The missionary soldier

From The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

June 5, 2026 · 27 min

About this episode

David Eubank discusses his experiences as a missionary soldier and the moral complexities of his work in conflict zones.

David Eubank calls himself a missionary soldier. A former US Special Forces soldier, he is now an ordained Christian Reverend and founder of the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian group working in some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones. He prays before missions, runs towards gunfire, rescues the wounded, and says love is what keeps him there. But David's story is also morally complicated. He has carried dying children from battlefields. He has watched friends and colleagues die. And he has killed. Rajeev Gupta speaks to David about what it means to follow Jesus in a firefight. David reflects on his upbringing as a missionary child in Thailand, his years in the US military, and the call that took him into Burma’s long-running civil war. He describes the moments when his faith and a desire for revenge came into conflict. But how does David know he is on the right side? How does he justify taking his wife and children into war zones? And how does he keep believing in God after seeing so much suffering? This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

People in this episode

Host: Rajeev Gupta

Guest: David Eubank

Topics covered

humanitarian work
faith in conflict
military experience
personal spirituality
moral dilemmas
conflict zones

Keywords

missionary soldier
humanitarian
conflict zones
faith
military
moral conflict
rescue
spirituality

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Free Burma Rangers

Places: Burma, Thailand, US