1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Hi, listeners, I'm Kelly, part of the Life Audio team 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: with your Daily Prayer. We're excited to share a special 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 1: bonus episode from the Samaritans Purse podcast On the Ground 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: with Samaritan's Purse, hosted by Christy Graham. Today you'll hear 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: part one of an incredible story where God's presence guided 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: a pilot during a plane hijacking in Africa. We want 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: to let you know that this episode contains detailed accounts 8 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: of a life threatening situation. It's shared to highlight God's power, 9 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: presence and faithfulness in extreme circumstances, to encourage faith and reflection. 10 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 1: You can catch Part two and more episodes at Samaritanspurse 11 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: dot org. Links are in the show notes. 12 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 2: He lifts up a gun, shows me the magazine is 13 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 2: full of thirteen rounds of nine millimeter ammunition, puts it 14 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 2: into the gun, cocks the gun, ratchets around into the 15 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: chamber with the hammerback, his finger on the trigger, and 16 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 2: holds the gun up and points it right at my face. 17 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 3: That was one of our pilots, Jim Strike, when a 18 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 3: Samaritan's Purse plane was hijacked in Africa with a gun 19 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 3: to his head. He had a choice. He could either 20 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 3: let fear take over or he could trust Jesus with 21 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 3: his life. Welcome back to another episode of On the 22 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 3: Ground was Smartan's Purse, where we take you to the 23 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 3: front lines and behind the scenes of our work around 24 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 3: the world. I'm your host, Christy Graham, and today I 25 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 3: have the honor of sharing a story with you about 26 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 3: how the Lord worked in and through Jim Strike when 27 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: his plane was hijacked. God's power was on full display 28 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 3: when what should have been a routine flight turned into 29 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 3: a life threatening situation. When Jim needed it most, the 30 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 3: Lord gave him the right scriptures and reminded him that 31 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 3: there is power in the name of Jesus. And today 32 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 3: we get to tell that story, God's story of how 33 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 3: he came through in a mighty way. I had the 34 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 3: privilege of flying with Jim and Kenya last summer when 35 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 3: he took us to one of the mission hospitals that 36 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 3: we visited. Jim has been serving as a missionary pilot 37 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 3: for decades with Africa Inland Mission and he often flies 38 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 3: for Samaritan's Purse. Jim was first introduced to Samaritan's Purse 39 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 3: and met my father in law Franklin in the nineteen nineties, 40 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 3: and he quickly learned that Franklin's heart was for missions. 41 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 3: And Jim is still flying today. So much of what 42 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 3: we do with Smaron's purse we couldn't do without aviation, 43 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 3: you know, especially in Africa. And I know when we 44 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 3: were flying in Kenya to get to a hospital, you said, 45 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 3: you don't get to fly in Kenya as much anymore, 46 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:33,839 Speaker 3: you know, because you are going to Sudan and South 47 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 3: Sudan and doing so many other missions. But I just 48 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:38,959 Speaker 3: want to thank you for your faithfulness and you have 49 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 3: your right here today. Just thank you for your faithfulness. 50 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 3: I mean, I was overwhelmed with for over forty years 51 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 3: of ministry serving overseas. And I know you told me 52 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 3: your daughter, you know, she had the same name as 53 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,399 Speaker 3: Macy said, she lives near you. And I just love 54 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 3: that your family generations are serving the Lord wherever he 55 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,679 Speaker 3: calls you. So thank you for your selfless service, privilege. 56 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 3: And I know, as you said, there's so many stories, 57 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 3: but today we want to talk about December second, okay, 58 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 3: and what sure And as you were talking, I just 59 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 3: kept thinking of that that verse. 60 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 4: We are faithful with little we. 61 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 3: Can be entrusted with much. And I think God, you know, 62 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 3: when we're faithful stewarts with what He's given us every day, 63 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 3: whether it's a as you said, routine flight that's just 64 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 3: in and out back by lunch, or a life, you know, 65 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 3: possible altering flight, when we're faithful to the Lord. And 66 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 3: so I just want you to share that story because 67 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 3: I think He prepared you in advance for. 68 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 4: What he called you to do that day. 69 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 3: Let's talk about yeah, December second, tell us what you 70 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 3: were called to do that day, and and then we'll 71 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 3: talk about how that day evolved. 72 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 2: A lot of times when i'm flying, i'm sitting in 73 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: the right seat training somebody younger to do the flying. 74 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 2: But I was very happy to be able to be 75 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 2: the captain of my own ship this week. And went 76 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 2: up on Monday, did a flight about a two hour 77 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 2: flight up to a location bringing medicines and people up, 78 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 2: came back to Juba, and then closed up the airplane. 79 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 2: That was a fairly easy day, had a nice night, 80 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 2: went back the next day to do another easy flight. 81 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 2: This was going to be about two hours out, two 82 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: hours back. And when I got to the airplane, I 83 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: noticed that somebody had overnight broken into the airplane and 84 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 2: the handle on the door was showed that it was 85 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 2: no longer locked, so I opened up the door, looked 86 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 2: around the inside of the airplane real good, thinking that 87 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 2: somebody had stolen something, and nothing was missing. So after 88 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 2: looking over the inside of the airplane really well, we 89 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 2: determined that it was safe to fly. There wasn't anything 90 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 2: that seemed like it was a miss. So we loaded 91 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 2: up the cargo and the pods of the airplane underneath 92 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 2: the airplane, and we put about a thousand pounds of 93 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 2: cargo underneath the airplane, and then in the back of 94 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 2: the airplane, I had another couple of hundred pounds that 95 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: we had to load, and we loaded that into the 96 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,919 Speaker 2: rear cargo area of the airplane and one passenger, so 97 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 2: I had three seats on board with one passenger, and 98 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 2: got the passenger on board. He was a gentleman by 99 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 2: the name of Ben. He's with Smart's Purse, one of 100 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 2: your employees, and just a really nice guy. I was 101 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 2: flying him out to a location to do some electrical 102 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 2: work and we got some extra fuel on board the airplane, 103 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 2: which turned out to be providential that we were able 104 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 2: to get more fuel on the airplane too, because we 105 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 2: weren't full of freight, and then started up, taxied out, 106 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 2: took off, turned on course, climbed up, leveled off the airplane, 107 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 2: and as I set the autopilot got everything done for cruise. 108 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: I had about another forty minutes to fly. I heard 109 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 2: a shout from the back of the airplane. I didn't 110 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 2: know what it was, but I heard somebody saying something 111 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 2: loudly in the back of the airplane, and I thought, well, 112 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 2: that's funny, and I turned around and I looked at 113 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 2: Ben behind me, and he motioned with his head to 114 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 2: look behind him. So I loosened up my seat belt 115 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 2: and turned all the way around in my seat and 116 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 2: looked at the back of the airplane, and there was 117 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 2: a guy sitting in the cargo in the back of 118 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 2: the airplane with a yellow vest on, a yellow safety vest, 119 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 2: like he was an airport worker. And I had a 120 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 2: few seconds where I could not figure out what was 121 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 2: going on. At that point, ten minutes earlier, there was 122 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 2: one person sitting behind me in an empty airplane, and 123 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 2: now I turn around and there's two people sitting behind me, 124 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 2: and it was hard to get my head around. How 125 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 2: could that be and what could be happening? And as 126 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 2: I'm looking at him, he lifts up a gun, shows 127 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 2: me the magazine is full of thirteen rounds of nine 128 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 2: millimeters ammunition, puts it into the gun, cocks the gun, 129 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 2: ratchets around into the chamber with a hammerback, his finger 130 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: on the trigger, and holds the gun up and points 131 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:54,119 Speaker 2: it right at my face. 132 00:06:55,520 --> 00:07:00,679 Speaker 3: Mattelson, the director of Mission Aviation Services Africa It's Purse, 133 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 3: received a call in the middle of the night on 134 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 3: December second, the news that Jim's plane has been hijacked. 135 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 4: It hit home. 136 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 3: Jim was Matt's mentor and friend for more than thirty years. 137 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 4: It was one fifty two in the morning. I was 138 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 4: sound asleep at home and the phone rang loudly. It 139 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 4: was Daniel Kiprop, He's our deputy program director in East Africa, 140 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 4: and he said, Matt, one of our aircraft had been hijacked. 141 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 4: And I immediately sat up, turned the light on, grabbed 142 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 4: a pad of paper and a pen, and I began 143 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 4: to ask him some questions. What airplane, who's the pilot, 144 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 4: how many people are on board, where's the plane, you know, 145 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 4: basic questions. And then I remember pausing and I just said, Daniel, 146 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 4: confirm this is not a drill, and he said, Matt, no, 147 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:02,119 Speaker 4: it's not a drill. And it's sort of funny. Now. 148 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 4: I remember about a year ago I was in Juba 149 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 4: and I got a similar phone call while I was 150 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 4: at dinner in South Sudan and one of the guys 151 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 4: in Liberia called and said, we have a helicopter that's 152 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 4: missing as one of our Liberia staff. And I grabbed 153 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 4: one of the guys at the table, I grabbed a 154 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 4: piece of paper and a pen, and I ran over 155 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 4: to another table and began to ask questions and write 156 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 4: write things down. And several minutes into it, our Liberian 157 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 4: staff said this is a drill. And I remember holding 158 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 4: the phone out away from my head and just gathering 159 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 4: my thoughts, and I brought it back and I said, Okay, 160 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 4: the drill's over. You got to tell me that in 161 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 4: the beginning, because I think I lost a couple of 162 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 4: years off my life that day. So when I when 163 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 4: Daniel told me, you know, this was happening, and I 164 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 4: just woken up, it took me a minute to is 165 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 4: this reeal? You know? And so after he said no, 166 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 4: it's it's it's real it's not a drill. I asked 167 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 4: him some more questions, got some additional facts about what 168 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 4: was going on, and then I set up the mobile 169 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 4: command center at my kitchen table, and I began to 170 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 4: wake people up. Lights were popping on all over western 171 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,719 Speaker 4: North Carolina as people woke up to this news, and 172 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 4: we began to mobilize. 173 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 3: As he flew along, Jim began to make big s 174 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 3: turns in the sky. He backed the power down on 175 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 3: the plane went slow, hoping to buy more time. He 176 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,199 Speaker 3: was also hoping the hijacker wouldn't notice the change in 177 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 3: speed and start to ask questions. The plan was to 178 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 3: fly to Wow, where Jim would land have security forces 179 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 3: rescue he and Ben. 180 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 2: I was trying to get my mind around the fact 181 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 2: of what is happening right here, But my mind immediately 182 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 2: went back, and we're talking like this is the first 183 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:11,559 Speaker 2: ten seconds of this whole event taking place. My mind 184 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 2: went back to a week previous. I had been praying 185 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 2: about something and I was on my knees at my 186 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 2: bed and just asking God to let me hear his voice. 187 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 2: And I've been kind of on a quest this year 188 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 2: to know what it means to hear Jesus's voice and 189 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 2: follow him, he says, my sheep, hear my voice and 190 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 2: follow me. So how do I hear God's voice in 191 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 2: my life in this day and age with all the 192 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 2: other noise that's around. And as I was praying about 193 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 2: an issue, I got done praying and I was just there, silent, quiet, 194 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 2: no longer praying, and I immediately had like a comment 195 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 2: in my heart that I felt was maybe from God. 196 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 2: And it was like an internal voice said, Jim, I've 197 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 2: got this. You've told me about it, you've asked me 198 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 2: about it, and it's taken care of. But what you 199 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 2: have coming is so much bigger than this. And that 200 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 2: was a little bit of a surprise to me. I 201 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,079 Speaker 2: don't often hear God speak. It was not an audible voice. 202 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 2: I can't say that either. It was just in my spirit. 203 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 2: I felt that this had been said to me, and 204 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 2: it was said to me either by the enemy or 205 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,839 Speaker 2: by my heavenly Father. And the grid I put that through, 206 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 2: and I put a lot of things through. This grid 207 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 2: is if it causes me fear, it's probably not from God. 208 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 2: If it causes me fear, then it's from the evil one, 209 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 2: because he is here to causes fear the accuser of 210 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 2: the brethren, but if it's not causing me fear, And 211 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 2: this didn't cause me to fear. It just caused me 212 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 2: to be very curious, what is it that's coming that's 213 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 2: going to be so much bigger? And over the next 214 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 2: several days, I was thinking about that comment and wondering, 215 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 2: I wonder what's coming. And suddenly, when I'm looking down 216 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 2: the barrel of a nine millimeter gun with somebody's finger 217 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 2: on the trigger, I just had this overwhelming confirmation. 218 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 4: That this is it. 219 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 2: This is what I told you about. So that was 220 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 2: very calming to me to know that God had told 221 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 2: me about this. It was just like Jesus was saying, well, 222 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 2: I told you about it, and this is it, and 223 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 2: hasn't told me. I'm not telling you how it's going 224 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 2: to end, but this is it. So at that point, 225 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 2: the gunman threw a piece of paper forward landed behind me. 226 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:25,439 Speaker 2: I picked up that piece of paper and said, I'm 227 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 2: going to kill someone. I want to take I want 228 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 2: to take me to Chad. But his Chad was actually 229 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 2: spelled c Ahd, so I thought that this was another 230 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 2: airstrip in southern Sudan. So I told him, I don't 231 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 2: know where Cod is. I don't know cod I've never 232 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 2: been there before. I don't know where Cod is. And 233 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 2: he was just yelling take me there, and I said, 234 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 2: I don't know where this is. And I picked up 235 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:47,839 Speaker 2: my iPad and I showed him the map of southern 236 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 2: Sudan and I said, show me where this is. I 237 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 2: don't know where this is. And he came forward in 238 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 2: the airplane and stuck the gun up against the back 239 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 2: of my passenger's head and he said, you take me 240 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 2: there or I kill him at the count of three, one, two, 241 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,440 Speaker 2: and I said, okay, okay, I'll take you there. I 242 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 2: didn't know where it was at this point, but I 243 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 2: figured I'll just start turning the airplane and act like 244 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 2: I know what he's saying. And I turned the airplane 245 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,719 Speaker 2: towards the west. And then I thought, well, maybe he's 246 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 2: saying Chad. So I turned around and I said, do 247 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 2: you want to go to Chad? And he said yes, Chad. 248 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 2: Now I couldn't understand him very well. It was hard 249 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 2: to communicate because he had a mask on, so all 250 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 2: I see are just angry eyes and he's shouting things 251 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 2: from the back of a noisy airplane at me, but 252 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 2: he said, yes, yes, we go Chad, We go Chad. 253 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 2: So at that point I keyed the microphone and acted 254 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 2: like I was talking to him, And as I'm talking 255 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 2: to him, I kept the microphone keyed so that the 256 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: other airplane could hear what was going on. And then 257 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 2: I said to them, guys, I've been hijacked and there's 258 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 2: a guy sitting behind me with a gun at my head. 259 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 2: So they could hear that, but this guy couldn't hear 260 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 2: what I'm saying unless I'm shouting to him because there 261 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 2: was a lot of noise. So they immediately came back 262 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 2: on and they said, okay, we copy. 263 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 4: Phase two was a block of time where we had 264 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 4: some communication with Jim. We were able to get his 265 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 4: general plan that there was a masked hijacker on board 266 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 4: wearing a yellow vest, that he had a gun, that 267 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 4: he had threatened to kill them, so we knew it 268 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 4: was really serious. We were coming up with we back 269 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 4: in headquarters here and the guys in Kenya and Uganda 270 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 4: sort of just working out all the different possible courses 271 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 4: of action. Where's this going to go. 272 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 2: We didn't have enough fuel to go to Chad. So 273 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 2: I knew that at some point along the way, if 274 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 2: we were flying towards Chad, we're going to be crashing. 275 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 2: We're going to run out of field and we're going 276 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 2: to crash the airplane. But I told him, okay, we're 277 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 2: going to Chad now, and he doubted me. So I 278 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 2: gave him my iPad that showed the line on the 279 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 2: iPad going across Southern Sudan showing that we were going 280 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 2: to Chad, and he could see the little airplane moving 281 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 2: along the line. So he sat back and he said 282 00:14:58,080 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 2: okay and shook his head. 283 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 4: You go Chad. 284 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 2: At that point, the DC three called back and they said, 285 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 2: what's your plan? And I said, I'm heading to Roombeck. 286 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 2: Initially I told them we're heading to Roombeck, and then 287 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 2: later on I told them we're heading to an airport 288 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 2: called Wow, and Wow was the farthest airport west that 289 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 2: I knew of that I could still get fuel and 290 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 2: they would have security and medical help on the ground there. 291 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 2: At that point, we're on our way, but I don't 292 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 2: want to be flying so far out of Southern Sudan, 293 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 2: where we're getting into Central Africa Republic, where a if 294 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 2: we crash nobody's ever going to find us possibly or 295 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 2: b nobody's going to be able to follow us and 296 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 2: see where we are and get us help. So I 297 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 2: didn't want to be leaving Southern Sudan. 298 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:49,479 Speaker 3: Our teams began alerting the FAA, the Department of State Embassies, 299 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 3: and we were also getting calls from the FBI. With 300 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 3: very limited information, our team started to think through options 301 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 3: and contingency plans. How could they safely get Jim to 302 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 3: land the plane and end this nightmare. One of our 303 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 3: other airplanes, the DC three, was flying a separate mission, 304 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 3: but when this happened, the program director told the flight 305 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 3: crew to break off their current mission and directed them 306 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 3: to fly towards our hijacked aircraft to offer any support possible. 307 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 3: Matt shared what was going through his mind while all 308 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 3: this was happening. 309 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 4: This was risky, though, and we were concerned about some 310 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 4: of the soldiers at these outlying airstrips maybe not being 311 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 4: very well trained, not being very disciplined, and oftentimes soldiers 312 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 4: can focus more on eliminating the threat, the bad guy, 313 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 4: and maybe be less worried about rescuing the hostages. So 314 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 4: that was a concern. 315 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 3: Another course of action that Matt and the team thought 316 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 3: of was having Jim get fuel it Wow and then 317 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 3: continue on to Chad, giving the hijacker what he wanted, 318 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 3: but that was not safe. 319 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 4: Leaving our air leaving South Sudan, leaving the environment that 320 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 4: our bubble did not feel like a good idea. Well, 321 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 4: after a couple hours of Jim flying towards Room, he 322 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 4: flew towards Rumbeck and then we realized that that was 323 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 4: too close. So the next airstrip towards Chad that had 324 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 4: fuel and a pretty good airstrip was Wow. 325 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 3: While our staff on the ground awaited the news of 326 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 3: what was going on in the sky, tensions rose in 327 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 3: the aircraft. 328 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 2: So I flew about thirty miles south and then I 329 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 2: turned and fly about sixty miles north, So instead of 330 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 2: flying directly towards the edge of the country towards Chad, 331 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 2: I was actually now just making big s turns in 332 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,160 Speaker 2: the sky. I suddenly heard him yelling in the back 333 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 2: of the airplane, I'm going to kill you. So I 334 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 2: turned around and looked at him, and he saw on 335 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 2: the iPad it was leaving a breadcrumb trail, so there 336 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 2: was a blue line where we had been flying, and 337 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 2: he was able to see that we were not on 338 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 2: our way to Chad. We were doing these big circles 339 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 2: in the air, and he got very upset and he said, 340 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,679 Speaker 2: I'm going to kill you, and now you have sealed 341 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,240 Speaker 2: your fate. He basically he didn't say it in those words, 342 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 2: but with his mask on, he just said, I'm going 343 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 2: to kill you. First, I kill him, and he pointed 344 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 2: towards Ben. Then I kill you, and he pointed towards me, 345 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 2: and then he put the gun towards him and he 346 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 2: said we all die, and he made the motion of 347 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 2: just cutting his throat. He said all of us die, 348 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 2: and he pointed at me and he said it's because 349 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 2: of you and what you've done. So at that point 350 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 2: I turned the airplane directly towards Chad and I said, no, no, no, 351 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 2: don't get excited. We are flying towards Chad. You go 352 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,400 Speaker 2: look at the look at the iPad. You can see 353 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 2: that we're flying towards Chad. So at that point he 354 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 2: started being the gun around in the back of the airplane. 355 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 2: But at that point he said, you keep going to Chad. 356 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 2: Don't move, don't do it anything. And I said, we're 357 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 2: going to Crashet in Central Africa Republic. We don't have 358 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 2: enough fuel, and he said, he shook his head and said, 359 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 2: I don't care. You keep going, You just keep going. 360 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 2: So his attitude became very fatalistic at that point. 361 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 4: We now move into this two hour period where the 362 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 4: last two hours where we lost communication with Jim. Now 363 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 4: he could he could see our texts on the panel, 364 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 4: but he felt like if he responded to those texts 365 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 4: that he would agitate the hijacker, who had gotten pretty 366 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 4: upset because he had noticed that Jim had been not 367 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 4: taking a direct route towards Chad, that he'd been sort 368 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 4: of circling, slowly, circling and making s turns around Wow 369 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 4: because Jim didn't want to go too far away from Wow. 370 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 4: So it began. It was a hard time for us 371 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 4: because we didn't know what was going on. We knew 372 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 4: that it was a very serious situation, that Jim's life 373 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 4: had been threatened, that Ben's life had been threatened by 374 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 4: this gunman, and now we couldn't communicate. We weren't hearing 375 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 4: from Jim, and so we began to wonder who's flying 376 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:29,199 Speaker 4: the plane. Is Jim still at the controls flying the airplane? 377 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 4: Is he alive the airplane. For a while there, it 378 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 4: was clearly on autopilot, his heading, his airspeed weren't changing, 379 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 4: and we were deeply concerned that Jim had been killed 380 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:51,159 Speaker 4: and that the plane was now just flying itself and 381 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:53,680 Speaker 4: eventually was going to run out of gas and fall 382 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:54,879 Speaker 4: into the desert. 383 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 3: Things were very uncertain. We weren't sure who was flying 384 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 3: the airplane and anyone would make it out alive. But 385 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 3: this was a turning point for Jim. 386 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 2: I felt that somehow God needed to be brought into 387 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 2: the situation, and I said to him, where's your family? 388 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 2: He said, my family's all dead. We had a conversation 389 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 2: for about a minute about that. He took off his 390 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 2: mask and started crying when I told him, I'm sorry 391 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 2: that your family's all dead. And then I thought, this 392 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 2: is I'm reminded from scripture that we wrestle not against 393 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 2: flesh and blood, and we're told that the Holy Spirit 394 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 2: will be given to us to bring things to remembrance. 395 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 2: And I believe that's what God was doing for me, 396 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 2: bringing things to remembrance that God had already told me 397 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 2: in his word. And one of those things is remember 398 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 2: it's not just flesh and blood. So I thought there's 399 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 2: something spiritual going on, and the only thing I can 400 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 2: do to battle the spiritual is to bring Jesus name 401 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:48,880 Speaker 2: into this. So at that point he started crying and 402 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 2: he was looking out the window when I said, I'm 403 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 2: sorry about your family, and I said, have you heard 404 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,119 Speaker 2: the name of Jesus And he shook his head yes, 405 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 2: And I said do you know that Jesus loves you? 406 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 2: And he just looked out the window and didn't respond. 407 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 2: I said, well, Jesus loves you. And I preached a 408 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 2: many three minutes sermon about Jesus, and I told the 409 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 2: hijacker that God so loved the world that he gave 410 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 2: his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him can 411 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 2: have eternal life. And I said, you can have eternal life. 412 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 2: This can all turn out well. Jesus can forgive you 413 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 2: and you can have a father, you can have a family. 414 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 2: And as I'm talking to him, I figured I'm going 415 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 2: to start just praying. And I turned around and had 416 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:31,479 Speaker 2: my hands folded and I prayed out loud so that 417 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:33,880 Speaker 2: he could hear, and said, Jesus, would you please come 418 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 2: into this situation, and Holy Spirit, we need for you 419 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 2: to come into this situation, and please show us your 420 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 2: power and help this man to feel loved, and help 421 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 2: this man to accept you as his lord and savior. 422 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 2: And as I'm praying, Ben got up a off his seat, 423 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 2: turned around and knelt down at his seat and raised 424 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 2: his hands and he started praying as well, and we 425 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 2: prayed for I don't know five seven minutes. We were 426 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 2: praying together, and when we got done praying, this gentleman 427 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:03,160 Speaker 2: was still looking out the window and he had set 428 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 2: the gun down and he was wiping his eyes. And 429 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 2: I said, my friend, we have to land, and if 430 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 2: you'll let me, Land will protect you. Nothing bad will 431 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 2: happen to you. Nobody's going to hurt you. You have 432 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 2: to let me get fuel. But we're not going to 433 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 2: get to Chad. 434 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 4: I have to admit to you. I was still hopeful, 435 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 4: but it was a sliver We were hanging on by 436 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 4: our fingernails that this was going to resolve well, and 437 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 4: praying prayers that I've never prayed that hard and that 438 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 4: intensely in my life. 439 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 3: You can tell by the emotion in Matt's voice we 440 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 3: did not know how the story was going to end. 441 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 3: This was such an intense night as Matt and our 442 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 3: team did everything that was humanly possible to help, but 443 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 3: ultimately we knew that we couldn't solve this on our own. 444 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 3: This would take an act of God to safely land 445 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 3: this plane. Prayer truly was our lifeline. As Matt shared, 446 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 3: there were people across North Carolina and Africa that were 447 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:09,399 Speaker 3: awake in the middle of the night praying and interceding 448 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:13,160 Speaker 3: for Jim and Ben. As Matt worked logistics, His wife 449 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 3: was awake. She was on her knees covering them in 450 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 3: prayer because this was personal to their family. To Matt 451 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 3: and his wife, Jim and Bev were not just coworkers, 452 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 3: They truly were family. They lived as neighbors together in 453 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 3: Kenya for years. They walked through many of life's hardships 454 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 3: and challenges together. Their kids called each other and uncle, 455 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 3: and Jim was Matt's mentor and close friend, so their 456 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 3: innercessory prayers were so powerful and personal. I still don't 457 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 3: know how Matt was able to do logistics and operate 458 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,199 Speaker 3: in a way with such a dear friend's life on 459 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 3: the line. But there's always power in prayer. Scripture tells 460 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 3: us that the Spirit himself intercedes for us. Romans eight 461 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 3: twenty six says likewise, the Spirit also helps us in 462 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,680 Speaker 3: our weakness. We do not know what we should pray 463 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 3: for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession 464 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:09,359 Speaker 3: for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And like 465 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:12,160 Speaker 3: I said earlier, we as humans we do the possible, 466 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 3: but it's God who does the impossible. Matt and his 467 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,439 Speaker 3: dream were doing all that they could, running logistics, working 468 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 3: with the law enforcement in sal Sudan. They were supporting 469 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 3: in every way that they knew how, but the end 470 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 3: result was up to God and everyone was surrendering it 471 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,120 Speaker 3: to him. Part two of this story is out now 472 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,199 Speaker 3: you'll hear more about their open handedness and surrender, and 473 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 3: the way that Jim yielded to the Lord while his 474 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 3: life was on the line. You can find the rest 475 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 3: of the story on our website Samaritans Purse dot org 476 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 3: slash listen. You can also find it on Apple Podcasts 477 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 3: and Spotify by searching on the ground with Samaritan's Purse. 478 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 3: You do not want to miss the rest of this story. 479 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,439 Speaker 3: Listen now, it's Samaritanspurse dot org, slash listen, and I 480 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 3: want to close reading Romans eight twenty four through twenty eight, 481 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 3: which came alive to us that day. In the same way, 482 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,120 Speaker 3: the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, for we 483 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 3: do not know how to pray as we should, But 484 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 3: the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep 485 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 3: for words. And he who searches the hearts knows what 486 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 3: the mind of the Spirit is, because he intercedes for 487 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,360 Speaker 3: the saints according to the will of God. For we 488 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 3: know that God causes all things to work together for 489 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,239 Speaker 3: the good of those who love God, to those who 490 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:32,400 Speaker 3: are called according to His purpose. Thank you so much 491 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 3: for listening, and God bless you.