From War Survivor to Lifeline for Others

“From crocodile in the water to hyenas, python, I could be eaten by lions, to the actual soldiers – you could be shot,” Rebecca Deng said. “You can die in so many ways. How I make it out there I still have to think about it.”

Rebecca Deng was living a peaceful life in the late 80s as a child of the Dinka tribe in southern Sudan. She knew nothing of the civil war that was ravaging her country – until one fateful day.

“It was just like, ‘Boom!’ Gunshot everywhere, AK-47. So, we just ran.”

Rebecca’s village was decimated. Her father, a Commander in the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, died trying to protect their people. Her mother also perished in the chaos. With the war hot on their heels, her uncle took 5-year-old Rebecca into the dense forest.

“It was rainy season, so there was a flooding, so he will carry has on his shoulders so that we don't drown,” Rebecca said. “It would be super cold at night and there's no blankets.  I remember when they lion roar – I was so scared. I could be eaten. I could be shot if I come to the highway where there is dry land, that’s where the soldiers were going from the North. At some point, because we've been walking for so long, I have lost my shoes. They wear off from walking, so my feet start bleeding. It was horrible. It went from week to month, month to a year.”

They ate what fruits they could find and sought help from the villages they came across, but never stayed in one place too long. After a year of walking, they finally came to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya where Rebecca found a spark of hope amidst the desperation.

“We will go to the church under the tree,” Rebecaa said. “I started going there with my friend because it was a fun place to go. The teacher from the church will read one verse from the Bible. I remember Jeremiah, ‘I have the plan for you. Plan to prosper you and not to hurt you.’ Why did I leave my village? Why did my parents die? Why are we in this mess. God promises you that He be there for you, but He doesn't promise that life will be easy. So, I find the Bible providing those answers. Also, hearing the story of Jesus, that He was the Son of God, yet he had to suffer. It made me a believer. When I start learning about Jesus, it gave me peace.”

She spent nearly a decade in the camp until her schoolteacher petitioned for her to be part of a program to resettle the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan in the United States. Rebecca was one of just 89 girls accepted. Now safe and far from the conflict that stole so much from her, she still struggled with the trauma.

“I did have a lot of nightmares in the beginning when I arrive here where I would be dreaming we are attacked again,” Rebecca said. I say, ‘God, give me peace, so that I'm not afraid.’ God did a wonderful job of healing my heart to not be bitter. I have forgiveness. Even for those who have killed my family members. I want their children to learn about peace. God is the only one that can give you that peace that you yourself cannot do.”

Rebecca went on to become a US citizen and graduate from college. She wrote a book about her journey, “What They Meant For Evil,” and is now an international speaker who advocates for victims of war. She believes the key to making real change in this world is through sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

“I am grateful to my God. My call is to be faithful to Him. I have to continue doing the work and saying to the nations, ‘How good is our God?’ ‘You are refugee, you are immigrant.’ These are the titles that people give you to say that you are different. But God has made it clear to me; I have a home in Him. He created me in His image. My identity is in God. If you feel like your life is broken, it's a mess, trust in God. He can restore you back and you can be whole. I have seen it in my life. You are not just here by chance, but you are here to make this world a beautiful place.”