Achol Deng: Akeen is too small to remember being abducted. He was just a toddler at the time. It was a disaster. We had fled from South Sudan to Mujlet, Kordofan, in North Sudan, to escape the fighting. The murahileen attacked us before we could reach Mujlet. People ran in all different directions. I ran one way. Akeen ran another. We were both captured separately. I was taken to Mujlet; he was taken to Matek.
I was freed from slavery two years ago. The Arab slave retriever brought Akeen back here a month ago. He is a good man.
We hugged when we saw each other. I felt so good. He’s an adult now! I gave praise to the people who brought him back. I was always thinking about him, but I didn’t think we would meet again. This is by the grace of the Lord.
I have four smaller children. They and Akeen’s father are all here.
Akeen: I don’t remember the South, only that I was abducted. I am happy to be back here in my homeland. Life in the North was bad. The Arabs beat me and ordered me around. I haven’t met the rest of my family yet, but we will meet tonight. I am very excited. We will hug each other and celebrate. I didn’t know we would meet again.
Akeen’s freedom was secured for about $50 of cattle vaccine. Thousands more South Sudanese people are still trapped in slavery in North Sudan. Please help us bring them home: www.csi-usa.org/donate/