The journey was harsh
People screaming, kids crying
Bullets fly through the air
No food, no water
Nothing left
People suffering and starving
Homes are gone
Loved ones are lost
Nothing left
Nothing left but hope
Monday, March 10, 2008
July 6th, 1994
Dear Diary,
It is the 6th of July in 1994 and yesterday was the saddest day in my entire life. My parents died. I'm in shock and I can't believe this is happening to me. We were staying with a little old man in a hut, when a soldier found us and forced my parents to immediately exit the hut. He told my father to kill my mother for his own chance of survival. My dad replied that he would never kill her in a million years. My mother then begged for him to kill her, so he would live. Since he refused, they were both shot on the spot and the old man covered my eyes, while holding Zike. That was the last time I will ever see them again. I don't know how I'm going to do it, but now I have to think about taking care of Zike. Then after that, we traveled to Kibuye, which was such a long and miserable drive. A soldier picked up Zike and practically threw him in the back of a truck and then did the same to me. It was so cold because the man was driving really fast, so the wind was harsh. The whole ride I was bawling and reflecting on what had just happened. We left in the morning and had just recently got here. It is latter in the day and for some reason there is almost no one here, but empty, abandoned houses. A little while ago, a man walked by and I could hear his radio partially say, "...it is ending...Tutsi rebels invaded...Hutus defeated." I couldn't believe my ears- I was ecstatic. It's over and we are free. No more pointless murders. Then something had caught my eye- a girl in the distance. She seemed to see me too, so I walked over with Zike. I talked with her and she said her name was Safina and is thirteen, a couple years older than me. She had lost her parents in April and takes care of her three-year-old sister, JAla. We found a lot in common and we're going through the same thing. We told our journeys with each other and we decided to stick together. I told her how I heard the man's radio and that everything was over and the Tutsi's will not be killed anymore. She was so happy and relived to hear that. Then we walked down the road, trying not to look at the bodies, and searched for a place to stay. There was not a person in sight and it was very quiet. We found a very small abandoned home with a roof, so we thought that would be a good place to sleep at night. I knew at that moment on, we would be the best of friends and things would change for the better.
~Kehinde
It is the 6th of July in 1994 and yesterday was the saddest day in my entire life. My parents died. I'm in shock and I can't believe this is happening to me. We were staying with a little old man in a hut, when a soldier found us and forced my parents to immediately exit the hut. He told my father to kill my mother for his own chance of survival. My dad replied that he would never kill her in a million years. My mother then begged for him to kill her, so he would live. Since he refused, they were both shot on the spot and the old man covered my eyes, while holding Zike. That was the last time I will ever see them again. I don't know how I'm going to do it, but now I have to think about taking care of Zike. Then after that, we traveled to Kibuye, which was such a long and miserable drive. A soldier picked up Zike and practically threw him in the back of a truck and then did the same to me. It was so cold because the man was driving really fast, so the wind was harsh. The whole ride I was bawling and reflecting on what had just happened. We left in the morning and had just recently got here. It is latter in the day and for some reason there is almost no one here, but empty, abandoned houses. A little while ago, a man walked by and I could hear his radio partially say, "...it is ending...Tutsi rebels invaded...Hutus defeated." I couldn't believe my ears- I was ecstatic. It's over and we are free. No more pointless murders. Then something had caught my eye- a girl in the distance. She seemed to see me too, so I walked over with Zike. I talked with her and she said her name was Safina and is thirteen, a couple years older than me. She had lost her parents in April and takes care of her three-year-old sister, JAla. We found a lot in common and we're going through the same thing. We told our journeys with each other and we decided to stick together. I told her how I heard the man's radio and that everything was over and the Tutsi's will not be killed anymore. She was so happy and relived to hear that. Then we walked down the road, trying not to look at the bodies, and searched for a place to stay. There was not a person in sight and it was very quiet. We found a very small abandoned home with a roof, so we thought that would be a good place to sleep at night. I knew at that moment on, we would be the best of friends and things would change for the better.
~Kehinde
May 24th, 1994
Dear Diary,
It is May 24th of 1994, in the mid day and my family and I haven't eaten anything for a few days now. Once in a while we find something on the ground to eat, but I don't know how much longer I can last. Earlier today we were loaded onto another truck with about ten other people and we all had to squish into the tailgate. I didn't feel comfortable because a boy was sitting on my foot the whole time and we were exposed out into the open, so I was hoping a stray bullet wouldn't get near any of us. However, none of us could leave without showing the soldiers our tribal cards, which lets them know who we are. My father carried all of them for us and gave it to the man, who quickly snatched them out of his hand. With a mean glare in his eyes, he ripped up the cards and screamed, "I don't care about this! I don't care who the hell you are! Do you think I care? It doesn't matter anymore! Get in the truck!" I was petrified and I could tell my dad was too. I didn't expect that reaction at all from him. I thought that we would have to stay there where it wasn't safe. I'm just glad we were allowed on. After that episode of his, we started driving away and didn't dare to ask where we were headed, afraid of that man lashing out again. An hour passed and I saw something strange coming up in the road ahead. I noticed the smell becoming unbearable and then realized- they were DEAD BODIES! It was such a horrible sight that I couldn't bare to look at. Thankfully, Zike was sleeping and unaware. The drivers slowed down, but kept on driving right over them like they were dirt on the road. It didn't phase them at all that those people were innocent- plain innocent! I don't think they deserve to be run over at all. Everyone should have respect for others- that was what I learned in school. At first I thought I would get used to the smell, but then it began to suffocate me. It seemed as though we were driving over them for miles and miles and I didn't know when the misery would end. I wanted the man to drive faster so it would be over with quicker. It eventually wore off enough so I could rest. I ended up sleeping for hours and woke up when we arrived at Byumba (my dad saw a sign that said so a ways back). A man there walked up to us and asked us if we wanted any food. My father of course said yes. He went somewhere to get the food, but he hasn't returned yet. Since then I have been waiting patiently against an old cement wall on the side of the road with my family and a couple of other stragglers who were not on the truck. It is getting dark and very windy, but I hope the food will come because it will make everything seem a little bit brighter.
~Kehinde
It is May 24th of 1994, in the mid day and my family and I haven't eaten anything for a few days now. Once in a while we find something on the ground to eat, but I don't know how much longer I can last. Earlier today we were loaded onto another truck with about ten other people and we all had to squish into the tailgate. I didn't feel comfortable because a boy was sitting on my foot the whole time and we were exposed out into the open, so I was hoping a stray bullet wouldn't get near any of us. However, none of us could leave without showing the soldiers our tribal cards, which lets them know who we are. My father carried all of them for us and gave it to the man, who quickly snatched them out of his hand. With a mean glare in his eyes, he ripped up the cards and screamed, "I don't care about this! I don't care who the hell you are! Do you think I care? It doesn't matter anymore! Get in the truck!" I was petrified and I could tell my dad was too. I didn't expect that reaction at all from him. I thought that we would have to stay there where it wasn't safe. I'm just glad we were allowed on. After that episode of his, we started driving away and didn't dare to ask where we were headed, afraid of that man lashing out again. An hour passed and I saw something strange coming up in the road ahead. I noticed the smell becoming unbearable and then realized- they were DEAD BODIES! It was such a horrible sight that I couldn't bare to look at. Thankfully, Zike was sleeping and unaware. The drivers slowed down, but kept on driving right over them like they were dirt on the road. It didn't phase them at all that those people were innocent- plain innocent! I don't think they deserve to be run over at all. Everyone should have respect for others- that was what I learned in school. At first I thought I would get used to the smell, but then it began to suffocate me. It seemed as though we were driving over them for miles and miles and I didn't know when the misery would end. I wanted the man to drive faster so it would be over with quicker. It eventually wore off enough so I could rest. I ended up sleeping for hours and woke up when we arrived at Byumba (my dad saw a sign that said so a ways back). A man there walked up to us and asked us if we wanted any food. My father of course said yes. He went somewhere to get the food, but he hasn't returned yet. Since then I have been waiting patiently against an old cement wall on the side of the road with my family and a couple of other stragglers who were not on the truck. It is getting dark and very windy, but I hope the food will come because it will make everything seem a little bit brighter.
~Kehinde
Friday, February 29, 2008
April 5th and 6th of 1994
Dear Diary,
It is April 5th of 1994, and it seems like just yesterday that the Hutu president was killed. On the radio a man had said, "Hutu president of Burundi, Melchior Ndadaye, has been killed." At that moment in time, everything changed. I have been hearing on the radio that the Hutu's are going mad and have some kind of plans for the Tutsi's, which I am, but I don't really understand it that well. I guess we will have to just wait and see what happens.
~Kehinde
Dear Diary,
It is the end of the day on April 6th and I am SO scared- my family had to leave our house! I don't know what will happen to us, but I hope we don't get more hurt than we already are. I am worrying about my little brother who is only ten months old and my parents- especially my mom because she has a bad knee and it is hard for her to walk long distances. I don't' know why, but a Hutu man forced us out on the street and started to beat my dad when a truck came to gather many Tutsi's including my family and I, who were the lucky ones. At that moment, my brother Zike was screaming as loud as he could and my mom was frantically trying to make him stop by singing and bouncing him around in her arms. As we were being loaded into the truck, I was trembling with fear, not knowing exactly where we were going. I think I heard the driver mumble something about stopping in Kayzona which isn't too far I guess. Not too long, after probably about 15 minutes, I looked out the window of the truck and saw a girl a little older than me and her parents all being shot down by Hutu's, right after they were beaten. I hadn't realized how bad it was and that so many people were being tortured, but I ask myself- How many have they gotten to? My parents then covered my eyes as well as Zike's to keep us from witnessing the pain of others. At one point gun shots and the screams of helpless people were so loud, that I almost couldn't stand it and thought I would turn deaf. Many of those episodes happened a lot throughout the ride. We soon reached our destination at the end of the day, basically untouched which was a miracle. I can't help but think what there is to come for my family because I don't want to lose them. Right now we are in Kayzona and have found an old shack on the side of the road to stay in over night. It is starting to get bitter cold and we don't have anything to protect us so we don't freeze. My mom was nice enough to give me her over shirt so I would be a slight bit warmer. My parents are not pleased with this because they think it is too risky that something could happen to us or someone could find us, but I am just happy that we are all still breathing and alive.
~Kehinde
It is April 5th of 1994, and it seems like just yesterday that the Hutu president was killed. On the radio a man had said, "Hutu president of Burundi, Melchior Ndadaye, has been killed." At that moment in time, everything changed. I have been hearing on the radio that the Hutu's are going mad and have some kind of plans for the Tutsi's, which I am, but I don't really understand it that well. I guess we will have to just wait and see what happens.
~Kehinde
Dear Diary,
It is the end of the day on April 6th and I am SO scared- my family had to leave our house! I don't know what will happen to us, but I hope we don't get more hurt than we already are. I am worrying about my little brother who is only ten months old and my parents- especially my mom because she has a bad knee and it is hard for her to walk long distances. I don't' know why, but a Hutu man forced us out on the street and started to beat my dad when a truck came to gather many Tutsi's including my family and I, who were the lucky ones. At that moment, my brother Zike was screaming as loud as he could and my mom was frantically trying to make him stop by singing and bouncing him around in her arms. As we were being loaded into the truck, I was trembling with fear, not knowing exactly where we were going. I think I heard the driver mumble something about stopping in Kayzona which isn't too far I guess. Not too long, after probably about 15 minutes, I looked out the window of the truck and saw a girl a little older than me and her parents all being shot down by Hutu's, right after they were beaten. I hadn't realized how bad it was and that so many people were being tortured, but I ask myself- How many have they gotten to? My parents then covered my eyes as well as Zike's to keep us from witnessing the pain of others. At one point gun shots and the screams of helpless people were so loud, that I almost couldn't stand it and thought I would turn deaf. Many of those episodes happened a lot throughout the ride. We soon reached our destination at the end of the day, basically untouched which was a miracle. I can't help but think what there is to come for my family because I don't want to lose them. Right now we are in Kayzona and have found an old shack on the side of the road to stay in over night. It is starting to get bitter cold and we don't have anything to protect us so we don't freeze. My mom was nice enough to give me her over shirt so I would be a slight bit warmer. My parents are not pleased with this because they think it is too risky that something could happen to us or someone could find us, but I am just happy that we are all still breathing and alive.
~Kehinde
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