Philemon Semere
An Eritrean refugee endured brutal torture. But he may find hope on a ranch in California
Philemon Semere has a harrowing story to tell. For seven months, the Eritrean refugee was held captive in the middle of the Sinai desert for a huge ransom. He managed to be set free last year after his family paid some of the $25,000 his captors demanded. Now, an American woman is offering him a place to stay and work — on her remote ranch in California.