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1/6/2021
And now
sixty days had passed….our lives had set into a new routine. Every morning,
those in captivity were the first thing on our minds. And every evening as the
sun set in the west, our hearts felt heavy as we thought of them spending
another night in captivity with evilness surrounding them.
Day
sixty two…John’s phone rang and woke us at 5:45 am. An Ohio number. Probably another
early morning emergency family meeting as had happened at a similar time the
morning after the first hostages were released. Groggily, “Hello….Austin…son,
is it you?” John turned his phone on speaker and we heard our son’s voice after
more than two months of not knowing for sure whether he was dead or alive.
Tears streamed down our cheeks as we listened. His voice seemed strong. “Are
you free?” “Yes, we are all free!” His voice sounded confident. “Are you ok?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Lost a little weight though!” His voice sounded happy. “Did
they release you?” “No, we walked out. We escaped.” His voice sounded
energized. “Where are you now?” “At the CAM base,” Austin said, “getting ready
to clean up and take a shower then looking forward to an amazing breakfast!”
His voice sounded eager, not at all like the traumatized son we thought we
might be hearing. We talked as fast as we could but all too soon he needed to
go. Our phones started buzzing, “Is it true? Is Austin free? Are all of the rest of the hostage free as
well?” Things happened fast as we answered many calls and texts from family and
friends. And the next morning we were on a flight headed to Miami to bring him home.
It felt
surreal as we saw him walk towards us across the hotel lobby. We held him tight
not really wanting to ever let go. (I have hugged him several mornings since
and told him I hope he doesn’t mind. It’s just so good to have him home). When
asked if they were mistreated, he emphatically said, “No, for the most part, we
were treated well.” Of course, there was terror and uncertainty, but God was so
close to them. Many miracles that we, as Americans, haven’t ever seen, were so tangible
and a daily occurrence it seemed. And in reality no man on the face of this
earth can take the glory for their release—not CAM as an organization, not the
FBI as negotiators, not even the gang members as those still holding them
hostage—God led them out in much the same way as Paul and Silas. God’s plan was
more intricate than anything we ever imagined, far different than we thought
possible.
Our
church school moms had started meeting for prayer every day at 9 a.m. after
they took their children to school. Circling a small church prayer room, they
prayed each morning for Austin as well as our family. I joined them a few
times, but in spite of the fact I couldn’t always be there, they persevered. As
Austin has been telling his story and details are coming out, one detail stands
out in my mind as noteworthy. The very hour we were praying for those in
captivity, was in fact, the same hour that the captives gathered every day to
pray their “deliverance prayer” as it came to be called. Every day, at 1:00 p.m.
they pled with God to take them out of there. It is such an encouragement to
know that while the prayers from this group of mothers were ascending to our
Heavenly Father, prayers from a small circle of weary captives in a Haitian
courtyard asking God to deliver them this day headed heavenward at the same
time.
I hope
some of you have gotten the opportunity to listen to some of the testimonies of
these seventeen. They each have a unique story that blends together in what the
FBI told the group is “the greatest escape of all times.” What a miracle and
all the glory goes to our heavenly Father!
The End
(but pray we will never forget)
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