After 52 hours of travel, I arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Since then 7 days have passed. The longest days of my life. Between getting use to sleeping more than 3 hours at a time (impossible at airports and on plane rides in the middle of the ‘day’) and. being physicially, mentally, emotionally, and spiritualy drained.
We drove out on Chiand Mai on a Saung Tao and into the country. For the next week we would be in training camp. The Eubanks let us stay on their beautiful property, backing to a national park, with horses, lakes, dogs, puppies, orchards, and monkies. It was beautiful. However the family was hardly there. Actually they left shortly after we arrived.
They are a young family of missionaries. The parents and their 3 children frequently visit Burma (Myanmar). Their calling is to help the many clans of indigenous people in protecting themselves from their oppressive government. However this family does not have any Burmese stamps on their passports. Every time they travel to Burma, for months at a time, they go through the mountains. The entire family must enter and exit this country illegally. They help train locals for the Free Burma Rangers. Anyone can join as long as you have these three qualities: 1) Do this for Love. 2) the ability to read and write in at least one language. And 3) the physical and moral courage to walk into chris areas and stand with people when they cannot flee.
The Free Burma Rangers mission is to “Bring help, hope, and love to people of all faiths and ethnicities in the conflixt zones of Burma, to shine a light on the actions of oppressors, to stand with the oppressed and support leaders and orginizations committed to liberty, justice, and service.” They work in teams of 5 and spend 1-2 months at a time documenting actions taken against the locals, preaching, treating injuries, building up the youth, giving them hope, and getting them out if a direct conflict happens. You can find out much more at their website (Freeburmarangers.org)
Please pray for this family. They are currently on their way into Burma again, crossing the borer right into a war zone. Meeting this family made me really think about what it means to be a missionary. What I really signed up for. How you can take your entire family in to the unknown because even tho you may not always be safe, and you may not all make it back, you trust God. This family has more faith than I’ve seen in a long time. Its inspiring and I’m glad I got to see them off on their next expedition.
