After around 25 hours of shooting and 50 hours of editing, we finally finished our documentary! I’m not sure if I will ever be satisfied with the film because I really don’t think that the truth can be properly conveyed. But nonetheless, it’s damn good product! If I may say so!

Once we completed the process, I think it occurred to the group (there were four of us) that we really needed to do something in return for the guys being so incredibly open and helpful with our project. With the political relations between Ghanaians and the Liberian refugees being what they are at this time, they really put themselves in danger by coming out on film admitting to being former combatants. At this point, the government seems to be searching for any possible reasons to deport people; defining yourself as a soldier is certainly reason enough. Not to mention the fact that on the refugee camp itself there is a huge contingent of people that would seek revenge against them if they knew the crimes they had committed. So in addition to having the utmost respect for them for being so incredibly courageous, we decided to organize a small party for them.

It was so hard to go through the process of making the film, seeing how difficult their olives were and not feel like there was anything I could do to help. Realistically, I don’t have the means to adopt every single person that needs help, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t do anything. So in comes my mother!

After assessing the situation, the most essential thing they needed was food and travel bags for journey (either back to Liberia or a surrounding country). So my mom decided to come out and visit/have her own adventure and before leaving she agreed to organize a small fundraiser amongst friends and her Rotary Club to bring over money for money and bags.

So we held the party for them and bought around $200 in groceries for them and distributed around 30 bags. We also made another shorter promotional film for their rehabilitation program in order to gain more financial support from donators. One really crazy thing about our ‘donation’ was that we bought two large sacks of rice for a staggering $100! Food prices are completely out of control right now and even though we were able to help the group of 15 eat for around three weeks, I can’t help but worry about what will happen after that and how many more people there are out there who just can’t afford to eat.

The soiree was the most joyous and symbolic occasion because Westerners come in and out of their lives all the time promising to help and then abandoning ship for whatever reason. We said we would help them out, and we did. The mutual trust that has resulted with these guys who essentially don’t trust is so inspiring! I can’t believe that I almost gave up on helping because I was so confused about how to help. If only we all made a commitment to help people to the best of our ability.

In all, I can’t even express my gratitude for having met these people. It’s not that ego-boost of ‘helping the helpless’ but the sheer joy of helping people you truly care about. I feel like I made friends with these guys and they have taught me more about strength and resilience than I could have imagined. I don’t know what will happen to them in the future. I can’t help but worry that their inevitable split up will leave many of them lost and if I am in the US there isn’t much I can do about that. How will I even know where they are without them having phones or computers? I am trying to brainstorm my ideas now about how I can help them from home. Because I don’t want to look back at my experience with them several months from now as just something I did. It was so much more than that and if my commitment is to do everything in my power, I have a lot more to do.


**If you have any interest in seeing our film, Lost Boys of Liberia, please! contact me at truthsong@yahoo.com. I will make it happen, even if that involves you having to hang out with me! Unfortunately, in order to protect the identities of the people in the film, they have asked that the film not be posted on the web. However, it is our objective to to increase awareness about child soldiering and the more people that see it, the better. So holler!