GUSCO

I thought I was growing numb to the misfortune around me, until I visited GUSCO (a rehabilitation center for former child soldiers). I cried while I watched Invisible Children and Soldier Child and my visit to GUSCO was no different. The overview given of the program was routine, as I had read what was said several times. However, once we were face to face with the children in the center, I couldnt contain myself. There were only 31 children, considered a low number because there was a time when there were at least 200. One young boy had just arrived the day before. He was so frail and scared. He has several visible wounds. The others looked like any of the children, who I had seen throughout the city. When we were given an opportunity to interact with them, I broke down. Everything I had read and watched was alive, real, and in front of me. I gathered myself together and began to talk to the children. Some had been held captive a few weeks, but one unfortunate boy who was about fifteen had been with the rebels for six years. Most of his adolescence was spent in the bush. I was surprised that he had a desire to escape and rationalized how severe the conditions must have been. I spoke with a young girl, Nancy, whose whole family had been killed. She had no one to return to. All she wanted was to go back to school, but there was no one to care for her. Nancy was such a beautiful girl and I felt for her. I gave her my contact info and hopefully she can write or call me one day because I would love to sponsor her. As close as I am to my mother, I can't imagine not having her in my life or worst, being taken from me. These children were so open and so resilient to have gone through such terrible hardship. One young girl had a crucifix around her neck and said that once she realized that it was time for her to run, she got on her knees and prayed for God's guidance. At this point, faith is all one can have. The LRA has moved into the DRC and besides those lands being harder to navigate than Souther Sudan, there are even more rebel groups. I fear that the children may escape the LRA and then be abducted by another force and treated worse because they are foreign and dont know the language. This issue is so multidimensional and the children continue to bear the brunt of the misfortune.