James was just ten years old when he was trafficked to fight as a child soldier. In a few short months, he went from playing outside with friends to carrying an AK-47 and leading other children into war.

Childhood Interrupted

Before war wrenched his childhood from him, James lived with his family in a small village on the Darfur border. His father was a local businessman, and his mother worked in the home, caring for her children.

James warmly remembers the simple joys of his boyhood. “I used to play under trees with the kids,” he shares. “We would go into the bush to hunt for the small animals. I followed the big boys and because I was a very little guy, I sort of worked for whatever the big boys say to do. That meant I would carry a lot of stuff for them — especially as we went hunting.”

But, one fateful morning, gunfire shattered his childhood. The government military was attacking his village. “People started running randomly and I lost my parents,” James says. “And I was hearing the shooting, and I was seeing the bomb droppings, and they were burning down the houses.”

Suddenly orphaned, James was rounded up with thousands of other boys and girls and forced to walk. He didn’t know then, but he was beginning a months-long journey to Ethiopia.

A Treacherous Journey

For three months, James walked day and night. The only short bits of rest came in the evening. Quickly, they were up again, walking through the dark of the night. Hunger gnawed at James and the other children. Their main sustenance came from the leaves they picked from the side of the road. Without clean water or medication, illnesses and injuries became life-threatening. And they faced another frightening threat — the wild animals lurking in the woods.

James describes the terror of that long journey: “Because we were very little, some got tired of walking and if they’re sleepy and they want to sit on the side of the road it was really the end for them. Because when the group moves on and if you remain in the bush alone, you meet up with a wild animal or you remain back saying that you want to have a break as a small child, and then later on you lose direction and you get lost in the bush. So many people died, actually, on the way to Ethiopia.” 

Forced to Fight

Amidst the fear and exhaustion, a small hope arrived when James spotted his relative in the crowd. James’ cousin, a 15-year-old boy, could carry him when he could no longer walk.

After months of treacherous travel, they finally reached Ethiopia, only to have conflict erupt again. James and the other children were forced to flee, this time toward Kenya. It was during this period that James was trafficked to fight as a child soldier.

Called by God

Eventually, he was released from the military. Free from conscripted service, James lived in the refugee camps in Kenya. There, he was mentored and able to attend school. He applied for a visa to the United States and was selected as a recipient.

As he prepared for his travel, James had a powerful vision from God. He heard God tell him he should decline the offer to live abroad and return to his war-torn village. He was deeply convicted. He realized he needed to do all he could to protect children like him.

His bold vision to bind up the brokenhearted and protect children from exploitation led him home. A place where little help was available because it was too expensive, too dangerous, or too remote for most people or organizations to go. 

James’s courage and compassion became the heartbeat of our anti-trafficking network and a beacon of hope for his community. He was no longer the 10-year-old boy who had run for his life; he had become a protector, a mentor, and an example of selfless love for countless families.

20 Years of Changemakers

In 2025, we’ll celebrate 20 years of impact with James and our other indigenous leaders. 

Much has changed in Sudan and South Sudan in 20 years. However, human trafficking continues to be at a record high. In September 2024, more than half the people were facing crisis levels of hunger in Sudan. More than half of girls under the age of 18 are vulnerable to being bartered as child brides in South Sudan. Due to conflict and insecurity, both nations are conscripting more child soldiers. These factors, plus unmet basic needs, have led to the annual Trafficking in Persons Report to identify both countries as having some of the highest rates of trafficking.  

LUV’s anti-trafficking network has empowered thousands of vulnerable children and women. They now thrive with safe housing, meals, clean water, access to medical care, education, and employment opportunities. These essential foundations reduce many vulnerabilities that lead to exploitation. We offer these vital resources to help people become self-sufficient. Our goal is to protect and invest in individuals so they can care for themselves and their communities.

We honor changemakers like James. They inspire a new generation of leaders to lead with Christ’s compassionate love to end the exploitation of women and children.

Help James protect and empower more agents of change. 

From now until December 31, your impact can go twice as far! Thanks to a generous matching gift, every dollar you donate will be doubled  — up to $250,000.