Look What God Sent Us!
7 July 2025
Karen State, Burma
Early one morning in Burma, I walked back into our bamboo encampment and saw our daughters, Sahale and Suuzanne, with two horses. The girls both were beaming and said, “Dad, look what God just sent us! Two horses!”
We have no idea where they came from, but there had been heavy fighting north of us, shelling and air strikes for the past week. We thought they must have fled from that. Even though they were both stallions, they were gentle. One was a bay, and one was chestnut in color. Both had white stars on their foreheads. One of them was missing an eye. The girls petted them, prayed and carefully mounted them. The horses were responsive to their touch. With only halters, no bits, the stallions obeyed. Sahale and Suu flashed their smiles and exclaimed, “Dad, these horses have great spirit. Wow, thanks God!”
They galloped out of the bamboo and into the fields, riding fast and free. When they returned, Pete also took his turn to ride with a big smile on his face. These were really great horses. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Where did they come from? How did they get here?” Despite asking all around, nobody knew. Everyone here is displaced from their homes in town and hiding in the jungle, but the network of communications and relationships is strong. Eventually, we received word that the horses belonged to a family that had fled the fighting months before. The horses had run away in the middle of the Burma Army attack and the owners had also fled and didn’t know what happened to their horses. We were able to contact the family, who was now in a completely different part of Burma. They were surprised to hear the horses were still alive. With gratitude in his voice, the owner said, “Please have them. They’re yours. Thank you for saving them. We cannot do anything about them anymore. Please take them. Thank you for saving them.”
Sahale, Suu, and Peter began to clean, feed, care for, and ride them. We then passed them onto one of our local team’s families, who did their best to take care of them. Our kids rode them every time we were up in this area for the next year and a half. My kids, our team, and my 92-year-old mother worked together to come up with their names. Eventually they decided on “Prince” (the one my mother said was noble and needed a noble name because he was missing an eye) and “Saint Tha Lone,” which in Burmese means ‘one diamond.’
As the war grew worse, people were forced to move. Soon enough, the pasture was unavailable and there was nowhere for the horses to eat. They became very thin, and it looked like they might die soon. We all prayed, “Lord Jesus, what do we do? Thank you for the gift of these horses. What do we do with them now? Can we take them back home across the border to the country we live in that is safe?” We prayed and decided we should try to get them home with help from those around us.
Our local team leaders said, “Yes. We love you all and we love these horses. We see how the horses have thrived with you, and we want to help get the horses out to safety.” Suu, who is studying to be a veterinary doctor and has worked with veterinary authorities across the border, contacted the veterinary service. She found out which blood test and requirements were needed to bring horses across. We received the necessary information and forms for the return trip, and brought them in. Now the question became, “How do we move them?” There were many challenges to navigate, including the military that attacks on the ground and in air with bombs and jet fighters. At this point, Sahale and Peter were back at Texas A&M University. Sahale was close to graduating with a nursing degree, and Peter was serving as a cadet. They were very sad to miss this part of the mission, but remained diligent in prayer from afar.
The journey to move the horses began. It started on foot, then onto a truck. We tied the horses to bamboo poles that were supporting them in the bed of the truck, but the work wasn’t done yet. We would have to avoid the Burma Army by crossing rivers and climbing mountains. After a long drive, we reached a large river, and had to put the horses in a cattle boat. Getting them into the boat was not easy, but through prayer, pushing, pulling and sweet persistence with snacks, we eventually got them in. As we made our way down river, I looked at the two horses and the smiling face of Suu. I thought, “Thank you God. Really, we’re getting these horses out.” We finally came down to the border area. Getting the horses off the boat was not easy either. They would have to jump from a high position down to the shore. Upon landing, we met our Karen team at the holding area.
Suuzanne had coordinated with this team to bring a cooler full of ice. With the help of Dr. Joe Hsin, a surgeon who worked with us, she drew the horses’ blood. She then put the blood in the cooler and took it across the border, while the horses remained on the Burma side. We had results one week later. The horses were free from any disease, and all the tests returned negative. They were clear to cross. This wasn’t simple either, and there were more obstacles and challenges overcome before they made it safely home.
When they arrived home with us it was three a.m. We reflected on the journey. Every person who helped us along the way refused gifts, money or anything we offered. They did it for love. They told us, “We’re doing this for our love of these horses, and for your family.” I was deeply moved, humbled, and grateful. Love is the only reason these horses had another chance: the love of our family and the team for the horses, and love for our family of those we corssed paths with. Love is truly the greatest gift anyone could ever receive.
As the sun came up at home the next day, we went out to look at the horses. They greeted us with gentle whinnies. They seemed to revel in the expansive pasture with freedom to roam without fear of being shot. We gave them a week of rest and specialized food before we took them on their first short ride. They responded well and were eager to run. Even though they were thin and not in full form, we let them extend to full gallop if they wanted to. They ran neck and neck, eyeing each other and racing. The kids let them run for a little while with one of our other horses, which they enjoyed immensely. Prince and Saint Tha Lone now have a new home, where they are thriving with freedom, love, and peace. And we received a gift from God to have more horses for our children and other children to ride, an unexpected blessing. Thank you all for allowing me to share this story about the love of people and animals. All are precious in God’s sight.
To catch you up with our kids, Sahale has graduated from nursing school at Texas A&M. She was chosen as the class speaker for the graduation ceremony, and won the humanitarian award. She has returned to Thailand and plans to work as soon as she can. Along with horsemanship, skydiving, and other sports, she’s an accomplished dancer and competes whenever she can for the love of dancing, people and God.
Suuzanne graduated from Texas A&M University and has been accepted into the Veterinary School of Texas Tech where she will begin this fall. She is playing on the Thai national rugby team, as well as competing in all the other sports our kids enjoy playing. Because she was born in Thailand, she qualifies, and was an All-Star rugby player while at A&M. She has joined us on missions on summer break and plans to do more upon graduation.
Peter has finished his freshman year as a military cadet at Texas A&M. He is excelling in sports, learning many skills and most importantly, like his sisters, following Jesus. He was the only freshman on his military international collegiate team, which placed fifth in the world at the Sandhurst Ranger Challenge Competition. Peter is not sure if he will join the U.S. military, but is grateful for the skills he is acquiring. He too wants to come back in service as a missionary.
Thank you for all the ways you have prayed for our children all these years. And thank you for prayer regarding our missions in Burma, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. Horses have been a part of all of these missions. You have been part of our family by prayer, love, and support, helping the children get through school and through life. Most importantly, you’ve been pointing them to Jesus, and we thank God that they have followed Him. Our family loves you very much and thanks you for being with us.
Thanks and God bless you,
Dave, family, and the Free Burma Rangers