Recently hubby and I watched a documentary entitled: “Free Burma Rangers.” It was the most moving documentary I have ever seen! It had a profound impact on me!
This documentary is the story of Dave Eubank, a former army ranger, who has devoted his life for the last 25 years to going to the front line of war zones in order to rescue the innocent people wounded and left behind in the aftermath of destruction.
Dave founded the organization Free Burma Rangers, and most of their work over the last 25 years has primarily been in Burma. However, the incident I want to focus on in this blog post occurred in Iraq … during the fight to liberate Mosul from ISIS, back in 2015.
In this offensive campaign, Dave and his Free Burma Rangers team worked side-by-side with the Iraqi army, as the army advanced to liberate Mosul. The Iraqi army engaged in the actual warfare, while Dave and his team came in right behind them rescuing the wounded and bringing them to safety.
At one point in the liberation efforts, the Iraqi army as well as Dave and his team were held at bay by ISIS, with a major roadway being the dividing line between the two opposing forces. On the far side of the roadway was a wall, at the base of which many innocent Iraqi people had been shot and lay there in heaps of dead.
This wall was in full view and within full range of ISIS. This wall was also in full view and range of the liberators … being held at bay on the far side of the roadway.
As Dave and his team observed the situation, there were several small children who were still alive. Two or three small children were playing among the dead bodies. A few of the wounded people were still alive. And one little girl in particular sat perfectly still, up against the body of her dead mother.
This little girl never moved. At times she ducked her head underneath the robe of her dead mother and fell asleep. But otherwise, this little girl simply sat there … staring blankly ahead … in the full blazing heat of the Iraqi sun … among the heaps of dead bodies.
This situation continued for two days … the liberators watching, yet held at bay and unable to do anything. (ISIS used children and the wounded as bait … as soon as anyone attempted a rescue they would be shot and killed.)
Finally, Dave could wait no more. God impressed strongly on him that he needed to rescue that little girl … and he needed to do it now! Such an effort meant almost certain death for him!
In collaboration with the Iraqi army, as well as American forces, a rescue attempt was made.
The American forces began dropping smoke bombs directly above the area where the wall was, to serve as a “smoke screen” shielding the rescuers from ISIS.
The Iraqi forces told Dave and his team that they could have one tank, to serve as an advancing shield in front of them, so that they would have a chance of reaching the wall.
With the smoke dropping in thick and heavy overhead … and with the one tank rolling out into the danger zone (within full range of ISIS) … Dave took off! By himself Dave led the charge toward certain death, calling out after him that anyone who wanted to follow, now was the time!
A handful of 4 or 5 brave rescuers followed Dave.
The small handful of rescuers reached the tank, and behind its protective “shield of cover” they ran … advancing until they reached the section of wall where the piles of dead bodies lay … and the little girl in need of rescue.
But at that moment the smoke in the air began to clear. The small rescue team was now fully visible to ISIS! They radioed the American forces: “We’re visible! We need smoke!! We need more smoke!!”
Immediately … smoke began exploding directly overhead … right on target!
In an instant, Dave left the “shield cover” of the tank and ran for all he was worth over to where the little girl sat … within full view & range of ISIS fire. Dave scooped the little girl up and ran back to the cover of the tank. The little girl was safe!
There were a few others whom they discovered were still alive … and in daring bravery and courage they left the cover of the tank and ran to pick them up and bring them to safety. In the process, one of the team was shot in the leg. But he was able to get up, and keep going.
In the end, everyone made it back out alive.
When it comes to living the Christian life … this is what God calls us to do! This right here is what God calls us to do!
Being a Christian does not mean sitting around “looking perfectly holy” … in order to impress everyone else who is also sitting around trying to “look perfectly holy.”
Being a Christian means loving! Loving other people!! Love is an action!
Love is not a happy noble feeling. Love is not a blissful thought.
Love is an action!
This right here is what true love looks like! It looks like being willing to give absolutely everything to love that other person. It looks like being willing to die, if necessary, to love that other person.
It takes courage to truly love someone!
It takes bravery to truly love someone!
It takes sacrifice to truly love someone!
This is what it looks like to be engaged in spiritual warfare! This is what the Christian life truly looks like!
God tells us deep in our soul who He wants us to love. And God tells us when we need to move. Deep in our soul we hear His voice tell us, “You’ve got to go now!”
And so we obey. Plain and simple.
We obey.
Meanwhile, God Himself is our shield! … covering and protecting us as we move for Him. God is the “smoke screen” … shielding us from enemy forces so they can’t take us out. God is the “tank” advancing in front of us … providing a “shield of cover” for us to run along behind … so that the enemy can’t take us out.
God is our shield!
God tells us to go! Go into the full line of fire! Rescue those from Satan’s power! Rescue those wounded and hurting! While God goes before us to protect and “shield” us!
Free Burma Rangers movie trailer
Heart of Free Burma Rangers Movie – YouTube
Follow-up video to the story I just shared above:
Rescued and Restored: Girl Rescued from ISIS Massacre Restored to Her Family – YouTube
Thou, Oh Lord Are a Shield For Me (song by Prestonwood Choir)
Thou, Oh Lord (w/ lyrics) – YouTube
