A Really Brave Guy

Last week a visiting priest, Father Victor, gave a talk at the Newman Center. He was a missionary in Sierra Leone for thirty years. In the 1990s, Sierra Leone had a really brutal civil war - child soldiers, innocent civilians tortured - pretty much every horrible thing you can imagine.

Father Victor was captured by the rebel army twice during that war. The first time, Sierra Leone's bishop was able to get him released. The second time, things in captivity were even worse, so Father Victor and a fellow priest decided to escape. They ran forty miles through the jungle, being chased the whole time by rebel soldiers, to the capital.

Have you heard of that movie "Blood Diamond"? It's all about the civil war in Sierra Leone. The movie's producers showed it to Father Victor before it was released in theaters. They were afraid the public would think it was too violent. Father Victor told them that it wasn't violent enough.

The craziest thing is that Father Victor wants to go back to Sierra Leone more than anything! He is the bravest person I've ever met.

Want to learn more about Father Victor and Sierra Leone? Check out his book!

Father Victor's story.