Recovered In Christ

A View from the Trenches

James’ Story

James, 13, soft-spoken and courteous, was once a brutal killer.  For three years he marched through the Sudanese jungle with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and during that time he was forced to commit inhumane acts against his fellow human beings.

“I shot 20 [people].  I feel very bad.  They ordered me to kill them.  If I don’t do it then they would kill me” he said.

James was abducted during an LRA raid on his village when he was eight.  His parents were executed in front of him. “So my mother tried to run, to help us…so they killed my mother immediately.  So my father also wanted to run so they killed him.  The LRA abduct me…and I have to go in the bush.

“I was a young soldier.  I carried my gun beside me and I walked with them” James said.

James was forced to participate in many LRA activities, including raiding villages.

“They burn everything, they shoot the people, they cut their lips, noses, everything.

“I didn’t know what to do, so I started praying to God” he said.

James decided that he had to escape.  An opportunity presented itself when a Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF) helicopter stumbled across his platoon.  In the midst of an intense rocket barrage James summoned the courage to run and fled into the bush with three other children.

They ran to a nearby town and were taken before the local Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) commander.  The commander contacted Sam Childers, (www.machinegunpreacher.org) who agreed to care for the former child soldiers.

“After that I was ok and Sam bought me to his village” James said.

“For bringing me from a very dangerous place to a nice place I thank him very much.  Let God bless him for everything that he has done for me.”