Wanted: 100 Cows And A Ticket To Africa
But it won't be easy. First, they need airfare and livestock.
To see Peter Deng riding his bike in the city is to see a story of survival. He was among 12,000 children who walked through war-torn Africa. Most of their parents were dead or missing. They were refugees from the war in Sudan known as the 'Lost Boys.'
Today, Peter lives in Seattle and works at his neighborhood P.C.C. market.
"He's just such a nice guy. He's the kind of person that you feel if you help him out he's going to do really good things," said store manager John Rothwell.
The P.C.C. staff decided to help Peter after learning he had asked his girlfriend to marry him.
"She said 'OK, I will ask my family. If they agree, I will marry you,' " explained Peter, who is about to graduate from high school.
Her family agreed. But his fiancee, Yar, remains in a refugee camp in Kenya.
In order to marry Yar, Peter needs to come up with $2,000 to pay for his trip back to Africa.
So, his co-workers threw a benefit yard sale at the store to help Peter with more than just his travel expenses.
"It's very traditional society, so there is a dowry involved. Quite a few cows, in fact" said Rothwell.
In order to marry Yar, Peter must buy her family 100 cows. Otherwise he risks losing her to another suitor.
"Competition, many competition for the girl. Who has a lot of cows gets to take that girl," Peter explained in his broken English.
The 100 cows will cost $30,000, but there are plenty of people willing to help Peter raise it.
"Yeah, and you get to help somebody out. I'm a romantic at heart so this is good, this is great," said Marianne Gibbs who volunteered to help run the yard sale.
The fundraiser asks customers to 'Help Love Win.' Clearly, Peter feels unmeasured gratitude.
"I'm very excited and very happy. I feel like I have a family around here. I don't feel lonely," he said.
This lost boy plans to bring his bride back to Seattle, to the city where he has found a home.
The fundraising yard sale ran both Saturday and Sunday May 22-23. As of Monday morning, PCC says the weekend events had raised about $6,300 and they had more to count.