Unbelievable: These Young Kids Speak Like Seasoned War Veterans

The scent of charred wood and melted plastic assaults us upon exiting the van. The smoke from the campfires merges with the cloud of dust stirred up by our tires, causing our eyes to sting and our throats to feel scratchy. In the nearby distance, the sound of children frolicking and splashing in the Suchiate River, marking the border between Mexico - our current location - and Guatemala, reaches our ears.

We proceed towards the murky, brown waters, passing beneath towering, dense trees that provide respite from the scorching sun. With caution, we carefully navigate the remnants of cardboard beds strewn about, conscientiously avoiding personal spaces and being mindful of the clothes hanging out to dry. Strangely enough, it feels as though a longstanding community resides here rather than a transitory migrant campsite.

Following the overwhelming sensory experience, a subsequent assault ensues on both the intellect and emotions.

Numerous narratives emerge from the individuals present, predominantly hailing from Venezuela. These stories delve into the reasons behind their departure from their homeland and recount the challenges they have encountered thus far on their arduous voyages to Ciudad Hidalgo. While grown-ups occasionally display their emotions, it is truly astonishing to witness the composed and matter-of-fact accounts provided by the children.

A group of young cousins recount their experiences in the perilous muddy jungle passage of the Darién Gap from Colombia to Panama, where they encountered numerous deceased individuals.

"One of the sights I witnessed was a woman with yellow hair, her face partially stained in blood," 9-year-old Mathias shares, pointing towards his right cheek.

I find myself in the midst of translating from Spanish to English, as I engage in a conversation with children aged 6 to 12, who passionately relate their fascinating experiences along the journey.

Joandry, aged 6, takes charge of the microphone, as his sister Sofia, aged 12, and cousin Mathias, aged 9, engage in a conversation with CNN's David Culver in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico. They are situated by the picturesque banks of the Suchiate River.

Mathias expresses feeling desperate in the jungle, as if his survival is uncertain. Sofia, who is Mathias' 12-year-old cousin, shares that they faced a situation where they ran out of food and endured a night without nourishment. The experience was so intense that they all experienced weight loss. To emphasize their distressing circumstances, Joandry, Sofia's younger brother, lifts his shirt to provide visual evidence, supporting his sister and cousins' testimonies.

"It was a living nightmare," Sofia exclaims. "And just when we thought we had reached the end, we discovered there was still more to traverse. The sight of lifeless bodies scattered on the ground was haunting."

"It was pure hell," 6-year-old Joandry concurs, fixing his gaze upon me, his eyes holding the weight of experiences surpassing those of many grown individuals.

Bonded by experience, where theyve been and their hopes

Many of the individuals gathered along the banks of the Suchiate River have formed a strong bond, particularly the children, as they share the collective aspiration of reaching the United States despite the hardships they have already faced during their arduous trek.

Sofia immediately captures our attention with her confident and curious inquiry about our presence. Upon learning that we are journalists, her focus turns to the water, and with excitement, she points out the river and one of the many rafts. "That's my dad!" she proudly exclaims, indicating that he is actively assisting others in their crossing.

A short distance away, seated on the ground and leaning against a tree, Sofias's mother, Susana, can be found. She cradles her 2-year-old son while her other younger siblings play nearby. Initially, Susana appears reserved, signaling Sofia to answer our questions instead of her. However, as time passes, she gradually begins to open up, seemingly eager to share their story.

Susana watches her children in a makeshift encampment in Ciudad Hidalgo. Her family is trying to earn some money before continuing north towards the United States.

David von Blohn, a CNN journalist, joins Sofia and Susana in a discussion. As we settle on a concrete step beneath an open shelter, which serves as a storage facility for contraband items transported from Mexico to Guatemala, Sofia and I observe the constant movement of rafts across the river. Numerous rafts are docked, awaiting their turn, consisting of two interconnected black inner tubes secured with rope and reinforced with wooden planks to accommodate both cargo and passengers.

Sofia's father, Jeandry, resembles a gondolier maneuvering a raft through the canals of Venice. Positioned at the rear, he steers the raft using a long piece of wood. In this picturesque scene, one can observe numerous migrants coming aboard, symbolizing the constant movement across the river into Guatemala, as they undertake the approximately 8-minute journey, unauthorizedly entering Mexico. While police officers are stationed a few hundred feet away, and the official crossing is in plain sight downstream, there is a lack of border enforcement. Consequently, a continuous and unrestricted back-and-forth flow persists.

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Sofia and her family had embarked on one of the rafts five days ago. Instead of immediately continuing their journey north, they decided to stay on the riverbank to save money. Sofia's dad has been working the rafts while the family seeks donations in the nearby town.

As I hold up a microphone and my team begins recording with their cameras, Sofias family members - her siblings, aunt, uncle, and cousins who traveled with them - gather around. Even little Joandry, with shampoo still in his hair, rushes over to join in, laughing as his older sister tries to clean it out.

When I ask Sofia where they would like to go in the United States, she replies, "We're considering Philadelphia or Chicago." Her 9-year-old cousin, Mathias, adds, "I'm considering New York or Florida." Their parents, watching with smiles on their faces, had just mentioned earlier that they had no idea where they would ultimately end up; they simply want to seek asylum and enter the US legally.

The children also beam with joy as they discuss their aspirations of attending school. Sofia and Mathias both aspire to become doctors, although Mathias admittedly contemplates the possibility of becoming a lawyer, he confides in me. When inquiring about their experiences traveling as a family, their smiles momentarily fade, replaced by solemn and vacant gazes.

A difference in tone

The families have been traveling for almost two months after leaving Colombia, where they had resided for the last six years.

"We had no choice but to leave," Sofia explains. "We couldn't afford to stay there any longer as we were constantly facing poverty. We often had to eat the same thing every day, and there were times when we couldn't eat at all due to lack of money."

Prior to arriving in Colombia, the families had escaped from Venezuela in an attempt to leave behind the corruption, crime, and also a struggling economy. Taking charge of the interview, Joandry confidently retrieves the microphone from my grip.

While engaging in conversation and capturing footage, my team and I notice a distinct change in the attitude of the migrants here in southern Mexico compared to those we have encountered on numerous occasions in cities situated hundreds of miles north along the US border.

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In spite of the challenges they have faced, those in the south have not encountered the menacing actions of cartel-affiliated smugglers or hazardous journeys atop freight trains. When I look into the eyes of the parents, I can perceive that they have heard whispers of the difficulties that lie ahead. Their loved ones and friends have preceded them and shared tales of the atrocities.

Yet, they somehow maintain an optimistic demeanor. Mathias' mom expresses, "It is superior to what we have left behind. We do not regress; we progress with the blessings of God."

We express our gratitude to the children and their parents for their time. Sofia and Mathias enthusiastically invite us to swim with them. "I have to remain dry for work," I inform them. "Alright!" they exclaim, racing towards the water like any other lively children, temporarily setting aside their trauma. As we bid farewell to each other, their words resonate: "Nos vemos! See ya later!"

This story includes contributions from Karol Suarez of CNN.