Beatrice with her Watoto mom, Susan.
With a quiet strength and dignity, Beatrice recalls that she was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army when she was just nine years old. That’s when her childhood ended. In the short time she was in the bush, Beatrice saw violence and death. She was beaten, kept hungry and given the life of a slave. One night, Beatrice and her friend put their fear aside, and faith in action, as they bravely made the choice to escape. Hearts pounding, they ran until their feet were swollen and bleeding, and their strength gave out. They found a hiding place to sleep, but Beatrice couldn’t stop coughing. Her friend covered Beatrice’s mouth to silence the noise, knowing any sound could lead to their recapture, which would mean certain death. In the morning, they found a road and their way back to their village. But life for Beatrice had changed. Ostracized by her community, Beatrice was embraced by Watoto and given a new home and the love of a family. Her Watoto mother helped her process what had happened and find hope again. In 2010, Beatrice was selected to take part in the Restore tour, one of our choirs that focused on the stories of former child soldiers. “The tour really helped me start to heal. Telling my story and forgiving the rebels made me feel like heavy stones were lifted from my heart. When I released all that bitterness, I felt light. And after the Restore tour, I began to believe in myself.”
Beatrice shows off a plate of beef curry.
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Watoto
Today, Beatrice is in the final year of her hotel management course. Once a child that went hungry in the bush, she’s become a young adult passionate about feeding and caring for others. Beatrice is now a Ugandan leader, changing her world and lifting others up with her.