Karen Eubank: the woman behind a decades-long humanitarian mission
The Turkish Operation Peace Spring against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, launched on October 9, exposed the region to a humanitarian crisis. Foreign aid largely disappeared from the area, except for few people who fearlessly risked their lives to help those in need.
Free Burma Rangers (FBR) is a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement which has provided aid in Burma, Syria, Sudan and Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.
They made international headlines when they moved to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in 2014 during the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS)
David (Dave) Eubank, former US Army Special Forces and Ranger officer, leads the FBR and takes his family - wife Karen, two daughters, Suzanne and Sahale, and son Peter - everywhere he goes.
Karen Eubank has been working with her husband for nearly 25 years, helping those in need in four countries: Burma, Sudan, Iraq, and Syria.
The family visited Kurdistan Region last week. In an interview with Rudaw English on Friday, Karen,talked about her motives and experience as a humanitarian.
What motivated you to move to Rojava and help people in need?
In the very beginning, we went to Rojava because we met a friend who said that people are looking for love and hope. ‘Can you bring my people some hope?’ This was when ISIS was very present. We said ‘Yes! We are willing to go anywhere that people want hope and love even if it is on the frontline.’
My husband has ministry to help the Kurdish Red Crescent on the frontline and for myself, the three children and our team - we have a team that goes with us - can provide children’s programs and do some distribution. So we try to stay where the families are.
[The place] where the last families are [present] are usually in the most desperate of places. The schools have been closed. Maybe there is no hospital. They are worried about staying in their homes … If I can go and spend some time with children and just play with them, it gives their mothers some time for themselves [and] give them some break and kids have some joy and fun.
We have a program called Good Life Club. We want to give them some tools for a healthy heart, courage, hope, faith, love and tools for a healthy body like a hygiene program about being clean with your hands and how to prevent sickness. Many of the children are very clever. They know already [about what we teach] but their situation is very difficult because they have been forced out of their homes. So it is more challenging to stay healthy.
How is your Christian faith helping you in your mission?
It helps me be strong because otherwise I might be fearful.
The people you are helping are not Christians.
That does not matter.
Does it mean that you prefer humanity to religion?
We are brothers and sisters together. It doesn't matter who needs help, my faith gives me courage to go help in whatever the situation is. Even if this is not dangerous. You just do not want to sleep in a cold place or you do not want to work long hours. Everybody’s job has something that makes it difficult. For me, my faith in Jesus makes me more patient, more loving.
For how many years have you been in this job?
25
How many countries have you worked in?
Burma, Sudan, Iraq, Kurdistan [Region], and Syria for work and many other countries for other things.
The whole family went to these countries?
Yes, we want to keep our family together. David and I decided we would try to work together as much as possible. When we were going into Burma, I could put the kids in the backpack and we could walk to our friends’ villages. I think when you said ‘why do you go?’ really because we have friends there. When you know somebody, you want to be with them, you want to come to their difficulty and share it even if you do not know what to do. You can at least be with them and then things are obvious. How do you help? Anyway you help is okay.
What about the children, do they go to school?
Yes, we have gone to school, home school. One of my daughters has graduated from high school and the other will graduate next year. They have both applied to colleges.
How do you manage that?
Well, God is good, and he helps them with the workbooks and the computer courses, and we have a homeschool organization that helps me with the supplies and helps me keep track of the records.
Some people wonder about the source of the funds you receive. Who funds you?
Oh, many generous people [from] all over the world - people who want to help.
As you know, there are women fighters and officials in Rojava. How do you see that?
I am very thankful that they have the vision to put them in the leadership, in a place where they have a lot of dignity. I pray that somebody can continue to support that movement to give everybody a place of dignity and purpose in the community.