Why I give money to the Father of the White Monkey
Posted on 22. Feb, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, international, religion
Can you imagine putting yourself in mortal danger by training medics and bringing humanitarian aid to besieged people in an ongoing civil war? Would you bring your spouse and young children behind the enemy lines?
Several years ago I heard the founder of the Free Burma Rangers speak, and that’s exactly what he does. He’s the son of missionaries and a former U.S. Special Forces major, so he’s well-equipped to risk his life to bring medical care and hope to the ethnic Karen people of Burma. In order to shield his identity, he’s referred to as “Father of the White Monkey” in the recent Atlantic article, “Lifting the Bamboo Curtain.” Here’s how he describes his work:
“We stand with the villagers; we’re not above them. If they don’t run from the government troops, we don’t either. We have a medic, a photoÂgrapher, and a reporter/intel guy in each team that marks the GPS positions of Burmese government troops, maps the camps, and takes pictures with a telephoto lens, all of which we post on our Web site. We deal with the Pentagon, with human-rights groups … There is a higher moral obligation to intervene on the side of good, since silence is a form of consent.
I was incredibly impressed by him (and his family). He’s brave, honest, hardworking and loyal. I feel completely confident that my donations to the Free Burma Rangers are used wisely and have an incredibly positive impact.
If you want to learn more, visit the Free Burma Rangers website. It uses photos and stories to document what the FBR relief teams have found on their missions. Note: it’s not for the faint of heart, for the Burmese Army has perpetuated some horrific atrocities.
Someone should make a movie about the Father of the White Monkey. In the meantime, I’ll keep donating, praying for them (I have a Memo to Me reminder to do so every day) and will make sure to wear the Good Life Club t-shirt he gave me to Curves tomorrow.
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