When I was a child growing up in my native country of
Panama, I remember there was a night of chaos I would never forget. I was
between the age of four or five when there was a fire in the building across
from mine. As a child seeing this blazing fire and people hurrying to get there
most important items, made me have a feeling of anxiety. Seeing my family pack
their things up, afraid that the fire could possibly reach to our building
frightened me. I remember standing outside with all our essential belongings
watching as people ran for their lives. Fortunately, our building didn’t catch
on fire and we were able to go back to our apartment. However, that chaos
certainly was the beginning of my fear of fire. I was afraid of fire for many
years growing up. The sight of a match being
lit or stove being turned on, terrified me. I strongly believe that things that
children experience in early childhood can definitely impact their lives
tremendously.
No matter where you are from, chaos exists everywhere and
affects the lives of many children. For the children of Sierra Leone, chaos and
violence is nothing new for them. For a decade in Sierra Leone, children were
force to become murders of innocent people and victims of violence. For many
years war rebels kidnapped and force children to do violent acts towards their
own people. Although, the war has ended, the consequences of violence remain
for many of these children. Violence has not only impacted the children of
Sierra Leone mentally but physically as well. Many of these children lost their
hearing, limbs, eye sight, and were brutally damage as a result of the war. The
children of Sierra Leone still suffer the impact of the war, although the
country continues to move forward toward peace.
