Freetown Page #2

Stay out of the reach of the rebels.

Look. Stock food and water.

Let's just wait this thing out.

There's no more food.

The water is out, too.

Same with our place.

And power's been gone for weeks.

What if you run into the rebels

just walking down the street?

What if they shoot you

because you're Christian?

Or because you're tall or not,

or for whatever reason?

Or they shoot us

through our apartment door

while we're hiding like cowards.

It is not cowardice to survive.

We are not going to Freetown.

It is not an option.

Brother Abubakar.

You could drive them there.

No. No, no, no.

What else can we do?

There are rebels everywhere

in the city and in the jungle.

They're gonna set up roadblocks

and checkpoints

at every intersection

between here and the border.

Just finding petrol will take

a miracle from God.

Let's just wait here until...

We aren't any safer here

than we are in the open air.

I saw a man get shot

right in front of our apartment

this morning.

It could have been any of us.

We will use the main road

out of the city.

But I imagine

we can run into trouble here.

Stop. All of you.

This is just too fast.

We need to think.

Lives are at stake here, including ours.

I assured President Cunningham

that I was gonna keep you safe.

And he trusts that I do the right thing.

Look, I don't care

if you're not gonna teach

another soul ever again.

We are not going to Freetown.

Hymns...

Scriptures...

The Savior...

These were not always a part of my life.

One day, I meet two men

in white shirts and ties

on the streets.

They ask me if they can share a message.

I said no.

It wasn't for me.

Not after some of the things

I have done.

When I turned to leave,

Elder Menti said, "Will you pray for us?"

Will you pray for us?"

I didn't know

who these missionaries were.

I've never been to any church before.

I've never even said a prayer before.

But those simple words stuck in my mind.

That night, before I went to bed,

I spoke out loud to God.

For the first time in my life,

I said a prayer.

I didn't even know if I did it right.

I just talked.

And it felt like

I could tell him anything.

It felt like he was

actually listening to me.

It was so easy.

Now, that was the first time

I ever said a prayer.

If you do not have a chance to

share this message with others,

then the rebels have already won.

We don't even know if we can get there,

let alone if we should.

When we leave our apartment

every morning,

we don't always know where we are going.

Revelation doesn't come

when we are hiding in the shadows

or sitting on the ground, asking for it.

It doesn't come that way.

It comes when we are out working,

without knowing where we are going,

constantly taking steps forward.

So, when do we go?

We should sleep

at the mission office tonight,

and then we'll leave

first thing tomorrow morning.

What about Gaye and Nyanforth?

I'll go to Paynesville tomorrow morning

and tell them to meet you

at the mission office.

There's no time to wait.

No one gets left behind.

Thank you, sister.

At your service.

Where did all these people come from?

They are people that feel threatened.

We go with them in the morning

to the northern region,

where it's safer.

You will stay with us.

Thank you,

but we cannot leave the mission.

They're killing the Krahn.

And the rest, they take into camps.

There's not enough food here

for these people.

Not even for tonight.

We will go and get something to eat.

No.

The rebels are out there.

Please.

We will be fine.

I'll go with you.

Uh, your name.

They will question you.

They will know.

I will go.

Be careful.

- I love you, daddy.

- I love you, too.

Hey! Stop the car!

I will head to the field.

You see what you can find.

- And let's meet back here.

- Okay.

Where is your friend?

He went out to look for food.

And you didn't go with him?

It's not safe for me out there.

Why not?

Some men were taught to hate.

By Who?

By men who were hated.

Hey.

Look. There.

Give me your weapon.

What is that?

What is that?

It's that fool over there.

Shoot again.

Is he Krahn?

He's a thief.

What is that?

Give me that.

I'm sorry.

"And then it shall come to pass"

that the spirits of those

who are righteous

are received into a state of happiness,

which is called paradise,

a state of rest, a state of peace,

where they shall rest

from all their troubles

"and from all care and sorrow. "

Alma chapter 40.

"Rest from all their troubles. "

Seems difficult to believe

at a time like this.

It seems like at a time like this,

you have to believe.

Sure.

But death is final.

It's a lot of trouble

for you to live through

before you get

to that state of paradise.

It does not say anything

about needing to die

before you can feel paradise.

Do you want to go with them tomorrow?

Don't you?

It's dangerous.

So is staying here.

I'd rather find somewhere

where we can teach

than be here and trapped.

You can stay.

They are only killing Krahns.

No.

We stay together.

What if they catch us?

What if they identify me?

It won't come to that.

If someone asks you where you're from,

say you're from here,

born and raised in Paynesville.

Stand up and be counted.

Stand up, be counted, and lie.

If it means saving your life?

In the moment,

when there is a gun to your head

and the sun is beating down,

you must choose to live or die.

Are you really going to die

just to prove a point?

Think of all the people you'll teach

after this is all done.

The rebels are killing Krahns

just because they can.

They're not the law of Liberia,

the law of God.

I'm not telling you

to betray your tribe.

Just preserve it.

There's nothing wrong with that.

I think I liked you better

when you didn't talk.

Well, Gaye, are you sure

you want to do this?

Yeah.

- I'll shoot!

- Don't shoot!

Don't shoot!

Let's go. Move!

All of you, move! Let's go!

Go on.

You. Are you Krahn?

No. I'm not Krahn.

- I'm Gio.

- You're lying!

Why? Why would I lie?

Because you fear me.

There's a Krahn dog.

- Gaye?

- Huh.

What are you looking at?

Do you ever think about paradise?

This is not the end.

Do you ever wonder

how it feels like to be there?

And you, little mother?

Are you Krahn?

I'm Krahn.

There's no shame in it.

Gaye.

You should run.

I see my paradise.

It is beyond the river, near the jungle.

Coconut palms and a salty breeze.

I've never seen a more beautiful

place like this.

Where do you come from?

Not... Not Krahn.

Not Krahn.

And you?

Are you a Krahn?

Nyanforth?

Are you a Krahn?

No, I'm not.

You.

Are you a Krahn?

Elder.

Elder is my title.

I am...

an ordained minister of Jesus Christ.

Ansa! Ansa!

Ansa!

These men...

These are good men.

I know them.

You know them?

They are from my church.

Let me take them.

- I'll put them to work digging.

- This one is a Krahn.

He will be treated as such.

- Menti?

- Yeah?

We don't have any bread.

What do we have?

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