There was a war in Sierra Leone, Africa, from 1991 to 2002, during which a rebel army raided African villages amputating and raping citizens left and right (“Sierra Leone Profile”). Adebunmi Savage, a former Sierra Leonean, describes the reality of this civil war: By 1996 the war in Sierra Leone was becoming a terrible catastrophe. Children were recruited to become soldiers, families were murdered, death came easily, and staying alive was a privilege. Torture became a favorite pastime of the Revolutionary United Front rebel movement, which was against citizens who supported Sierra Leone's president, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. I was in the throes of genocide and couldn't do anything. Operation No Living Thing has been fully implemented (Savage 33). The RUF, however, were not alone in serving children as messengers of evil, the military group that countered their acts of violence also had children fighting their battles. A Long Way Gone and The Bite of the Mango are eye-opening books because they give various people around the world a glimpse into the horrors that children in Africa face on a daily basis. As different as Mariatu Kamara and Ishmael Beah's experiences were with their journeys and disabilities, they both showed the same extraordinary resilience in the end to better themselves, create futures they can be proud of, and make the best of what the war he had left them. Beah's travels were markedly diverse, starting with observation points and early involvement in the war. Both grew up in traditional African villages and were returning home from nearby villages when they first encountered rebels. Both also knew about the threat of the rebels, the village of Kamara was... middle of paper... they had resisted. It's inspiring that two children who have been to hell and back can remain positive and still become successful young adults. Their disabilities have made them stronger and more determined people. The stories of Mariatu Kamara and Ishmael Beah show that no matter how tough life gets, no matter how tough or how many times life knocks you down, he or she can always get back up and change your life for the better.Works CitedBeah, Ishmael. A long way gone. New York: Sarah Crichton Books, 2007. Print.Kamara, Mariatu, and Susan McClelland. The bite of the mango. New York: Annick Press Limited, 2008. Print.Massland, Tom. "We beat and killed people..." Newsweek. May 13, 2002: 24. Print.Savage, Adebunmi. “Escaping the civil war”. Teen Ink. May 1, 2008: 33. Print. "Profile of Sierra Leone". BBC News: Africa. BBC. June 18, 2013. Web. November 11 2013.