From Eden to Armageddon: The Tragedy of the Liberian Civil War

Chapter Twenty-One

After meeting, Father Anthony walked down to the Peace Corps houses and discussed the details of the meeting with Felicia, David, and Lisa, who was feeling much better.

Chief Carpenter captures a patrol sent by a warlord.

Sick with malaria, Lisa almost dies giving birth ther child. Mother Elizabeth delivers their beautiful daughter Sarah.

Chapter Twenty-One

Runners came from the west bringing word that a small band of “soldiers,” rather small boys with rifles, were heading in the direction of Mbalatahun. Then Lisa, David, the fathers, and the chiefs met for a few minutes. It was too late to evacuate children, so they scattered in a systematic pattern while volunteers agreed to entice the raiding party to follow them away from Bolahun.

Lisa, David, and Felicia packed some bags. Lisa was not able to move fast, but she was remarkably strong for being near her delivery date. They had so camouflaged their place of refuge so that soldiers would not see them if they passed within two feet.

Chiefs Kollie and Carpenter waited in well-camouflaged position along a dark trail next to the kaihah River. The bush was so thick there by the river that Chief Carpenter could get a shot or two off at the soldiers without being seen. His rifle fired smokeless powder.

When the young men saw the soldiers, they drew them away from Bolahun and along the river. If the boy soldiers fell into the river, the crocodiles would get them. All the people from Bolahun knew where the snakes were and could always move with ease and little fear even off the trail.

In a few minutes, the boys, who had been on lookout, passed Chief Carpenter’s position near the path just ahead of the soldiers. Someone in what looked like a uniform half ran behind two boys armed with AK-47’s and another uniformed soldier was in the rear. The boys leading them into the ambush ran ahead with a sudden burst of speed and vanished from sight.

Next there came a loud cry as of a thousand voices from one side. The soldiers stopped, and that’s when Chief Carpenter shot their leader right between the eyes. Cries of warning again rang out, frightening the boys. Chief Kollie then took his cap and ball rifle, a replica of a American Civil War firearm. His bullet smashed into the head of the trailing uniformed soldier, showering the young boys with bone and brain matter. When another frightened boy soldier fired a burst of automatic rounds into the bush and turned around telling his companions to join him, Chief Carpenter with reluctance took him out. He couldn’t allow their massed automatic weapon fire kill some of his young boys. Then out of the bush stepped the Bush Devil Landai, mumbling loud in his guttural language. Three frightened boys dropped their rifles and fell into the Kaihah River trying to get away. Crocodiles made a quick meal of them while the remaining attackers cringed upon hearing their violent screams for help. Another ran to his left into the bush, where a green mamba snake bit him on the leg. Although the snake’s venom would not have been fatal for hours if untreated, the poor boy’s own intense fear took his life on the spot.

After the remaining dozen boys dropped their automatic rifles, Chief Carpenter stepped out onto the trail keeping his rifle pointed at them. One boy near their rear reached down unseen for his rifle. As he took aim at Chief Carpenter, his stomach was blown out of him by a soft-nosed slug from Chief Kollie’s rifle. They all put up their hands while young boys emerged no farther than five feet from them and grabbed up the rifles. Another group of young men came out with ropes and bound the boys and linked them together. Each boy then wore a hood over his face as they marched them to Bolahun.

When they reached the monastery, they gathered them in a classroom and segregated them so they couldn’t talk to each other. Two young men stood at opposite ends of the classroom, covering them.