God Loves the Rohingya

This blog is supplementary to our monthly update as God sent us on an incredible adventure at the close of February to Bangladesh and we wanted to share it with you all.

We've had a small headquarters element working in Bangladesh to see how FBR can help the Rohingya for the past 4 months. Our desire was to train a Rohingya FBR team to go back into Burma, help their people and get the news out. Very little is being reported on accurately about the Rohingya situation inside Burma.

The head of this team, a good friend of ours and FBR Chief of Staff, Dave S, has been the driving force behind our efforts to reach the Rohingya. On his last trip a young Rohingya translator, Aman, came to him and wanted to make the training happen. Next step was willing Rangers and a place to train.

The Wandering Leader, Dave Small

Amen came through, he called Dave saying he had 10 young Rohingya men who wanted to take part in the training and a place to train. Dave asked us and another FBR leader, Hosannah, to come and help. True to FBR fashion 3 days after his invitation we were on a plane heading for Bangladesh.

When your boss says you have to fly to Bangladesh in 3 days after just getting home...

Upon arriving at our training site the land owner who had previously agreed to host us, changed his mind. It is illegal to train the Rohingya people so there was a risk and for him it was too high. He wanted to help us and his people, as he was Rohingya, but he was afraid. Dave aptly put it, "we were shut down by fear". While we waited for Aman to find a solution we scouted the surrounding countryside for alternate training locations, which was spectacular.

We were disappointed and discouraged as this was the best, most secure location around and we couldn't use it. So we took another walk to clear our heads.

Bangladesh has the longest beach in the world, and some of the coolest boats

After our beach walk, we decided to pursue other options. First choice was pray like crazy for God to take over and make this training happen. Amen then received a call from a cousin who said he may have access to a Nature Park about a 40 minute drive away. Amazing! We ended up planning to split the training between the Nature Park and a Hotel room. Only problem, the hotel room was in Teknaf...

Teknaf

Teknaf is a small rough little town, and it is our belief that the black plague originated here. It is also the headquarters for 5 different security forces all with a keen interest to stop unauthorized trainings of the Rohingya. So God took us out of the frying pan and threw us into a trash fire.

Bangladesh Forest

God's plan is always better than ours, thus He led us to a mountaintop for day 1 of our training and to meet our six Rangers (we had to decrease the number for security reasons). The Rangers traveled from various refugee camps dispersed throughout southern Bangladesh. Some had grown up in the camps and others were recent arrivals from Burma. They are not allowed to leave the camps so coming here was a significant risk for them.

Rangers in Training

Introduction to FBR

Hosie teaching our motto

Easy Way, Hard Way

After meeting the Rangers we were impressed by their level of education, critical thinking skills, bravery and commitment to help their people. They claimed [the message you teach, we have been longing for]. Hope seemed to come alive in their hearts as they learned more of what we wanted them to do and how they were to do it.

GPS Training

Video Camera Operation

Medical Response Scenario

Investigative Reporting and Interview

For security reasons, we couldn't train consecutive days in the forest, so we went back to the hotel and were thankful for a safe place to continue.

Medical, Infant CPR

Fundamentals of Photography

Only through God's provision was this training conducted. There is no reason why we went unmolested by the authorities other than His protection. We were blessed with 7 days of training and all were well used. I thought it impossible that these young men would be ready to undertake a dangerous mission back into Burma but God specializes in the impossible. By day 7 I had no doubts regarding their ability to safely navigate back into the conflict zone. All worry about their capability was gone from my heart and only a steady confidence remained. It was if God was saying, "You've done what you can now step back and let me take over, I've got them."

We've trained teams to go to dangerous places before but we've been able to go with them. It was very hard letting them go alone. In a way like watching your kids go out alone into the world for the first time. At some point you have to trust that God is watching over them better than you can.

Another difficulty we faced was bringing Eden along on this trip. We haven't been to Bangladesh and aren't fully aware of all of the threats and risks. We had to pray very hard with regards to this decision but in the end felt peace even though we were still afraid. Bangali culture regarding babies is to walk up and take them... Needless to say this was difficult for us.

Right off the plane I was standing on the side of the road holding Eden when a homeless woman came up to me with hands outstretched wanting to hold Eden. My mind and body were all saying, "I don't think so" but my heart was saying, "This is why she's here, don't let fear constrain you." I smiled and handed her to the woman and everything was fine. Our translator said, "She is feeling so much joy today because she gets to hold the baby." Fear would have robbed this woman of this joy.

The same homeless woman crossing our paths a few days later.

Eden's best friend, Uncle Amin, one of the Rangers

We have realized how drastically different our ministry has become when we go as three and not two or one. People become genuinely joyful when they hold her or see her smile. Security forces take pictures of her and become our friends. She is just as important as Aimee or I on these trips. I can't imagine going without her, though we always pray to find God's path for her.

Now the Rangers are off in two teams seeking a way back to the conflict areas. Once there they are tasked with finding a burned village and/or mass graves. They are to conduct interviews with eye witnesses and obtain as much information possible regarding the situation. FBR HQ will go back and debrief them when they return.

Please pray that they encounter Jesus during their travels and come to know Him. Pray for courage and the presence of mind to seek God always. They are all tired of running and this is their resistance.

More Photos in the "Bangladesh 2018" sub section under photos