Child soldier shares daring escape story

Musicians Grace Arach and Levi McGrath will share A Morning of Hope with Berwick this Sunday.

By ALANA MITCHELSON

WORLD Vision will present a Morning of Hope in Berwick this Sunday, offering the community the rare opportunity to hear the inspirational story of a former Ugandan child soldier.
Grace Arach will share her story of survival, hope and forgiveness at the Berwick Church of Christ with performances from award-winning Australian singer/songwriter Levi McGrath as part of the Night of Hope tour.
Ms Arach was abducted into the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) at age 12.
After enduring the horrors of war and becoming a child bride to a leader of the LRA, Ms Arach made a dramatic escape and found refuge at a World Vision Child Soldier Rehabilitation Centre.
Mr McGrath, who is the assistant musical director to choirs for the disadvantaged and marginalised, has spent time in Uganda working with former child soldiers through World Vision.
He said at that meeting Ms Arach had “greatly impacted his life and music”. The pair will share the stage and perform songs written about his time volunteering at the rehabilitation centre.
“A Morning of Hope will move you deeply and reveal the harrowing realities facing children affected by war,” Mr McGrath said.
“I’m proud to be sharing my music alongside Grace – a remarkable woman with a powerful story of courage in the face of extreme adversity. Grace’s gripping story of survival and recovery from life as a child soldier will give Australians a rare glimpse into a unique area of World Vision’s life-changing work.
“There is much work to be done and music to be made to help turn the tide of poverty, apathy and human suffering.”
The tour begins in Victoria this weekend and will travel to six towns across Australia, including Berwick, over the next month.
World Vision works with children, families, communities and governments to prevent human trafficking, protect survivors and improve anti-trafficking policies around the world.
A Morning of Hope begins at 9.30am on 29 May at Berwick Church of Christ.