Safeguarding note: Illustrative photo. Not the person in the story.

Arif’s Story

“Here’s your rifle. This is your life now.” 

In Arif’s village, boys heard that sentence the way other kids hear a school bell. It was their way of life to be part of the local armed group—on watch, on errands, or, for some, in training. Sons followed fathers into the ranks, carrying forward a tradition of loyalty and survival.  

For many families, the group also meant meals; training came with rations and sometimes a small allowance. In lean months, it was the surest way to eat. 

School felt out of reach. When rice has to stretch and transport fare eats half a day’s wages, even a notebook is a luxury.  

Because his parents couldn’t afford education, Arif and his siblings were out of school; some of his siblings had already begun training with the group. 

Contact beyond the village was rare. With little exposure to people outside their circle, unfamiliar faces were often met with caution—and sometimes labeled “enemies.” 

But God’s grace does not bow to the scripts we inherit. 

We had been quietly building relationships in their community, hoping to find ways to offer children a different future. It wasn’t easy—many in the village had never met outsiders like us and viewed any interference with deep suspicion. 

So when Michael, our area leader, visited the camp where Arif’s siblings and peers trained with the group, we knew it was a risky move. We showed up anyway. 

He asked the commander what seemed impossible: 

“Could these kids be given a chance to try something different? Could they go to school instead?”  

The answer was not immediate, but we got a yes.  

Thirty names were written. Arif’s name wasn’t on the list initially because unlike his brothers, he hadn’t joined the training camp…yet. 

When Arif’s uncle—then the training camp’s combat trainer (commandant)—heard about the list, he found Michael and said, “Could my nephew also be considered?” He explained that poverty was the reason Arif’s parents weren’t planning to enroll him. More conversations followed. Another yes was given. And Arif’s name appeared on the paper that would change his life. 

School felt unfamiliar at the start, but Arif adjusted quickly. He worked hard, asked questions, and kept going when the work got difficult. Teachers noticed his focus and the way he stayed with a problem until it made sense.  

What made that steady progress possible wasn’t luck; it was God’s grace meeting faithful effort, reinforced by the generosity of people who believed a different future was worth investing in. You helped cover the quiet costs that often keep a child out of school: notebooks, fares, uniforms, meals, and the mentoring that keeps motivation alive when life gets heavy. With each semester, Arif gained confidence. He learned to trust the process, and we kept walking with him. 

Ten years later, Arif walked across a graduation stage to receive his Mathematics degree—cum laude. He’s the first ever in his family’s history to earn a college diploma. His mother cried so hard she couldn’t clap. His siblings looked at him like he had performed magic. 

“Thank you so much for always supporting me,” he said. “From junior high all the way to college, you never left me behind. I especially thank Sir Michael, who treated me and the others like his own kids.” 

Now Arif is preparing for his teaching certification exam and plans to go home to show younger students that there are choices beyond the ones they’ve been handed. He wants to tell them a different equation: dreams and determination plus God’s grace equals possibility. 

The certification exam is his next big task, and we’re helping cover his study needs and logistics. 

Pray with us for Arif’s licensure exam and for others studying. Give, if you’re able, to provide review materials, transport, and short-term lodging for the next cohort. And share this story so another uncle, another leader, and another child will find their names on the list that opens a door. 

Thank you for standing in the line of fire with us for children in conflict. Because you joined God’s work to place books—not guns—in children’s hands, boys and girls in Arif’s village will grow up knowing they have options beyond what they once thought possible. 

*Names changed to protect privacy.