Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda's Children (Paperback)

by Faith J. H. McDonnell (Author), Grace Akallo (Author)
Key Phrases: night commuters, commuter children, invisible children, Holy Spirit, World Vision, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In northern Uganda, thousands of children have been kidnapped by rebel armies and pressed into murderous service. Here, Akallo, who was herself kidnapped by the Lord’s Resistance Army at age 15, offers a disturbing, deeply personal account of being forced to march with the rebel army, fight, and raid villages for food and water. Akallo is joined by co-author McDonnell, who works for the Institute on Religion and Democracy. In between Akallo’s gripping autobiographical passages, McDonnell interweaves informative chapters recounting the history of strife in Uganda, and explaining the political-religious vision of Joseph Kony, head of the LRA. McConnell includes snippets from a Human Rights Watch report about abducted children, who were forced, among other things, to kill other children. The authors believe that God is protecting the children of Uganda, sometimes working miraculous intervention to protect them—but they also spotlight activist groups, such as the Uganda Conflict Action Network, who are doing their part to make a difference in the lives of child soldiers. Readers are urged to pray for the end of war in Uganda, to join protest rallies, and to design awareness-raising bulletin boards in their churches. The alternating narrative voices create a disjointed reading experience, but otherwise this is a moving, informative and brave book.

Product Description
For several decades a brutal army of rebels has been raiding villages in northern Uganda, kidnapping children and turning them into soldiers or wives of commanders. More than 30,000 children have been abducted over the last twenty years and forced to commit unspeakable crimes. Grace Akallo was one of these. Her story, which is the story of many Ugandan children, recounts her terrifying experience. This unforgettable book--with historical background and insights from Faith McDonnell, one of the clearest voices in the church today calling for freedom and justice--will inspire readers around the world to take notice, pray, and work to end this tragedy.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Chosen (June 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800794214
• ISBN-13: 978-0800794217
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #63,224 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Voice for the Voiceless, July 31, 2007

By	Robert W. Kellemen "Doc. K." (Crown Point, IN United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

What a fascinating collaboration. Grace Akallo, kidnapped as a child by Ugandan soldiers, teams with Faith J. H. McDonnell, one of the foremost advocates of justice for Ugandans. Together they tell not only Grace's story but a story of grace--God's grace in the midst of human atrocities.

For years rebel armies have been raiding Ugandan villages to kidnap children and force them into lives as soldiers or wives. More than 30,000 have been enslaved. This historically faithful account also is meant to inspire and inform: what can we do to stop such injustice?

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Spiritual Friends, and Soul Physicians.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never underestimate the power of evil, July 28, 2007

By	The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

In GIRL SOLDIER, an interesting collaboration, Grace Akallo and Faith J. H. McDonnell tell the story, which we almost never hear about, of the children of Northern Uganda. Faith gives the political and historical background and the `reasons' for the madness, while Grace gives her first-hand account of being one of those stolen children. She tells how they are forced into the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) where girls are made to be soldiers and/or given to commanders as `wives'. Along with other girls who were kidnapped from her high school, she is forced to march without food or water. Any attempt to escape means instant death, usually at the hands of the other children. The youngsters are forced to bite the escapee to death, beat with them sticks, or stab them with bayonets and many other horrendous acts. Grace, during her tenure with the LRA, was once buried alive because they thought she was dead. Fortunately, she clawed her way to the surface and survived.

GIRL SOLDIER is a heartrending story of atrocities that rarely make the US newspapers or other mass media. It is the hidden shame that is frequently ignored. I found Grace to be a very strong young woman with an unbelievable will to not only survive, but to bring the world's attention to these abused young people of Uganda. The book is well written and frightening. In addition to the political background, Faith also lists several things any ordinary American citizen can do to help ease the torture of these children. It is a must read book, even though it is extremely painful. Everyone needs to know of the horrors some children must survive every day of their lives.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An astounding book..., June 12, 2007

By	Long-time Christian reader "Jane" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

An astounding book that alternates between the girl soldier's story (in her understatement that paints a picture beyond belief) and background information from a Washington, D.C., advocate, including what we can do. Moving beyond words.