Skip to main content

Reflecting on Child Soldiers and IDPs in Soroti, 2004: Journal Entry and Poem

Child  Soldier



(Reflecting again on meeting child soldiers in Soroti, Uganda in 2004) 

Although I didn't know it at the time, I met my husband - and even interviewed him- in Soroti Town in 2004. That visit will forever be etched on my memory.

We have just published the second edition to Samuel's story now. Having freshly re-read and edited every page, I have again re-lived his story as if it is my own (which is probably why I have been feeling so exhausted lately!). Imagining life as an Internally Displaced Person (IDP), living on a battlefield and surviving in the jungles, is one thing; remembering the child soldiers and child wives that we met is another.

 The picture on the right, and the one below, are of IDPs in Soroti. They have beautiful smiles, and while they were completely displaced and spread out throughout the city, seeking safety from Kony's army that rampaged villages in the district, they were still "innocent".

 The children that we met, with Pastor Joseph, were not IDPs; they were escaped child soldiers, and "wives".

 Here is an excerpt from my journal (which I happen to have in my "Envisioning and Institute Notes", and keep on the shelf beside my computer:

 (Tues.-Fri. January 6-9, 2004):

 "I have now seen jungle, rocks [volcanic plugs], grass, etc. but no animals yet! [my sister] Adrienne and I travelled to Soroti with Uncle Tom, Uncle Shadrach, and Auntie Johanne. It was an amazing experience. We have heard so much about the IDPs in Soroti and the children who escaped from Kony's army. The emergency for clinics is now over and there is about 3/4 less people sleeping in the streets [yet the streets were still full!]. The camps are now organized and huts have been built.

 The air of hopelessness has decreased, though it hasn't ceased.

 We toured the clinics and camps and met many people. The children would swarm around us! Some of the young ones were afraid of our white skin :)

 We also went to the "Rescued Children's Camp". It was strange to be amongst these children who were made to see and forced to do so many atrocities. The girls were SO young! It is awful to imagine - to KNOW - that they were all abducted to be soldier's wives! They are babies and some of them now have babies growing inside of their small bodies.

 And the boys were somehow innocent looking yet they had all seen death and some have been forced to kill even their friends. It amazes me that they can even smile and are not completely dead inside. I can't imagine going through what they have.

 And it also amazes me that God has something for them. He is holy and righteous in ALL that He does, and this cannot be excluded! He allowed these children to be so abused and yet He had a plan to save them and to care for them, since before time began.

 He knows each name and what each one has experienced and what marvellous things He has for each one in the future...

 ...[we helped to interview prospective staff for a proposed children's home, where these children would be placed into family, and be introduced to our Father God]."

 He STILL knows their names! And, I can imagine, even as my own husband has come through healing through forgiveness, that some are now healthy and enjoying life - and I can also imagine that some still struggle with how to live, and need to know that there IS healing in Christ! This is a great reminder to PRAY!


 This is what I wrote, a year later, imagining those boys:

"Their eyes are wide in horror
Eyes that once held love
I hear their cries echoed constantly in my heart
My heart pounds in my chest
I am sweating - it feels like blood, but it doesn’t harden

There is power in my hand
I feel so weak
I feel tortured
I am the torturer

Life and death are in my hands
Their death means my life
I feel dead
I have to live

I hate my oppressors
I hate myself
I will never forgive them
I can never forgive myself

I was somebody’s son
I was somebody's brother
I was somebody's friend

I am somebody's killer"
The book next to that journal on my shelf here, is called, "Children in Crisis" by Phyllis Kilbourn, which teaches a biblical response to the plight of children like these. Even in so much pain, there is HOPE

 To order our book, go HERE

Reader’s Favourites

Did God REALLY say He created everything in 6-morning-to-evening (literal) days? Is it essential to Christian Ministry & Education that He did?

The Father’s Heart Foundation’s beliefs and core values (link at bottom) , as well as our vision for Christian education and discipleship, are founded not just on a general “Christian” belief system and moral code, but are grounded in a biblical worldview -a complete, biblical world view that begins with Genesis. I will add footnotes * for a few points, but for others, you may use your own research to check - also, as a note, most of my knowledge on this subject is from personal research over several years - hence the lack of footnotes ;) .   In creating a culture - with a goal of creating a biblical and godly culture- we need a blueprint and a foundation... As is needed in creating anything from a lego structure to an apartment building, we all need a blue print, and we need to start with a solid foundation. We need an understanding of God’s Word for a solid biblical foundation. So, then, as Christians, we need to know “what is foundational”? What is “fundamental”? And...
Read more

More of life in the village - began writing in the village, and will slowly finish this week

As I sit here to write, I am surrounded by small children –some nephews, a little orphaned girl, and a great-nephew, plus some of my own children coming and going. I came to the church building to write, because the internet reception is better, the heat is not as intense, and I thought I would be alone – if I could speak the language I might ask them to leave for a little while, but I think that choosing love, and bearing the noise of all the “emotokars” (cars made of pieces of wood –that don’t resemble cars, but with an imagination and some good sound effects, they become perfect cars!)…in the time that it took to write that, they realized that I wasn’t looking at pictures or doing anything interesting, so they took their cars outside –but left a baby behind to play on the dirt floor. Actually, the floor is not dirt, it is made of cow dung. Here is Benjamin’s description of the [making of the] cow-dung floor: “I watched one of my cousins make a cow-poop-floor. First, they coll...
Read more

Passionate for Truth: If you are a born-again Christian, do you use the JW Bible or Book of Mormon? What if I told you that Jesus appeared to me with insight into re-translating the Bible? What If I added words to the Bible and made it available for Christians everywhere?

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:1-2 “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6  In the Garden with Eve and in the dessert with Jesus, Satan used the Word of God too... ...
Read more

Let us have grace. Grace for each other’s weaknesses. Grace for suffering and sin and even for the “walking-dead” among us.

I have been thinking about some of these things over the past several months, and now even more with COVID-19... But, the topic came to mind after recently having suffered through 2 early-term (under 6 weeks) miscarriages, both right before hosting missionary teams | my sister’s recent near death and continued struggle to fully recover | and then recently seeing school reports from  my little brother who was diagnosed with a meduloblastoma (brain tumour), after struggling in school and needing to be homeschooled (over 20 years ago!) |  also thinking of past and present struggles in my own life, family (and extended family), and friends (including experience with PTSD and special needs). 1 Corinthians 10:13   English Standard Version (ESV) “ No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and  he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may...
Read more