The story of a child soldier

Emmanuel Jal was born in Sudan when civil war broke out. His father joined the army and his mother was killed by soldiers loyal to the government. Thinking he could receive education in Ethiopia, he joined thousands of children travelling there, only to find they were to be conscripted into their military training camps, trained to be child soldiers. They were trained to fight and kill as many muslims as possible. He was put into battle carrying an AK-47 that was taller than he was. For 5 years, he was a child soldier till it became unbearable that he, together with some children, decided to run away. Thankfully he met a British air worker Emma who rescued him and smuggled him into Kenya where he could finally receive education. Along the way, Emmanuel started to sing to ease his pain from his childhood, and became active to raise money for the needy. He fell in love with hiphop music to publisize his story and lobby for a political change. His songs in his album Gua illustrated the desires of the Sudanese people to return to a peaceful, independent homeland.

Child Soldier Focus Sunday

That was how we came to know Emmaunel's story in today's church service. He was the special guest, here to spread the reality of what's happening in Africa especially on child soldiers and how he wants to make a change now, at least in his village, by raising funds to build a school to honour the British aid worker who saved him. He performed three songs and touched many of us with his life story. It was a moving, yet real story that was presented in front of us. We read of situations in Africa in the news, etc. but you know it always seems surreal to me... until today.

I'm sure many people who listened to the first hand account had many thoughts.. look at what's around us and we should really consider ourselves blessed because it is a very different story in that part of the earth. Gary asked him what kept him going during those years as a child soldier and he said he remembers how his mother taught him to pray when he was young and he knew he needed a hope in life, a hope to cling on to because everything looked hopeless around him. One statement he said was something that went- he'd rather have a hope and believe in God and find out there is no God afterall, than to not have hope but to find out at the end of the day there is a true God. Sounds deep isn't it.. kept me thinking for a few seconds and I think it is true. Not to mean that I am having doubts believing in God and Jesus, but logically speaking based on human thinking, it does make sense. It was this hope in Jesus that saved him and brought him to where he is today.

I hope this short article has evoked a mini stir in your heart, at least to consider how lucky you are no matter what is happening in your life right now :)

Emmanuel - God with us.

Blessed week ahead!

Read his story here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_Jal