After living in such close proximity to death for a year Ishmael was recruited to be a soldier by the government army.  He found that he had such anger and desperation in him that he was able to do the killing and other atrocities that he would have never believed.  He was part of a “family” of sorts again who looked after him and he fought and killed to stay part of it.

He was eventually selected by his commander to go to a UNICEF rehabilitation center where at first he was very upset and angry at being released from the army.  He was also going through withdrawal from the drugs that he had been using while in the army.  At first he described his time at the rehabilitation center making it clear that he would have rather been fighting then be there.  Eventually he formed a relationship with a nurse there and began making progress.  He was placed with an uncle and began living a life outside of the center.  He eventually is able to make his way to the United States.

This is a hard story to read as it is about war and child soldiers.  The way children, many who have been orphaned and have no other choices, are used is horrible to read about.  However the resilience that is shown by Ishmael Beah is admirable.  As I’m sure that it’s found in many who manage to continue through circumstances that I can not even imagine.  Throughout it all he has hope and is able to use that to make a better life.