Rangers in the Middle East: Updates on Stories and Current Needs
- 53 minutes ago
- 5 min read
The Free Burma Rangers have been serving displaced people in Kurdistan, Syria, since 2016. Your prayers, encouragement, and generosity continue to make a tangible difference in the lives of those who have endured war, displacement, and hardship 10 years after we began serving in the Middle East. We are grateful to share how God has continued to open doors for ministry over the past month.
Syria
Our team recently returned from a mission in northeast Syria, where we spent time visiting friends, praying with them, encouraging them, and reminding them that they are not forgotten. During the trip, we distributed food to 120 internally displaced families, including families displaced from Sari Kani and Afrin (Shahba), as well as vulnerable families in Derik. While food meets an immediate physical need, just as important were the conversations, prayers, and relationships that continue to remind people they are deeply loved by God.
Anti-Human Trafficking
Although anti-human trafficking is not the primary mission of Free Burma Rangers, God continues to bring desperate situations across our path. Each request is prayerfully considered as we seek His direction, asking whether He is calling us to respond directly or partner with others who are better equipped.
Through the generosity of private donors, Rangers rescued two women who were safely returned home during the past season, one to Ghana and the other to Cameroon. Today, there is another ongoing case involving a woman from Cameroon. Our team is carefully investigating the situation and seeking wisdom before determining the next steps.
One year after being rescued, one of the women shared this message with our team:
“Today marks exactly one year since I returned home safely. My heart is full of joy, but words cannot express my gratitude. Thank you for everything you did to help secure my release and bring me home. May God richly bless you, grant you the desires of your heart, and may you never lack. I am so grateful to have such a selfless person in my life.”
We thank God for her safety and the Lord's protection and provision before, during, and after the rescue. Stories like hers remind us that every life matters.
We continue to provide financial assistance for urgent medical needs among displaced families in Syria and have also continued supporting monthly needs for those in Kurdistan and Iraq.
This month, we purchased a treadmill to assist Ghofran, a woman rescued in Mosul by our team in 2017, with her physical therapy and continued rehabilitation. We hope that regular exercise will strengthen her body, reduce pain from her injuries, and continue improving her mobility and overall health. We are grateful to be able to continue to help with several cases with financial needs of those pulled from death’s door during the rescue operations of our teams.
These may seem like small acts, but they represent practical ways we can continue walking alongside families long after the headlines have faded.
This year marked another anniversary of the rescue of Ghofran and others from the Pepsi Factory during the ISIS conflict. She recently reflected on that day:
“On this day, ISIS shot me twice in the leg with a sniper rifle. I remained alone for four days, bleeding, scared, hungry, without food or water. Every hour I thought would be my last. Then God sent David, Sky, and the FBR team. They risked their own lives without hesitation to save mine.
They did not stop helping after that day. They helped with my surgeries and recovery until I could walk again after six operations. They helped me attend English classes, provided a monthly stipend, and later helped my husband find a source of income after we were married.
Nine years have passed, and today I am alive, stronger, and living in Mosul. You are like angels on this earth. I love you all, and I ask God to bless you. I am grateful to call FBR my family.”
Ghofran’s story reminds us that ministry is not simply about responding during a crisis. It is about faithfully walking with people for years as God continues restoring lives.
Reload Love Playgrounds
This season, our team completed two Reload Love playground installations, one at a school serving Yazidi orphans and another at an internally displaced persons camp in Kurdistan.
Each playground dedication included a Good Life Club program where we spent time dancing, playing games, sharing snacks, using the giant parachute, and enjoying the playground together. Every child also received Reload Love shirts and Good Life Club bracelets.
Beyond the activities, some of the most meaningful moments came simply by listening. Many children shared their stories and experiences, allowing us to encourage them and remind them that they are seen, valued, and loved.
Teachers and school administrators expressed heartfelt gratitude for the playgrounds. They shared that these spaces have brought tremendous joy to the children and are already making a meaningful difference in their daily lives. They specifically asked us to thank Reload Love and everyone whose generosity made these playgrounds possible.
Zau Seng Hospital Update
The team also visited Zau Seng Hospital in Tel Tamer, Syria, to spend time with the doctors, nurses, and staff. The hospital is named in honor of one of our Rangers, Zau Seng, who was from the Kachin ethnic group in Burma. Zau was killed in 2019 during the Turkish and Free Syrian Army (jihadi) invasion while serving alongside David Eubank and the team. He left behind his wife and young daughter.
Zau had faithfully served on missions in Iraq and Syria since 2015 as both a videographer and medic. He was deeply loved by everyone who knew him, and naming the hospital after him is a lasting tribute to his life, sacrifice, and faithful service.
The Zau Seng Hospital continues serving approximately 100 to 150 patients each day despite significant challenges. The maternity ward currently lacks support, meaning mothers who require cesarean sections must be transferred to Hasaka, while only uncomplicated deliveries can be performed locally. The hospital also has X-ray capability, but increasing patient numbers continue to strain available resources, resulting in more referrals for higher levels of care. Please pray for our team as we continue to try to find ways to streamline support for the hospital and build unity.
Please join us in praying for the following needs:
1. Wisdom and provision for ongoing anti-human trafficking cases, including administrative fees and travel costs for victims seeking safe return home.
2. Zau Hospital, for wisdom among leaders, approval for medical supplies to be released, support for hospital staff, and improved access to healthcare for the people of northeast Syria.
3. Protection, wisdom, and endurance for our local partners and the entire Middle East team as they continue serving in difficult environments.
Thank you for continuing to pray, give, and stand with us. Every food basket distributed, medical need met, child who laughs on a new playground, and every life restored is a testimony of God’s faithfulness and the compassion of His people working together.
Please continue praying for the people of Syria and Iraq, for our local partners, and for the many opportunities God continues to place before us. We are grateful to serve together.
Thanks and God Bless,
The Free Burma Rangers.
