Saving the Enemy: A Ranger’s Encounter with a Wounded Burma Army Soldier
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Loving our enemies is an ideal that may be easier to accept when our enemies are abstract. When the enemy is actively trying to kill you, the challenge is increased, and the command to show them grace and love can become quite difficult. Many Rangers have the opportunity to show this kind of love to Burma Army soldiers who either surrender to resistance forces or are captured during a battle. Jesus shows the way of loving our enemies, and it's the way that FBR tries to follow by providing medical relief, whether the casualty is a civilian, resistance fighter, or Burma Army soldier. Travis, a volunteer medic who served on a mission in Karen State last year, shares about the team's encounter with a Burma Army casualty and one team member's sacrifice for his enemy:
Last December, I was in Burma on a mission helping provide medical care during a battle that lasted several days and claimed the lives of at least 12 Karen people. Each day of the battle was full of fighting on the ground, with the Burma Army airplanes constantly dropping mortars and bombs indiscriminately up and down the battle space. The threat was very real, but the medics faithfully served the injured from the front line to the back.
On the second day of fighting, an enemy soldier was brought to our Casualty Collection Point (CCP). He was a tough young soldier, muscular, emotionless, and hiding his physical pain. We found out that on the previous day, he'd been captured by Karen soldiers in the heat of battle, only giving up when he was wounded and out of ammunition. The soldiers had spared his life and brought him back to our CCP. I was ready to treat his wounds and excited that we could maybe help him, but quickly realized that I had very little influence over his future. He was a prisoner of war of the resistance forces, which allowed our teams to come alongside them in caring for the wounded, but we had no authority over prisoners.
Dave Eubank, who has spent nearly half his life serving in Burma alongside the Karen people, found out about him and asked the battalion commander about the young prisoner. The commander told the story of his capture and said, "It is not easy to spare someone like that. He’s been killing us, killing our families, and attacking our homes, but we are trying to do what God wants us to do. Now how can we take care of him? How can we treat him? And, even if he survives, who will take care of him?” He asked Dave what his advice was.
Dave replied, “I know the feeling is to let him die for all the things he’s done against your people. I can feel that. We’ve all lost friends here, and we’ve all seen children and families killed. But when I pray, I think that God wants us to show mercy. So we will take responsibility for him, if you choose to let him live.” I jumped on his request by asking if I could provide medical treatment to the Burma Army fighter; we were both given the go-ahead. The commander said, “Yes, of course, I choose to let him live. That is God‘s way. Thank you for helping us with this. We can’t do it very well alone.”
Mortars continued falling near the CCP while we worked. Dave knelt beside the soldier, prayed, and told him about Jesus. Yaza, a young Ranger who had just completed FBR chaplain training, translated for us. Dave offered the soldier a 'Day of Prayer for Burma' booklet in Burmese, but the man couldn't read; his education had stopped after the first grade. He said that he was Buddhist but liked Christianity too. Though he was wary at first, we were encouraged to hear the young man open up little by little. The Karen soldiers treated the soldier kindly and did not restrain the young man, despite his status as a prisoner of war. The Karen Rangers provided him with rice, water, and tea while the medics assessed and cared for his broken body. His injuries were serious: deep tissue wounds, a broken leg, a broken shoulder, and multiple shrapnel wounds. We cleaned and re-bandaged his wounds, but it was clear to me he was dying from blood loss.
Before I could identify his blood type and evaluate who on our team might be compatible for a blood transfusion, Yaza quickly stepped up and offered to donate blood to keep this enemy soldier alive. I confirmed compatibility and transfused a unit of Yaza’s blood into the wounded man. He responded well and became more alert, though his long-term prognosis remained poor, especially in this very remote location surrounded by the raging battle.
Over the next four days, we returned as often as we could, providing wound care, pain control, and IV antibiotics to the young man. During those visits, we talked with him about the gospel—that God created the earth, sin separated us from him, and how Jesus died and rose again to reconcile us to God, offering forgiveness and eternal life freely to anyone who calls on Him. We explained that just as Yaza gave his blood to save this soldier's life, Jesus gave His blood to save all of us, including the soldier, and Jesus gives us the strength to love others and not hate our enemy.
On the last day I visited him, I went with Caleb, another medic volunteering on this mission; Dave Dawson, who led the soldier in prayer; and Ranger Naw Chit, who had translated for us on multiple visits. During his treatment, the enemy soldier had said he wanted Jesus in his heart. We prayed with him, asking Jesus to hear him and make Himself known to the injured Burma Army soldier, who was still in critical condition.
I do not know the outcome of this soldier’s story; I can only share the time that I had with him. We are grateful for the love and forgiveness shown by the Karen battalion commander, soldiers, and Rangers toward this hurting young man. For them to extend grace and kindness toward an enemy soldier who was trying to kill them, amidst an active battle, is a true representation of the gospel. I am grateful we could sustain his body and share the gospel in word, while he also experienced it in deed by receiving grace from those he had made his enemy.
Thanks and God bless,
Travis White with the Free Burma Rangers
