There was a war in Sierra Leone, Africa, from 1991 to 2002, during which a rebel army stormed African villages, amputating and raping citizens left and right (“Sierra Leone Profile”). Adebunmi Savage, a former citizen of Sierra Leone, describes the reality of this civil war: By 1996, the war in Sierra Leone was becoming a horrific catastrophe. Children were recruited as soldiers, families were murdered, death was easy and staying alive was a privilege. Torture has become a favorite pastime of the Revolutionary United Front rebel movement, which attacks citizens who supported Sierra Leone's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. I was in the throes of genocide and there was nothing I could do. Operation No Living Thing was fully implemented (Savage 33). The RUF, however, were not alone in serving children as their own messengers of evil, the military group that opposed their acts of violence also had children fighting in their battles. A Long Way Gone and The Bite of the Mango are eye-opening books as they give various people around the world insight into the horrors that children in Africa face on a daily basis. Even though Mariatu Kamara and Ishmael Beah's experiences were different when it came to their journeys and disabilities, they both demonstrated the same extraordinary resilience in the end to better themselves, to create a future they could be proud and making the most of what the war left them. Beah's travels were notably different, beginning with their vantage points during their first involvement in the war. They both grew up in traditional African villages and were returning from neighboring villages when they first encountered rebels. They were also both aware of the threat of the rebels, the village of Kamara was in the middle of a paper... which they had endured. It's inspiring that two kids who have been to hell and back can stay positive while becoming 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 difficult life may be, no matter how difficult life may be or how many times life knocks someone down, he or she can always get back up and change your life for the better. , Ishmael. A long road traveled. 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. Printed. Savage, Adebunmi. “Escape the Civil War.” TeenInk. May 1, 2008: 33. Printed. “Sierra Leone Profile”. BBC News: Africa. BBC. June 18, 2013. the web. November 11 2013.