“Try to be a better human in some way every day. And whenever you are confused about anything in life, not sure what to do, ask yourself this question: What would a good human do?”― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars
This is one of those books that sticks with you. It is also a book of opposites–dreams and nightmares, freedom and imprisonment, kindness and brutality, family and isolation and at its core, it is a book about transformation. Based on the true story of Anthony and Florence Opoka, this book touched me deeply.
Anthony Opoka and Florence Okori are children growing up in different parts of Uganda. Anthony’s father taught him about being a good human and Florence learned faith from her family. They are both gifted students, are much beloved by their families, and have great hopes and dreams for their futures. Those dreams are turned into a nightmare as they are kidnapped and forced into the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) led by the fanatical warlord, Joseph Kony. Along with tens of thousands of other children and teens, they are forced into a harsh life of war, deprivation and brutality from which they cannot escape. Anthony rises through the ranks and is one of the closest young recruits to Kony, but it just makes his struggles to stay true to himself and to be a good human more difficult. Florence also struggles to keep her dream alive of becoming a nurse and seeing her family again as her life is completely out of her control. At a time when they are both most desperate, they meet by chance, fall in love, and begin dreaming of a life together outside of the LRA.
I remember reading about the child soliders fighting in Uganda and the Sudan in the 1990s, but knew little about them. To say this book was eye opening would be an understatement. These children were subjected to horrific conditions and those who were fortunate enough to return to their homes often faced rejection and ostracism from their families and neighbors. This is not an easy book to read, but the story of the Opokas is an amazing and powerful one, and their ability to find joy in even the most difficult times is inspiring. Thank you, Mark Sullivan, for sharing their story with us.
Content Advisory: kidnapping, murder, violence, references to rape and sexual assault