They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky

They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky was the book I chose and honestly it was not the book I first planned on reading but after thinking about it, the type of story it portrays is what really interests me and that primarily is the motive to why I sit here with it in my hand! Right away when I started my reading last night, I was intrigued and interested. I really have the opportunity to enhance my prior knowledge on children that have been through these types of wars and had to witness and experience harm and cruelty through these times. It’s bluntly heartbreaking and when the stories go into detail about what they’ve learned from this and that, it’s hard to remind myself that these stories are being told from a child’s perspective. Growing up was not what it should have been for them, and it talks about how kids would get Malaria, and it was a lot more than just a few times. There wasn’t enough for families to give all their children clothing so when they’re young it was still okay to be naked, but in the child’s mind it was uncomfortable seeing other’s all dressed while they stand bare.  

The first section that starts this book off is called “The Blade Is Blunt” – story and how he had to be circumcised. The story is brutal, he sits there and listens first to cries and screams “Let me go, let me go” which are coming just from the door behind him. It makes you wonder why they put the child through that agony before his own turn. He was pinned down and had no way of even moving a single centimeter away as he cries out “Ma, please help me. They are killing me.” To his father it is what shows how he had a “strong and brave” son, and once it was over he was to be just that.

The next section was titled “Dinkaland” which gives off such a miserable impression from the stories, where they start off talking about how his brother, Benson, had stopped eating. He would have to tell his mother that he had already eaten every time she’d offer food. His full brother Allok, was the third son and carried a type of disease that the father would always be taking care of him. Like I mentioned before, the kids would get malaria a lot and that wasn’t just the kind of illness taking over their health. This section also discusses how he was fast, and it was his “gift” – this was stated because at times when things were not right in their village, they needed to run, and needed to run fast to get away and be safe. It also brings up how he had a Monkey whom he’d always play with and has fun with. “I missed that monkey for a long time and learned that life can end in a careless moment.” This sentence ended the section and I think it’s something that everyone can relate too or should take to heart. Not just in the form of how the book gives it off about a monkey -- but more so in the way where you should always think before you do something, or how you never know what you have until it’s gone. So be grateful for everything you’re given in life now, and don’t wait until it is just too late and all you have left is guilt inside you.