Fifteen minutes into our first conversation with Carol Ward, slack-jawed, Joel reared back in his seat and declared, “You might be the most radical, powerful person I’ve met, and that’s a pretty high bar to clear with me. You’re more radical than Dave Eubank!”
For those of you might not be familiar with Dave Eubank and the Free Burma Rangers, maybe some context will help you understand just what a big statement that is from Joel. Dave and the FBR are those hero’s of faith on the front lines of warfare in places like Burma, Iraq, and Syria. When people are fleeing the most dangerous places of conflict, they are the ones running into the fight, trying to bring the love and presence of Jesus in the midst of violence and bloodshed.
After you hear a few minutes of Carol’s story, you’ll likely be shaking your head in disbelief. By now, she’s used to that.
Carol has spent the last 20 years living and ministering in one of the most dangerous places on the planet: South Sudan and Northern Uganda. She’s a veritable treasure trove of stories that will turn upside-down your notion of what the life of a “normal” Christian could look like.
For us, she’s the model of a reformer: someone who has postured herself in places of brokenness, obedient to God’s call, and dedicated to the belief that God and the good news of the Gospel can bring hope and transformation to the darkest and most difficult of circumstances.
We challenge you, to suspend your disbelief for the next 45 min and open your heart and mind to the just what might be possible if we would be willing to step out in radical faith.
Bewildered,
Joseph Carlson
