This is an amazing
story that I commend Becky for writing and sharing with us. While reading this
book I could feel her pain and suffering and realized that I am truly blessed
for being born in America.
Lisa Hendrix
Hendrix Solutions.com
Excerpts from the book
Excerpt 1
He then took the dog, lifted it right in the air, and smacked it on a rock with all his strength to kill it.The dog gave one scream and died. That really scared me and I knew he was never going to be my life partner. I was traumatized, and tired of being malnourished, physically abused, and controlled.
Excerpt 2
The rebels controlled the diamonds. They had ranks, such as captains, sergeants and corporals, as if they were an army. They drove vehicles, and they had the roads to themselves because most people were in hiding. When they attacked, they took young females as their wives because they liked virgins, and adopted young males to become soldiers. They gave the boys a drug called brown brown. They slit the skin with a knife, inserted the drug, and then put plaster on top of it. Usually the wound would be on the side of the face. This is how a rebel could be identified. Then they taught them how to shoot a gun and turned them against anyone they wanted killed.
Before they attacked a town they would send rebels to spy on the people. Anyone who befriended them regretted it. When the rebels attacked the town they would go to the people who befriended them and kill them. Then they went to the prisons. They released the prisoners, gave them drugs and guns, and they join them. They also used civilians as human shields and stole money from rich people and banks. They would go from house to house and take money. At times they would kill the people who lived there, and sometimes they would just keep returning for more money.
They were full of drugs and did cruel things to amuse themselves. They would force fathers to rape their daughters and threaten them with death if they refused. Some raped their daughters (which caused them to go crazy) while others preferred death. They would put a few families in one house and burn it with the people in it. If they saw a pregnant woman they would predict the sex of the baby and then split the stomach open to find out. They would shit in a bucket and force people to eat it. They would ask someone if they wanted short sleeves or long sleeves, and their answer would determine where they would cut off their hand. They forced people to put their hands in deep fryer grease. They enjoyed watching as people struggled for survival, and making fun of them.
Excerpt 3
Most of the fighting between the rebels and the peacekeeping forces was going on in the main street. It was a lower part of town and so all the people went to higher ground into the forest. The rebels were able to see the people running by the thousands. They shot continuously at everyone. I had Suliaman on my back and Sadie tight beside me. I was running with everyone, and then I stopped short. Manda was running towards me.
She was covered in blood and crying. Several of the rebels had raped her. She escaped because they were high on drugs and the rebel who was left to guard her became sleepy. When he fell asleep, she ran. Her innocence had been stolen by these men, but she was alive. I cried for her, but I was also so happy that she came back to me. It gave me strength to continue. It gave me a shot of adrenaline and I was pumped to escape and survive. Physically I was weak – I was so malnourished and thirsty that I was seeing stars - yet I suddenly had the strength and agility of an athlete.
Documentary on Becky's life as a refugee in Gambia featuring her meeting with the President of Gambia
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