Gen Z revolution: A reflection on sacrifice, freedom

Despite these hardships, he held no bitterness. I once asked him why. He replied, "Anyone who goes out to fight for his country and expects to benefit from that fight is not fighting for his country; he's fighting for himself. It's like saying you can only plant a tree if you're going to eat its fruits. You never plant a tree because it may take longer than your lifetime. All who have fought for various causes know that the cause is bigger than themselves."

He would tell me, "What we fought for is what you are enjoying. If we had stayed at home, afraid of what could happen to us, you would still be living under oppression." His sense of reconciliation was evident when I introduced him to the late Michael Aronson, the DO in charge Mwea detention camp.