Tampa, Fla.- As the sun shines on his easy smile, Sam Childers’ easy going nature might make you forget that you are talking to someone called “The Machine Gun Preacher”; until his large tattoo and his leather riding vest remind you. From a drug addict to one of South Sudan’s most feared preachers, Childers is a modern day hero. “Bet I could get you more excited if I pulled my gun out,” Childers said with a chuckle to a quiet and intimidated group of journalists.

  Visiting Tampa for the Gasparilla Film Festival, Childers shared information about his new documentary film “Machine Gun Preacher” and gave listeners some insight into what made him the man he is today. Many might know about him from the feature film, starring Gerard Butler, also titled “Machine Gun Preacher”, which Childers says is a “mostly accurate” portrayal of his life. With scenes of Butler gunning down the bad guys filling minds, it is easy to wonder how the man with such a warm and gentle heart could also have as much strength and courage as Childers. “When you step out to do something it always comes from somewhere inside,” Childers said.

  Formerly a drug dealer and drug abuser, the path of Childers’ life is anything but ordinary. After years of chasing temporary highs and getting consistent lows, even working as an armed guard for drug dealers at one point, Childers and his wife Lynn, whom he met during his darker years, began to go back to church to try to get their lives back on the right path. While on a mission trip to the village of Yei in Southern Sudan in 1998, Childers came face to face with the death and destruction caused by the second Sudanese War. Upon returning home, Childers vowed to do whatever he could to help the people of Sudan and to make the world a better place.

  Since selling his construction company, Childers became a minister and started an organization called “Angels of East Africa”. They have built six orphanages in Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan, have drilled over a dozen wells, and serve over 4000 meals a day. “We’ve rescued a lot of kids and it’s gotten big,” Childers said. “I’ve rescued thousands of children.”

  The call to action to help change the war torn countries in East Africa and the need for volunteers is great. “There’s about five trips a year where people from the U.S. go in and work. It’s gotten big,” Childers said. For those who feel that they can’t help the cause, you can”, he added “I’m just a small instrument to Angels of East Africa now, I’m not the big guy any more. There’s a lot of people just like you making it happen. I just do all of the crazy stuff.”

  Aside from saving orphans and having a bold approach to helping people, Childers and the Angels of East Africa have recently started a very large farm that is almost 1000 acres, with farming, irrigation, and ranching. “It made a lot of people say ‘The machine gun preacher is putting his guns down and picking up farm tools!’” he adds.

  In order to fund the project, Childers not only dedicates his income as a preacher to the cause, but also owns a security company and a motorcycle company. A renowned speaker at churches and schools alike, he is able to share his message of hope and urges people to help around the world. He spends eight months of the year in Africa, saying “I will probably die in Africa. I love Africa.”

  If you would like to see the documentary, it is being pre-sold around the world and will be available in the U.S. in six to eight months. “The movie they made about my life, with Gerry, was actually the number one pirated movie of all time, so they are being careful on how they’re putting the documentary out so it won’t be pirated,” Childers said. Childers also set the record straight regarding the Hollywood version of his story, stating: “The movie they made about my life did have some inaccuracies. The timeline was messed up because they had to fit 30 years into two hours. Also, it shows me going back to drinking, and in 25 years, I have never gone back to drinking or drugs.”

  For anyone that feels that they can’t make a difference, or for those that are intimidated by taking a stand, Childers gives this advice: “Remember when you step out to do something, it will always cause you problems.” Doing something as big as saving orphans or even just helping your local community may seem challenging in the beginning, but the payoff is better than anyone could imagine.