Shen Malay Bo Ram Sing Nam, nicknamed (Es Lu Lu), told me a story that is unbelievable. When I said I wanted to write the story down she said, it is not a story it is what really happened. So here goes.
“Es Lu Lu” is a Bible college graduate, her father, Sing Nan Awng Te is a preacher born to a godly mother named Thu Raw (who lived over 75 years). Es Lu Lu arrived in America about 5 months ago. She speaks fluent English and is a frequent preacher for our Chin congregation. Before fleeing her country she was an itinerant missionary preacher who backpacked through the villages of the Kachin Province of Burma (Myanmar). The Kachin Province is in the northern part of Burma sandwiched between China and India. Her parents and brother are all ardent Christian believers.
Earlier this year Es Lu Lu’s brother, Zaw Nau was out clearing brush in preparation for a gold escavation. This area of Burma is rich in gold and jade. The nationals have to dig five to six feet and then they often find gold. As Zaw Nu was clearing an area over a three week period, on two occasions he saw a vision of a tall white man standing near him among the brush. Then one night when he was sleeping he had a dream of this same man. The next day he cut away another log and brush and came up0n some remains. Although there were no bones (probably carried away by wild animals), he found a wedding ring, several coins, a short rifle and the dog tags of an American soldier. [To protect the family I will obscure the name until a later time.] The dog tags had the name “G. Barney James Jr.” written on them and a series of numbers.
Zaw Nau gathered up these effects and carried them home to his village. Whereupon he became gravely ill. It got so bad he was hospitalized. His father, Sing Nan Awng Te, called for pastors, elders of the church, to pray for his son in the hospital and they sought the Lord. They believe strongly in Jesus and know He has the power to heal.
Zaw Nu was not getting better so the father pulled together an offering equivalent to $100, a tremendous sacrifice, and thinking that “Barney James” might have been Catholic took it to the local priest and asked for prayer for his son. Zaw Nu still did not get better so Sing Nan Awng Te gathered another offering of $100 and took it to the local Baptist church and asked for prayer.
Not knowing what else to do for his gravely ill son, the father went out to the gold field and prayed to God on behalf of his son. He was perplexed regarding his son’s illness and this dead man named “Barney James”. He called out to God and made a promise that if God would heal his son, he would send the personal effects to America.
Subsequently Zaw Nu recovered, is healthy and they together are making plans to get these things to America. Es Lu Lu has talked with them and told me this portion of the story. I have suggested that they dispose of the gun but package the rest of the items and do what it takes to ship them to her house. I have contacted a reserve military chaplain, Dr. Terry Eddinger, academic dean of CEDS and he is helping me try to get these things to the right American home.
Here are some clues we are working with. There was a wedding ring engraved with some initials, also 18k, and the date 10/12/41. The last number on the dog tags was ‘44. We believe that was the enlistment date. At the end of the dog tag are two letters A and something else. We think that is the blood type. The name on the dog tag was usually last name first so this may have been “James Barney, Jr.” Other numbers on the dog tag back then identified the regiment. He had a 1921 US Silver Dollar, a 1943 US 1/2 dollar, a 1945 Indian Rubi, and a King George VI coin. When these items get safely to America we will photograph them and work with some contacts to check their veracity. Then we will find an agency that may be able to help us find the family of this World War II soldier. Stay tuned for more details.