CENTRAL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA -- You’ve seen the Hollywood film chronicling Machine Gun Preacher’s heroism against East Africa’s most evil warlord. Now get ready to see Sam Childers as never before in an upcoming documentary, “Never Stop – 25 Years of Missionary or a Mercenary.”
Due for limited release August 9th, the new documentary will chronicle Childers’ efforts rescuing children from the heart of Africa's most dangerous conflict zones. The feature-length film by Australian documentarian Kevin Evans dives deeper than ever before into Machine Gun Preacher’s remarkable journey of faith-based transformation, compassion and unwavering determination.
“I never imagined my life would take me to such places," said Childers, who in 2013 became the first American to receive the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice. “But if I can bring even one child home to safety, it's worth every risk.”
Risk is an understatement. Childers, at 62 years old, remains a biker and involved in a 1%ER club that he is passionate about. He is an absolute humanitarian who has spent over two-and- a-half decades risking his life to save children abducted by the brutal militias like the ‘Lord's Resistance Army’ (LRA) in South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Today Childers is battling another foe in Congo.
The documentary captures emotional moments of Childers' daring missions into enemy territory to retrieve kidnapped children, risking his own safety to bring hope to those caught in the bloody crossfire. Through intimate interviews and gripping footage, viewers will witness firsthand the challenges and triumphs of his mission.
“The consequences of failure have always been immense,” Childers said. “The warlord Joseph Kony abducted more than 30,000 children. The boys became soldiers in his army. The girls became sex slaves for himself and his officers. God directed me to stand in his way – with an AK-47 in my arms and the God-given power to use it to protect the defenseless.”
"Never Stop" delves into Childers' beginnings as a “no-good, drug-dealing, 1%ER biker thug” in Pennsylvania, his conversion to Christianity in 1992, and his fateful decision to journey to East Africa in the late 1990s. Ignoring warnings from seasoned aid workers, Childers established the Angels of East Africa, a nonprofit organization committed to rescuing and rehabilitating children affected by war.
“Sam Childers' story is a reminder of the impact one person can have on the world,” said Evans, who also co-directed Childers’ first self-titled documentary released in 2014. “His unwavering dedication to these children is both heroic and humbling. This new documentary peels back even more layers to the story, shedding new light on continuing issues of child abduction, forced conscription, and the enduring resilience of those like Sam who refuse to turn a blind eye.”
American audiences first became familiar with Childers’ story in the movie “Machine Gun Preacher” (2011, Relativity Media & Lionsgate Films) starring Gerard Butler. The film and earlier documentary chronicled Childers’ early life as a drug-addled gang member, his release from prison and becoming a born-again Christian.
Today, Angels of East Africa continues to operate in some of Africa's most volatile regions. The nonprofit organization remains steadfast in its mission to rescue, rehabilitate and empower young lives, Childers said. The organization provides 24/7 care for approximately 350 children across its orphanages and homes. In South Sudan, the main Children's Home in Nimule houses around 185 children, offering not only shelter but also educational opportunities and vocational training to prepare them for a brighter future.
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