OPINION — Editorial

Who are these people?

What are these Christians doing?

Who are these people, these Christians, these humans who believe in something higher than themselves? Who are they to leave the peace and comfort of their perfectly good homes here in the United States, where law and police protect them, to go to God-forsaken places overseas to help others in climates not fit for anything but snakes and camels?

Who are these people, these Christians, these humans who believe that they can help their brothers and sisters, even if they can't speak their language? Who put their own lives at risk for strangers. As if helping the least among these is some sort of commandment. And not just a platitude to be uttered.

Who are these people, these Christians?

It's a question that's probably being asked a lot these days. Especially whenever an outfit called Free Burma Rangers comes around to save the day.

It seems this organization started out in, not surprisingly, Burma, where war has raged since memory runneth not to the contrary. But the people in Free Burma Rangers find themselves wherever they're needed. Their mission: to supply and train relief teams in those countries where death and destruction are the only things assured.

If you've never heard of Free Burma Rangers, join the club. Neither had we until CBS News gathered up some footage in Iraq of a man named David Eubank rushing into sniper fire to scoop up an Iraqi girl laying among a pile of dead bodies.

Mr. Eubank, a former Special Forces officer for this country, is a member of the Free Burma Rangers, and one of its top dogs, too. The footage obtained by CBS recorded Mr. Eubank pointing to an all too usual scene in Iraq these days: a group of dead people laid out around what looks like a bombed-out building. He and his people were huddled behind some armored carrier, ducking the sniper fire coming from their front. Then they saw movement.

A little girl peeked up from the pile.

Mr. Eubank called for smoke to his front. Then two of his buddies laid down covering fire. And he rushed forward several yards, protected by only the smoke, the covering fire and a helmet. Or maybe there was Something Else protecting him. Something that he believes in. Call it the Unnameable, but certainly Mr. Eubank and his church have a preferred name for their salvation. (The whole episode can be found on cbsnews.com.)

The little girl is safe now, although at last report not speaking yet.

When asked why he put his life in such danger, David Eubank quoted scripture. As if he believed it. Trusted it. Lived it.

The thing is, he's not alone. There are others like him, who leave the relative comforts of this land for either the jungles of Burma or the deserts of Iraq, to save others. For no more reward than a thank you, if that.

Of course, these days Free Burma Rangers would have a website. And on it, there's its motto:

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.

And they live it, God bless them.

We think they call this a Christian Witness.

Editorial on 06/23/2017

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