It Happened On The Way To The War is a military memoir about one soldier’s journey from fighter to community-builder. From Amazon:
In 2000 Rye Barcott spent part of his summer living in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. He was a college student heading into the Marines, and he sought to better understand ethnic violence-something he would likely face later in uniform. He learned Swahili, asked questions, and listened to young people talk about how they survived in poverty he had never imagined. Anxious to help but unsure what to do, he stumbled into friendship with awidowed nurse, Tabitha Atieno Festo, and a hardscrabble community organizer, Salim Mohamed. Together, this unlikely trio built a non-governmental organization that would develop a new generation of leaders from within one of Africa’s largest slums.
Their organization, Carolina for Kibera (CFK), is now a global pioneer of the movement called Participatory Development, and washonored by Time magazine as a “Hero of Global Health.” CFK’s greatest lesson may be that with the right kind of support, people in desperate places will take charge of their lives and create breathtaking change. Engaged in two seemingly contradictory forms of public service at the same time, Barcott continued his leadership in CFK while serving as a human intelligence officer in Iraq, Bosnia, and the Horn of Africa. Struggling with the intense stress of leading Marines in dangerous places, he took thetools he learned building a community in one of the most fractured parts of Kenya and became a more effective counterinsurgent and peacekeeper. It Happened on the Way to War is a true story of sacrifice and courage and the powerful melding of military and humanitarian service. It’s a story of what America’s role in the world could be.
It Happened On The Way To The War is rated 5/5 stars across 57 Amazon customer reviews, and its digital list price is normally $26. Today only, Amazon is offering It Happened On The Way To The War as its Kindle Deal of the Day book for just $1.99.
Reviewer Jennifer Ward says:
A must read! Rye Barcott’s account of Iraq and his role as a Marine Corps captain is incredible. He lived “two lives” in parallel — one as a military force in an unpopular war, and two as a youth leader trying to influence peaceful change in Nairobi, Kenya. His honesty and candor is refreshing; his leadership is rare. I hope that others can see how our country can influence positive change, support youth leaders and use our “force” in creative ways. Kibera is a place that represents much of the world today as a “mega slum city,” and Rye’s raw account of his first days and return days to Kibera help the reader understand the challenges, the spirit of the people, and how instrumental empowering local youth leaders is to “sustainable” change. All too often, large NGOs throw dollars at a local effort without the patience, and true integration with local leaders. Here, the concept of “participatory development” is illustrated in an optimistic, generation-changing, impactful way. The book and Rye’s experience [are] unforgettable. Enjoy. (A great read for youth, teachers, business and government leaders.)
It Happened On The Way To The War: get it while it’s on sale for $1.99.