doesn’t
like to talk about it.”
Wabah readily admits that he
benefits from the relationship
also. “They give to me what I
left behind in Afghanistan — a
family,” he says.
Wabah sees his little brothers
three to four times a week, and
says he thinks it’s important to
see them frequently, even if the
visits are sometimes brief.
Though the three are together
a lot. Wabah ensures that they
never run out of things to do.
“We go to the park, bicycle
riding, and sometimes swimm
ing at the YMCA,” he says.
“But most frequently, they just
come over for dinner.
“The boys really enjoy talk
Ibraheem Wabah
ing and listening to my music,”
Wabah says. “I have a small col
lection of American music that
they really enjoy. Of course,
everybody likes Michael
Jackson.”
And the Prengamans’ mother,
Ann Marie, gets to enjoy some
time to herself when Wabah
takes the boys after she has
spent a long day, or long week,
at work.
Ann Marie Prengaman, a
single parent, teaches writing at
Lane Community College.
“She has a lot of classes and
meetings to attend, so I think it
really helps her out that I spend
time with the boys,” Wabah
says. “She really appreciates
the help.”
And she returns the favor.
"She has really helped me out
with my writing for school,”
Wabah says.
“This is one thing that 1 will
never regret doing. It’s amazing
how much I’ve grown to care
about them. They are more
special than any friends.”
Senate
Continued from Page 1
All three major senate pitfalls — the lack of a
Senate role, the reluctance by the faculty to give
the body decision-making power, and the pro
blem’s of SUAB — lead to the crux of the matter,
says Eaton.
‘‘The Senate.. .needs to be given recogni
tion,” Eaton says.
Eaton plans to have an open discussion on
the role of the Senate at an early Assembly
meeting this year to “simply talk about roles.”
This will be an attempt to make the Senate both
appropriate and credible, she says.
“The Senate is designed to. . .chew, digest
and bring motions back to the Assembly. But as
long as the Senate does its job and the Assembly
ignores it, why have a Senate?” asks Eaton.
Today, the Assembly will meet for the first
time of the year. University Pres. Paul Olum will
give his “State of the University” address. The
meeting will begin at 3:30 p.m. in Room 150
Geology.
Great thinkers— come check out our
Philosophy section. One of the greats
the University Bookstore. In the Book Dept.
686-3510
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