The Virgin Mary, Faith, and the Columbia Hostage Rescue

In this image provided by the US Army, Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes (left to right, center), freed July 2, 2008 after more than five years of captivity in Colombia, stand with, front row from left - Col. Wendy Martinson, Garrison Commander of Fort Sam Houston; Brig. Gen. James Gilman, Commander of Brooke Army Medical Center; and Maj. Gen. Keith M. Huber, Commander of U.S. Army South; and members of their staffs.

Last night I spent several hours reading about this sage. In many ways the Bush Administration did their job too well. In order not to give the the FARC terrorist group more power as to the Hostages there was almost a blackout on News. When Bush and Rice to Columbia barely a word was mentioned of them. Most Americans, and I include myself in this number had no idea we had Americans held hostage in these horrible conditions.

A Columbia Senator was released earlier in the year who in fact was chained by the neck to one of the American Prisoners for 9 months. He said earlier in the year that the American Morale was low and they had thought they were forgotten about. The radios they were given were indeed a lifeline for them and on Sunday nights when a radio program would broadcast messages by families and Govt to the hostages it became almost a Religious event.

Of course we now learn that behind the scenes a huge effort by the United States, France, and Columbia was underway for years to find them. The extent we are now just learning.

How these prisoners were treated went beyond barbaric and the duration (Some of the Colombians were held 10 years!!!) is beyond belief.


It turns out that the Christian Faith of some of the hostages was what partly got them throught. Creative Minority Report has a great entry on this at Rescued By Faith



Be sure to go to the link that he provides to Betancourt’s statements. Next week she will meet Pope Benedict.

Also see The power to “keep hope alive”