Adier Mach Deng

Escaping Jihadists of Sudan Adier Mach Deng

We were all at the cattle camp-the boys, a few girls, the young adult men... The elders who had taught the younger ones how to properly care for our cattle already had gone to the village, their jobs finished, for this year, at least. I was about four years old, and this was my second year at the camp. It was early morning, the sun already a ball of heat in the white-clouded sky. Suddenly, we heard a noise overhead. All of us rushed out to see helicopters above us. We were excited, especially the younger boys among us, and we pointed and jumped up and down. Suddenly, the helicopters fired on us-again and again. Boys fell to the ground, blood spurting from their faces and bodies. What could we do? Where could be run to? There seemed to be no way to escape.