‘Leading the Lost Boys: The Untold Journey’ is a memoir written by Paulino Mamiir Chol. The book showcases what Paulino Mamiir Chol experienced after being abducted by the militia from his own family when he was 7-years old. From being a kidnapping survivor to leading thousands of other boys, Leading the Lost Boys tells an inspirational story of turning adversity into opportunity and finding hope despite the inhuman darkness circling the world.
Leading the Lost Boys: The Untold Story
Leading the Lost Boys tells the story of Paulino Mamiir Chol’s abduction from his family in the Twic County of Warrap. In his memoir, Mr. Chol details 17-years’ worth of experiences, including surviving an abduction, a 3,000-mile barefoot walk across South Sudan, starvation during the Second Sudanese Civil War, and more.
The book includes four chapters that showcase different sections of what Paulino Mamiir Chol experienced as an abductee in the refugee camp. Chapter 1 consists of the journey from South Sudan to Amerika. It tells the origin, how it started, and the long and challenging barefoot walk across South Sudan where hundreds of boys met their fate, either due to sickness, starvation, or being killed by animals. Mr. Chol was not only alone on his journey but was also a leader of the Lost Boys of South Sudan. Hundreds of boys walked, starved, bled, and died together, and they were all counting on him.
In Chapter 2, we see Mr. Chol’s transformation from being a kidnapping survivor to being a leader. Amidst the tragic situation all of them are experiencing, Mr. Chol stood up to become a leader all the boys could depend on. He details the challenges they face while handling it all as a leader.
Chapter 3 includes the vicious and murderous actions they experience at the hand of the Murahalin Militia; this consists of the conscription, human rights abuses, and corruption. Meanwhile, in Chapter 4, Mr. Chol details the challenges the Lost Boys faced within the group and the conflicts in the Kakuma Refugee Camp.
For a better cause
Overall, Leading the Lost Boys is such an inspirational read that could open our eyes to the world’s harsh reality. Inhumanity and human rights abuses are happening worldwide, but we must stand tall and go hand-in-hand in fighting against inhumanity. Stand up for those who couldn’t speak and were never heard. Reading all the hateful and murderous things they experienced is distressing, but Mr. Chol’s memoir ends his memoir in a hopeful note that everything will work out.
Upon reading all the untold stories of the Lost Boys, I commend Mr. Chol’s bold decision to turn his experiences into a memoir for others to read. It is a story worth telling. My heart goes to all the Lost Boys of South Sudan and those experiencing the same thing. They’re not untold anymore but are out there for everyone to see.
‘Leading the Lost Boys: The Untold Journey’ is currently available in digital and paperback on Amazon.
