My Childhood Had Gone By

I Guess What I'd Like To Say Is That People In Sierra Leone Are Human Beings, Just Like Americans. They Want To Send Their Kids To School; They Want To Live In Peace; They Want To Have Their Basic Rights Of Life Just Like Everyone Else. I Think We All Owe An Obligation To Support People Who Want To Do That.

The Places I Come From Have Such Rich Languages, Such A Variety Of Expression. In Sierra Leone We Have About Fifteen Languages And Three Dialects. I Grew Up Speaking About Seven Of Them.

Some People Tried To Hurt Us To Protect Themselves, Their Family And Communities...this Was One Of The Consequences Of Civil War. People Stopped Trusting Each Other, And Every Stranger Became An Enemy. Even People Who Knew You Became Extremely Careful About How They Related Or Spoke To You.

I Was Still Hesitant To Let Myself Let Go, Because I Still Believed In The Fragility Of Happiness.

How Many More Times Do We Have To Come To Terms With Death Before We Find Safety?" He Asked. He Waited A Few Minutes, But The Three Of Us Didn't Say Anything. He Continued: "every Time People Come At Us With The Intention Of Killing Us, I Close My Eyes And Wait For Death. Even Though I Am Still Alive, I Feel Like Each Time I Accept Death, Part Of Me Dies. Very Soon I Will Completely Die And All That Will Be Left Is My Empty Body Walking With You. It Will Be Quieter Than I Am.