Lahu Relief Team Leader, Kyar Shell, Dies During a Humanitarian Relief Mission in Shan State, Burma

Shan State, Burma

Lahu team leader Kyar Shell with his wife and son

On 3 July 2012, Kyar Shell, FBR Lahu relief team leader, died of liver failure while on a mission helping his people. He leaves behind his wife and young son.

He is loved and will be missed by his family, his team and the people he died serving.

Kyar Shell was a dedicated leader of one the Lahu FBR relief teams. He joined FBR in 2004 and served with great dedication until he passed away. Kyar Shell was a pioneering Lahu team leader leading the first Lahu team in a very challenging and dangerous area of Shan State. His efforts resulted in saved lives and needed relief for thousands of Lahu and Shan people. He was a calm, humble man with keen insight and compassion. He was a man of action who took great risks to help people in need and never sought fame or glory. He was a servant of man and God and we learned much of humility, patience and perseverance from him.

Kyar Shell with IDPs while on a relief mission

One time an inter-ethnic dispute broke out and he was falsely blamed. Instead of fighting for his rights, he calmly explained the situation, respectfully listened to his adversary and apologized for the way the misunderstanding occurred. He apologized because he knew that even though he was not guilty, the perception was that he was and that emotions were too high then for a self-defense. He was the kind of person who kept the bigger picture in mind and was willing to be wronged in order to keep the mission going. He knew that his real judge is God and that in time the truth would be borne out. In this case, his humility and lack of defensiveness caused his adversaries to calm down and eventually see the truth and then apologize to him.

With his ability to see many points of view, his thinking the best of others, his humility, and his perseverance in his main mission, he is an example that has inspired us all. We thank God for him and look forward to seeing him in Heaven. We pray for his wife, son and family and are sad that we do not have him here with us. We know that he is irreplaceable, and we will do our best to help his family in this time. We will try to serve as he did, with love, humility and steady persistence.

Thank you and may God bless you,

David Eubank and the Free Burma Rangers

Kyar Shell giving medicine to IDPs while on a mission