Sometimes I wonder about what it would really be like to be on the forefront of the battle of good-vs-evil in this world. To do hard things. To make a difference against evil. My time in Iraq gave me a taste of it, that I’ve never forgotten. But now as a civilian, how can I “get back in the fight?” Maybe it’s just not possible.
But then I found about the Free Burma Rangers (FBR). Founded by an ex-Green Beret, this organization trains teams of refugees in emergency medical care, self-defense, information collection, and protection of refugee groups in the war zones in Burma.
Photo Credit: Free Burma Rangers
If you haven’t heard, Burma has been in the midst of civil war for about 60 years. The Burmese army has killed thousands and displaced millions of ethnic minorities, especially those in the Kachin State near the border with Thailand.
But in 1997, one man decided he had heard enough and decided to bring his skills and expertise to train pro-democracy groups and relief teams to bring “help, hope, and love” to those affected by the conflict in Burma. He and his family are truly on the front-lines…
They’ve done it in “real” life. But we need to find our own way to live out the battle. Whether it’s supporting an organization like this financially, or by using our experience to help teach others how to make a better world for themselves… we need to sacrifice something. This soldier used what he had to equip others, in a dangerous and tenuous situation. We can use what we’ve been given too–our experience, our education, our gifts.
I’ll finish with this motto from their website. It’s something we should all be striving for:
LOVE EACH OTHER. UNITE AND WORK FOR FREEDOM, JUSTICE, AND PEACE. FORGIVE AND DON’T HATE EACH OTHER. PRAY WITH FAITH, ACT WITH COURAGE, NEVER SURRENDER.
If you’d like to support the Free Burma Rangers, you can do so here.