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The “Machine Gun Preacher Documentary” tells the true story of Pennsylvanian (USA) biker Sam Childers. It follows the raw story of a man who overcame a life of drugs and violence to become a rebel of hope, waging a 13 year war to free enslaved children.
The plight of the children of Sudan begs someone who can to make a difference. The particular type of difference that Sam Childers has made in the name of Godliness seems to defy societal expectations of religion. The defiance, both physical and emotional has impacted his personal inner circle as well as his relationships with other aides who have agreed that his approach was not always tactful or even necessary. This followup to the movie made in 2011, seems only to serve as a reminder that there is still work to be done.
The documentary captures various interviews, including Dateline’s 2005, in which Sam was asked point blank if he was a killer due to his team’s crashing places with high powered weapons in hand. His response was that he is a Freedom Fighter for the orphaned children of Africa and he acknowledged that none of the dead were the children he attempted to save. While he admitted to an overbearing personality, he made it clear that it was a necessary evil in doing God’s work. While the various scenes of day to day life for the children of Sudan were bleak, there were also laid back times when Sam interacted with the children and for a brief period, allowed them to focus on something other than their human condition.
In the midst of trips back to the states over a period of fifteen years, Sam struggled to pay bills and to keep his family together seemingly sacrificing all to have a presence in Sudan and freeing enslaved children in Northern Uganda. It is evident throughout the film that the “Machine Gun Preacher” is a force to be reckoned with. In spite of the many clashes and organizational setbacks, he appears to be a man on a mission who has been successful in building a village in Africa to continue his life’s work. While it may only have limited appeal, Directors Zac Simpson and Kevin Evans have provided a unique perspective on creative problem solving, enlightened us regarding the plight of the Sudanese children and opened wider the path to preacher stereotypes.
Available on Google Play and DVD
