Because of the persecution and conflict in his home area, he lived for 18 years in a Sudanese refugee camp in Ethiopia. Eventually, he was granted refugee status and was relocated to Portland, Maine, where he became a pastor to the Sudanese community. He now directs the ministries of the Church of the Nazarene to Sudanese refugees throughout the United States. Michael returns to his newly-independent homeland of South Sudan for several weeks every year to conduct training conferences for pastors and to oversee the ministry to widows. His partner in the widows’ training program is Hazel Seavey. Michael and his wife Elizabeth and their three children live in Amarillo, Texas.