What if God called you to leave your comfortable life in the US to help people in some of the most perilous places in the world? What if He said this wasn’t a short-term mission trip. He was asking you to move to Myanmar? or Iraq? or Syria? What if he told you to raise your children in a war zone?
Would you go?
For two nights only, the documentary, Free Burma Rangers, will be in theaters. If you want a glimpse of a family that actively going wherever God leads, if you want to see God working in some of the most dangerous parts of the world, if you want to see a real-life action hero, if you want to be challenged in your faith, this is the film for you.
Before screening Free Burma Rangers, I had no idea what to expect. I had some wonderful Burmese friends in college who came to the US as refugees, but they didn’t discuss their lives in Burma. They were Americans now, and they had no desire to discuss their lives fleeing their former land, living in a refugee camp. Buddhist and government forces in Burma were trying to kill all the Christians, and they just wanted to talk about how thankful they were for safety, for a new life, and for the freedom to worship God openly.
My friends came to the US in the 1970s. Certainly, things have gotten better. Right?
After watching Free Burma Rangers, I discovered that things have only gotten worse for religious and ethnic minorities in Burma, which is now called Myanmar.
But what I also found was a true story of a family of modern-day superheroes that have been called to fearlessly walk into the face of evil to show love and care for people around the world who are in desperate need.
The story begins when Dave Eubank returns home from his career in the Special Forces of the US military and meets Karen. Dave and Karen were dating when he receives a call explaining that there are Christians in Burma in desperate need of military training. The kind of training that he is uniquely able to provide. Like a Christian version of Liam Neeson’s Bryan Mills character in the “Taken” movies. Dave agrees to go where God has called…and then asks Karen to marry him. Together they travel to the other side of the world, build a home in the jungles of Southeast Asia and proceeded to train civilians to protect their communities. They have also trained a few of the FBR’s to film, document, and report back to the rest of the world the human rights violations and increased violence against people groups in their country. Often they are the only westerners in these parts of the world, so news agencies around the world look to the Free Burma Rangers to supply footage and instant information that needs to be reported on.
For over 20 years, Dave and Karen have made their home in Burma, have had 3 kids, and have raised their children alongside these civilian militias that are dedicated to share Christ and protect their people. They have trained thousands of Burmese militants to give hope, help, and love. They inspire and witness incredible stories of forgiveness. They don’t just talk, the entire family participates in the daily lives of the people around them, and live by the principles of the Free Burma Rangers:
Love One Another
Unite for Freedom, Justice, and Peace
Forgive and do not hate each other
Pray with Faith
Act with Courage
Never Surrender
And over the years, Free Burma Rangers have been a catalyst to change. The group’s intelligence and videos have provided essential information to news agencies, and have opened up a wave of help and forced governments to explain their actions.
The Eubanks love their home in the jungle. But then – they get a call. The Iraqi Army needs the help of the Free Burma Rangers to fight off ISIS. Would Dave, some of his Rangers, and his family be willing to help?
This is an entirely different sort of warfare. There is no jungle. Iraq is littered with destroyed cities, fast open deserts…and high power tanks, landlines, and machine guns. Even the Burmese fighters and videographers share with incredible candor just how much more extreme and dire the situation is for the Iraqis who are caught in the crossfire.
What would you do?
If you are the Eubank family, you go where God calls you. Because the safest place for your family is the place where God puts you – even if it’s at the door to an ISIS stronghold.
Free Burma Rangers is an engaging, thought-provoking, powerful film. Note there are graphic videos and descriptions that one would expect in a film of this nature. Please be mindful of the subject matter and keep young kids at home.
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