Last year, the Mawozo gang abducted missionaries, demanding $17 million for their release. By God’s grace, they made it out alive.
As I was reading an article about the events, I couldn’t help but notice how much prayer played a part in their ability to endure and escape.
Weston Showalter, a spokesman for the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, shared what he heard from the missionaries themselves.
He said, “in times when they faced fear and danger during the night, they prayed that God would wake believers around the world and nudge them to pray for them. And that truly did happen. On this side, we hear of people who were awakened at night with a sense of urgency to pray.”
Showalter also communicated the fact that “hostages set up an around-the-clock prayer schedule, each praying for a half-hour during the day and an hour at night.”
The missionaries prayed because they believed in a God big enough to do “whatever he pleases” (Ps. 115:3). This is a beautiful picture of the childlike faith it takes to pray. And the specificity in their prayer lives led to visibility, seeing the invisible God, when they heard of others taking the action, getting up in the middle of the night, that they prayed for. Awesome!
Praying like this also enabled them to focus on representing God’s purposes as God’s children in this moment. Showalter noted, “The missionaries assured the hostage-takers of their love for their souls. They pointed them to Jesus. They hostages spoke to the gang leader on several occasions, boldly reminding him of God, and warning him of God’s eventual judgment if he and the gang members continue in their ways.” This is a beautiful picture of communicating God’s truth and love.
The story also says that the hostages prayed for an opportunity to escape. “On several occasions, they planned to escape, but they had decided if specific things didn’t happen, they would accept that as God’s direction to wait. Twice when they planned to escape, God gave clear signs that this was not the right time. On both occasions, on the very minute they had discussed, the exact thing took place they had requested as a sign. God was at work, but the timing was not right.” Then, on December 15, God provided one, and enabled to walk by many guards. Incredible!
God helped Peter escape because of the prayers of God’s people. It seems he still works these kinds of miracles today.
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