The missionary soldier episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 5, 2026 · 26 MIN

The missionary soldier

from The Documentary Podcast · host BBC World Service

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.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 5, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

The missionary soldier

0:00 26:34

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Documentary Podcast?

This episode is 26 minutes long.

When was this The Documentary Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on June 5, 2026.

Can I download this The Documentary Podcast episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!