1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,759 Speaker 1: Hi, listeners, I'm Josh, part of the Life Audio team 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: with your daily Bible Verse. We're excited to share a 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: special bonus episode from Samaritan's Purse podcast On the Ground 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: with Samaradan's Purse, hosted by Christy Graham. Today you'll hear 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,959 Speaker 1: part one of an incredible story where God's presence guided 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: a pilot during a plane hijacking in Africa. This episode 7 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: contains detailed accounts of a life threatening situation. It is 8 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,479 Speaker 1: shared to highlight God's power, presence and faithfulness and extreme 9 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:33,200 Speaker 1: circumstances to encourage faith and reflection. You can catch part 10 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: two in more episodes at Samaradanspurse dot org links or 11 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: in the show notes. 12 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 2: He lifts up a gun, shows me the magazine is 13 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 2: full of thirteen rounds of nine milimeter ammunition, puts it 14 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 2: into the gun, cocks the gun, ratchets around into the 15 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 2: chamber with the hammerback, his finger on the trigger, and 16 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 2: holds the gun up and points it right at my face. 17 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 3: That was one of our pilots. When a Samaritan's Purse 18 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 3: plane was hijacked in Africa. With a gun to his head, 19 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 3: he had a choice. He could either let fear take 20 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 3: over or he could trust Jesus with his life. Welcome 21 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 3: back to another episode of On the Ground was Smaritan's Purse, 22 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 3: where we take you to the front lines and behind 23 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 3: the scenes of our work around the world. I'm your host, 24 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 3: Christy Graham, and today I have the honor of sharing 25 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 3: a story with you about how the Lord worked in 26 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 3: and through Jim's strike when his plane was hijacked. God's 27 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 3: power was on full display when what should have been 28 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 3: a routine flight turned into a life threatening situation. When 29 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 3: Jim needed it most, the Lord gave him the right 30 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 3: scriptures and reminded him that there is power in the 31 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 3: name of Jesus. And today we get to tell that story, 32 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 3: God's story of how he came through in a mighty way. 33 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 3: I had the privilege of flying with Jim and Kenya 34 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 3: last summer when he took us to one of the 35 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 3: mission hospitals that we visited. Been serving as a missionary 36 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 3: pilot for decades with Africa Inland Mission and he often 37 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 3: flies for Samaritan's Purse. Jim was first introduced to Samaritan's 38 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,679 Speaker 3: Purse and met my father in law, Franklin in the 39 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 3: nineteen nineties, and he quickly learned that Franklin's heart was 40 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 3: for missions, and Jim is still flying today. So much 41 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 3: of what we do with Samaran's purse we couldn't do 42 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 3: without aviation, you know, especially in Africa. And I know 43 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 3: when we were flying in Kenya to get to a hospital, 44 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 3: you said, you don't get to fly in Kenya as 45 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 3: much anymore, you know, because you are going to Sudan 46 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 3: and South Sudan and doing so many other missions. But 47 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 3: I just want to thank you for your faithfulness, and 48 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 3: you have your wife here today. Just thank you for 49 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 3: your faithfulness. I mean, I was overwhelmed with for over 50 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 3: forty years of ministry, serving overseas. And I know you 51 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 3: told me your daughter, you know, she had the same 52 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 3: name as Macy said, she lives near you, And I 53 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 3: just love that your family generations are serving the Lord wherever. 54 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 4: He calls you. 55 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 3: So thank you for your selfless service. 56 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: It's privilege. 57 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 3: And I know, as you said, there so many stories. 58 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 3: But today we want to talk about December second, okay, 59 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 3: and what sure And as you were talking, I just 60 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 3: kept thinking of that that verse. We are faithful with little, 61 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 3: we can be entrusted with much. And I think God 62 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 3: you know when we're faithful stewarts with what He's given 63 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 3: us every day, whether it's a as you said, routine 64 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 3: flight that's just in and out back by lunch, or 65 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 3: a life you know, possible altering flight when we're faithful 66 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 3: to the Lord. And so I just want you to 67 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 3: share that story because I think he prepared you in 68 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 3: advance for what he called you to do that day. 69 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 3: Let's talk about yeah, December second, tell us what you 70 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 3: were called to do that day, and and then we'll 71 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 3: talk about how that day evolved. 72 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 2: A lot of times when i'm flying, i'm sitting in 73 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 2: the right seat training somebody younger to do the flying. 74 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 2: But I was very happy to be able to be 75 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: the captain of my own ship this week and went 76 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: up on did a flight about a two hour flight 77 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 2: up to a location bringing medicines and people up, came 78 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 2: back to Juba, and then closed up the airplane. That 79 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: was a fairly easy day, had a nice night, went 80 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 2: back the next day to do another easy flight. This 81 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: was going to be about two hours out, two hours back. 82 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 2: And when I got to the airplane, I noticed that 83 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 2: somebody had overnight broken into the airplane and the handle 84 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 2: on the door was showed that it was no longer locked, 85 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 2: so I opened up the door, looked around the inside 86 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: of the airplane real good, thinking that somebody had stolen something, 87 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: and nothing was missing. So after looking over the inside 88 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 2: of the airplane really well, we determined that it was 89 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 2: safe to fly. There wasn't anything that seemed like it 90 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 2: was a miss. So we loaded up the cargo and 91 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 2: the pods of the airplane underneath the airplane, and we 92 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 2: put about a thousand pounds of cargo underneath the airplane, 93 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 2: and then in the back of the airplane we had 94 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,239 Speaker 2: another couple of hundre pounds that we had to load 95 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: and we loaded that into the rear cargo area of 96 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,359 Speaker 2: the airplane and one passenger, so I had three seats 97 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: on board with one passenger, and got the passenger on board. 98 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 2: He was a gentleman by the name of Ben. He's 99 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: with Smart's Purse, one of your employees, and just a 100 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 2: really nice guy. I was flying him out to a 101 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 2: location to do some electrical work and we got some 102 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 2: extra fuel on board the airplane, which turned out to 103 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 2: be providential that we were able to get more fuel 104 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,839 Speaker 2: on the airplane too, because we weren't full of freight 105 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 2: and then started up, taxied out, took off, turned on course, 106 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 2: climbed up, leveled off the airplane, and as I set 107 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 2: the autopilot got everything done for cruise. I had about 108 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 2: another forty minutes to fly. I heard a shout from 109 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 2: the back of the airplane. I didn't know what it was, 110 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 2: but I heard somebody saying something loudly in the back 111 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 2: of the airplane, and I thought, well, that's funny, and 112 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 2: I turned around and I looked at Ben behind me, 113 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 2: and he motioned with his head to look behind him. 114 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 2: So I loosened up my seat and turned all the 115 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 2: way around in my seat and looked at the back 116 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 2: of the airplane, and there was a guy sitting in 117 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 2: the cargo in the back of the airplane with a 118 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: yellow vest on, a yellow safety vest, like he was 119 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: an airport worker. And I had a few seconds where 120 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 2: I could not figure out what was going on. 121 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 4: At that point, ten. 122 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 2: Minutes earlier, there was one person sitting behind me in 123 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: an empty airplane, and now I turn around and there's 124 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: two people sitting behind me, and it was hard to 125 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 2: get my head around how could that be and what 126 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 2: could be happening? And as I'm looking at him. He 127 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 2: lifts up a gun, shows me the magazine is full 128 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 2: of thirteen rounds of nine millimeters ammunition, puts it into 129 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 2: the gun, cocks the gun, ratchets around into the chamber 130 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 2: with a hammerback, his finger on the trigger, and holds 131 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: the gun up and points it right at my face. 132 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 3: Mattelson, the director of Mission Aviation Services Africa at Samaritans Purse, 133 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 3: received a call in the the night on December second 134 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,160 Speaker 3: the news that Jim's plane has been hijacked. It hit home. 135 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 3: Jim was Matt's mentor and friend for more than thirty years. 136 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 4: It was one fifty two in the morning. 137 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 5: I was sound asleep at home and the phone rang loudly. 138 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 5: It was Daniel Kiprop, He's our deputy program director in 139 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 5: East Africa, and he said, Matt, one of our aircraft 140 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 5: had been hijacked. And I immediately sat up, turned the 141 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 5: light on, grabbed a pad of paper and a pen, 142 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 5: and I began to ask him some questions. What airplane, 143 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 5: who's the pilot, how many people are on board, where's 144 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 5: the plane, you know, basic questions, And then I remember 145 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 5: pausing and I just said, Daniel, confirm this is not 146 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 5: a drill. And he said, Matt, no, it's not a drill. 147 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 5: And it's sort of funny. Now. I remember about a 148 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 5: year ago I was in Juba and I got a 149 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 5: similar phone call while I was at dinner in South 150 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:16,239 Speaker 5: Sudan and one of the guys in Liberia called and said, 151 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 5: we have a helicopter that's missing as one of our 152 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 5: Liberia staff. And I grabbed one of the guys at 153 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 5: the table, I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, 154 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 5: and I ran over to another table and began to 155 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 5: ask questions and write write things down. And several minutes 156 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 5: into it, our Liberian staff said this is a drill. 157 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 5: And I remember holding the phone out away from my 158 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 5: head and just gathering my thoughts, and I brought it 159 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 5: back and I said, Okay, the drill's over. You got 160 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 5: to tell me that in the beginning, because I think 161 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 5: I lost a couple of years off my life that day. 162 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 5: So I when Daniel told me, you know, this was happening, 163 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 5: and I just woken up, it took me a minute 164 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:06,959 Speaker 5: to is this real? 165 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 4: You know? And so. 166 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 5: After he said no, it's it's real. It's not a drill, 167 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 5: I asked him some more questions, got some additional facts. 168 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 4: About what was going on, and then I. 169 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 5: Set up the mobile command center at my kitchen table, 170 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 5: and I began to wake people up. Lights were popping 171 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 5: on all over western North Carolina as people woke up 172 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:32,679 Speaker 5: to this news, and. 173 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 4: We began to mobilize. 174 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 3: As he flew along, Jim began to make big s 175 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 3: turns in the sky. He backed the power down on 176 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 3: the plane went slow, hoping to buy more time. He 177 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,959 Speaker 3: was also hoping the hijacker wouldn't notice the change in 178 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 3: speed and start to ask questions. The plan was to 179 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 3: fly to Wow, where Jim would land have security forces 180 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 3: rescue he and Ben. 181 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 2: I was trying to get my mind around the fact 182 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 2: of what is happening right here, but my mind immediately 183 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 2: went back, and we're talking like this is the first 184 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 2: ten seconds of this whole event taking place. My mind 185 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 2: went back to a week previous. I had been praying 186 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: about something, and I was on my knees at my 187 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 2: bed and just asking God to let me hear his voice. 188 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 2: And I've been kind of on a quest this year 189 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 2: to know what it means to hear Jesus's voice and 190 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 2: follow him. He says, my sheep, hear my voice and 191 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 2: follow me. So how do I hear God's voice in 192 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 2: my life in this day and age with all the 193 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 2: other noise that's around. And as I was praying about 194 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 2: an issue, I got done praying and I was just there, silent, quiet, 195 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 2: no longer praying, and I immediately had like a comment 196 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 2: in my heart that I felt was maybe from God. 197 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,320 Speaker 2: And it was like an internal voice said, Jim, I've 198 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 2: got this. You've told me about it, you've asked me 199 00:10:57,720 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 2: about it, and it's taken care of. But what you 200 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 2: have coming is so much bigger than this. And that 201 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 2: was a little bit of a surprise to me. I 202 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 2: don't often hear God speak. It was not an audible voice. 203 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 2: I can't say that either. It was just in my spirit. 204 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 2: I felt that this had been said to me, and 205 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 2: it was said to me either by the enemy or 206 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 2: by my heavenly Father. And the grid I put that through, 207 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 2: and I put a lot of things through this grid 208 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 2: is if it causes me fear, it's probably not from God. 209 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 2: If it causes me fear, then it's from the evil One, 210 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 2: because he is here to causes fear, the accuser of 211 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 2: the brethren. But if it's not causing me fear. And 212 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 2: this didn't cause me to fear. It just caused me 213 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 2: to be very curious, what is it that's coming that's 214 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 2: going to be so much bigger? And over the next 215 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 2: several days, I was thinking about that comment and wondering, 216 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: I wonder what's coming. And suddenly, when I'm looking down 217 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 2: the barrel of a nine millimeter gun with somebody's finger 218 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 2: on the trigger, I just had this overwhelming confirmation that 219 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:01,959 Speaker 2: this is it. This is what I told you about. 220 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 2: So that was very calming to me to know that 221 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 2: God had told me about this. It was just like 222 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: Jesus was saying, well, I told you about it, and 223 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 2: this is it, and hasn't told me. I'm not telling 224 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 2: you how it's going to end, but this is it. 225 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 2: So at that point, the gunman threw a piece of 226 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 2: paper forward landed behind me. I picked up that piece 227 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 2: of paper. It said I'm going to kill someone I 228 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 2: want to take I want to take me to Chad. 229 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 2: But his Chad was actually spelled c Ahd, so I 230 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 2: thought that this was another airstrip in southern Sudan. So 231 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 2: I told him I don't know where Cod is. I 232 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 2: don't know Cod. I've never been there. Before, I don't 233 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:40,839 Speaker 2: know where cod is, and he was just yelling take 234 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 2: me there, and I said, I don't know where this is. 235 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 2: And I picked up my iPad and I showed him 236 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 2: the map of southern Sudan and I said, show me 237 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 2: where this is. I don't know where this is. And 238 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 2: he came forward in the airplane and stuck the gun 239 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 2: up against the back of my passenger's head and he said, 240 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 2: you take me there or I kill him at the 241 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 2: count of three, one, two, and I said, okay, okay, 242 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 2: I'll take you there. I didn't know where it was 243 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 2: at this point, but I figured I'll just start turning 244 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 2: the airplane and act like I know what he's saying. 245 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 2: And I turned the airplane towards the west. And then 246 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 2: I thought, well, maybe he's saying Chad. So I turned 247 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 2: around and I said, do you want to go to Chad? 248 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 2: And he said yes, Chad. Now I couldn't understand him 249 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 2: very well. It was hard to communicate because he had 250 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 2: a mask on, so all I see are just angry 251 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 2: eyes and he's shouting things from the back of a 252 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 2: noisy airplane at me. But he said, yes, yes, we go, Chad, 253 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 2: We go Chad. So At that point, I keyed the 254 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 2: microphone and acted like I was talking to him, and 255 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 2: as I'm talking to him, I kept the microphone keyed 256 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 2: so that the other airplane could hear what was going on. 257 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 2: And then I said to them, guys, I've been hijacked 258 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 2: and there's a guy sitting behind me with a gun 259 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 2: at my head. So they could hear that, but this 260 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 2: guy couldn't hear what I'm saying unless I'm shouting to 261 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 2: him because there was a lot of noise. So they 262 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 2: immediately came back on and they said, okay, we copy. 263 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 5: Phase two was a block of time where we had 264 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 5: some community v cation with Jim. We were able to 265 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 5: get his general plan that there was a masked hijacker 266 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 5: on board wearing a yellow vest, that he had a gun, 267 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 5: that he had threatened to kill them, so we knew 268 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 5: it was really serious. We were coming up with we 269 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 5: back in headquarters here and the guys in Kenya and 270 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 5: Uganda sort of just working out all the different possible 271 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 5: courses of action. Where's this going to go. 272 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 2: We didn't have enough fuel to go to Chad, so 273 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 2: I knew that at some point along the way, if 274 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 2: we were flying towards Chad. We're going to be crashing. 275 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 2: We're going to run out of fuel and we're going 276 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: to crash the airplane. But I told him, okay, we're 277 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 2: going to Chad now, and he doubted me. So I 278 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 2: gave him my iPad that showed the line on the 279 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 2: iPad going across Southern Sudan showing that we were going 280 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 2: to Chad, and he could see the little airplane moving 281 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 2: along the line. So he sat back and he said 282 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 2: okay and shook his head. Okay, you go, you go Chad. 283 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 2: That point, the DC three called back and they said, 284 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 2: what's your plan? And I said, I'm heading to Roombeck. 285 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 2: Initially I told them we're heading to roomback, and then 286 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 2: later on I told them we're heading to an airport 287 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 2: called Wow, and Wow was the farthest airport west that 288 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 2: I knew of that I could still get fuel and 289 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 2: they would have security and medical help on the ground 290 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 2: there at that point where we're on our way. But 291 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 2: I don't want to be flying so far out of 292 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 2: Southern Sudan, where we're getting into Central Africa Republic, where 293 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 2: A if we crash, nobody's ever going to find us 294 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 2: possibly or B nobody's going to be able to follow 295 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 2: us and see where we are and get us help, 296 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 2: so I didn't want to be leaving Southern Sudan. 297 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:47,239 Speaker 3: Our teams began alerting the FAA, the Department of State embassies, 298 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 3: and we were also getting calls from the FBI. With 299 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 3: very limited information, our team started to think through options 300 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 3: and contingency plans. How could they safely get Jim to 301 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 3: land the plane and end this nightmare. One of our 302 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 3: other airplanes, the DC three, was flying a separate mission, 303 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 3: but when this happened, the program director told the flight 304 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 3: crew to break off their current mission and directed them 305 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 3: to fly towards our hijacked aircraft to offer any support possible. 306 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 3: Matt shared what was going through his mind while all 307 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 3: this was happening. 308 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 5: This was risky, though, and we were concerned about some 309 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 5: of the soldiers at these outlying airstrips maybe not being 310 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 5: very well trained, not being very disciplined, and oftentimes soldiers 311 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 5: can focus more on eliminating the threat, the bad guy, 312 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 5: and maybe be less worried about rescuing the hostages, so 313 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 5: that was a concern. 314 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 3: Another course of action that Matt and the team thought 315 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 3: of was having Jim get fuel it WOW and then 316 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 3: continue on to Chad, giving the hijacker what he wanted, 317 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 3: but that was not safe. 318 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 5: Leaving our area, leaving South Sudan, leaving the environment that 319 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 5: our bubble. 320 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 4: Did not feel like a good idea. 321 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 5: Well, after a couple hours of Jim flying towards Room, 322 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 5: he flew towards Rumbeck and then we realized that that 323 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:23,199 Speaker 5: was too close. So the next airstrip towards Chad that 324 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 5: had fuel and a pretty good airstrip was Wow. 325 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 3: While our staff on the ground awaited the news of 326 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 3: what was going on in the sky, tensions rose in 327 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:36,719 Speaker 3: the aircraft. 328 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 2: So I flew about thirty miles south and then I 329 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 2: turned and fly about sixty miles north, so instead of 330 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 2: flying directly towards the edge of the country towards Chad, 331 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 2: I was actually now just making big s turns in 332 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 2: the sky. I suddenly heard him yelling in the back 333 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 2: of the airplane, I'm going to kill you. So I 334 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 2: turned around and looked at him, and he saw on 335 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:02,959 Speaker 2: the iPad it was leaving a breadcrumb trail, so there 336 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 2: was a blue line where we had been flying, and 337 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 2: he was able to see that we were not on 338 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 2: our way to Chad. We were doing these big circles 339 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 2: in the air, and he got very upset and he said, 340 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 2: I'm going to kill you, and now you have sealed 341 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,959 Speaker 2: your fate. He basically he didn't say it in those words, 342 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 2: but with his mask on, he just said, I'm going 343 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 2: to kill you. First, I kill him, and he pointed 344 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 2: towards Ben. Then I kill you, and he pointed towards me, 345 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 2: and then he put the gun towards him and he said, 346 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 2: we all die, and he made the motion of just 347 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 2: cutting his throat. He said all of us die, and 348 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 2: he pointed at me and he said it's because of 349 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:38,919 Speaker 2: you and what you've done. So at that point, I 350 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 2: turned the airplane directly towards Chad and I said, no, no, no, 351 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 2: don't get excited. We are flying towards Chad. You go 352 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 2: look at the look at the iPad. You can see 353 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 2: that we're flying towards Chad. So at that point he 354 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 2: started being the gun around in the back of the airplane. 355 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:56,439 Speaker 2: But at that point he said, you keep going to Chad. 356 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,959 Speaker 2: Don't move, don't do anything. And I said we're going 357 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 2: to crash and set in Central Africa Republic. We don't 358 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:03,960 Speaker 2: have enough fuel. And he said he shook his head 359 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,399 Speaker 2: and said, I don't care, you keep going. You just 360 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 2: keep going. So his attitude became very fatalistic at that point. 361 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 5: We now move into this two hour period where the 362 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:22,360 Speaker 5: last two hours where we lost communication with Jim. Now 363 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 5: he could see our texts on the panel, but he 364 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 5: felt like if he responded to those texts that he 365 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 5: would agitate the hijacker, who had gotten pretty upset because 366 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 5: he had noticed that Jim had been not taking a 367 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 5: direct route towards Chad, that he'd been sort of circling, slowly, 368 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 5: circling and making s turns around Wow, because Jim didn't 369 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 5: want to go. 370 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 4: Too far away from Wow. So it began. 371 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 5: It was a a hard time for us because we 372 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,719 Speaker 5: didn't know what was going on. We knew that it 373 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:10,399 Speaker 5: was a very serious situation, that Jim's life had been threatened, 374 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,439 Speaker 5: that Ben's life had been threatened by this gunman, and 375 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:18,439 Speaker 5: now we couldn't communicate. We weren't hearing from Jim, and 376 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 5: so we began to wonder who's flying the plane. Is 377 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 5: Jim still at the controls flying the airplane? Is he 378 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:33,159 Speaker 5: alive the airplane? For a while there, it was clearly 379 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 5: on autopilot. 380 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 4: His heading. 381 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 5: His airspeed weren't changing, and we were deeply concerned that 382 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 5: Jim had been killed and that the plane was now 383 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 5: just flying itself and eventually was going to run out 384 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 5: of gas and fall into the desert. 385 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 3: Things were very uncertain. We weren't sure who was flying 386 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 3: the airplane and if anyone would make it out alive. 387 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 3: This was a turning point for Jim. 388 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 2: I felt that somehow God needed to be brought into 389 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 2: the situation, and I said to him, where's your family? 390 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 2: He said, my family's all dead. We had a conversation 391 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 2: for about a minute about that. He took off his 392 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 2: mask and started crying when I told him, I'm sorry 393 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 2: that your family's all dead. And then I thought, this 394 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 2: is I'm reminded from scripture that we wrestle not against 395 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 2: flesh and blood, and we're told that the Holy Spirit 396 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 2: will be given to us to bring things to remembrance. 397 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 2: And I believe that's what God was doing for me, 398 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 2: bringing things to remembrance that God had already told me 399 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 2: in his word. And one of those things is remember 400 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 2: it's not just flesh and blood. So I thought, there's 401 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 2: something spiritual going on, and the only thing I can 402 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 2: do to battle the spiritual is to bring Jesus' name 403 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 2: into this. So at that point he started crying and 404 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 2: he was looking out the window when I said, I'm 405 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 2: sorry about your family, and I said, have you heard 406 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 2: the name of Jesus And he shook his head yes, 407 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 2: and I said do you know that Jesus loves you? 408 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 2: And he just looked out the window and didn't respond, 409 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 2: and I said, well, Jesus loves you. And I I 410 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 2: preached a many three minutes sermon about Jesus, and I 411 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:07,400 Speaker 2: told the hijacker that God so loved the world that 412 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 2: he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in 413 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 2: him can have eternal life. And I said, you can 414 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 2: have eternal life. This can all turn out well. Jesus 415 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,679 Speaker 2: can forgive you and you can have a father, you 416 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 2: can have a family. And as I'm talking to him, 417 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 2: I figured I'm going to start just praying. And I 418 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 2: turned around and had my hands folded and I prayed 419 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 2: out loud so that he could hear, and said, Jesus, 420 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 2: would you please come into this situation, and Holy Spirit, 421 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:36,719 Speaker 2: we need for you to come into this situation and 422 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:40,119 Speaker 2: please show us your power and help this man to 423 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 2: feel loved and help this man to accept you as 424 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 2: his lord and savior. And as I'm praying, Ben got 425 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 2: up a off his seat, turned around and knelt down 426 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 2: at his seat and raised his hands and he started 427 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,119 Speaker 2: praying as well, and we prayed for I don't know 428 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 2: five seven minutes. We were praying together, and when we 429 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 2: got done praying, this gentleman was still looking out the 430 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,159 Speaker 2: wind and he had set the gun down and he 431 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 2: was wiping his eyes. And I said, my friend, we 432 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 2: have to land, and if you'll let me, land will 433 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 2: protect you. Nothing bad will happen to you. Nobody's going 434 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 2: to hurt you. You have to let me get fuel. 435 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 2: But we're not going to get to Chad. 436 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 5: I have to admit to you. I was still hopeful, 437 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 5: but it was a sliver We were hanging on by 438 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 5: our fingernails that this was going to resolve well and 439 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 5: praying prayers that I've never prayed that hard and that 440 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 5: intensely in my life. 441 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 3: You can tell by the emotion in Matt's voice, we 442 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 3: did not know how the story was going to end. 443 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 3: This was such an intense night as Matt and our 444 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 3: team did everything that was humanly possible to help but 445 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 3: ultimately we knew that we couldn't solve this on our own. 446 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 3: This would take an act of God to safely land 447 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 3: this plane. Prayer truly was our lifeline. As Matt shared, 448 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,400 Speaker 3: there were people across North Carolina and Africa that were 449 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,160 Speaker 3: awake in the middle of the night praying and interceding 450 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 3: for Jim and Ben. As Matt worked logistics, his wife 451 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,439 Speaker 3: was awake. She was on her knees covering them in 452 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 3: prayer because this was personal to their family. To Matt 453 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,719 Speaker 3: and his wife, Jim and Bev were not just coworkers, 454 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 3: they truly were family. They lived as neighbors together in 455 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 3: Kenya for years. They walked through many of life's hardships 456 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 3: and challenges together. Their kids called each other and uncle, 457 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 3: and Jim was Matt's mentor and close friend, so their 458 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 3: innercessory prayers were so powerful and personal. I still don't 459 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 3: know how Matt was able to do logistics and operate 460 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:43,919 Speaker 3: in a way with such a dear friend's life on 461 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 3: the line. But there's always power in prayer. Scripture tells 462 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 3: us that the Spirit himself intercedes for us. Romans eight 463 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 3: twenty six says likewise, the Spirit also helps us in 464 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,119 Speaker 3: our weakness, for we do not know what we should 465 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 3: pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes 466 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 3: intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And 467 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:09,880 Speaker 3: like I said earlier, we as humans we do the possible, 468 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 3: but it's God who does the impossible. Matt and his 469 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,160 Speaker 3: dream were doing all that they could, running logistics, working 470 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 3: with the law enforcement in sal Sudan. They were supporting 471 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 3: in every way that they knew how, but the end 472 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 3: result was up to God and everyone was surrendering it 473 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 3: to him. Part two of this story is out now 474 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,919 Speaker 3: you'll hear more about their open handedness and surrender, and 475 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 3: the way that Jim yielded to the Lord while his 476 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 3: life was on the line. You can find the rest 477 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,119 Speaker 3: of the story on our website Samaritans Purse dot org 478 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 3: slash listen. You can also find it on Apple Podcasts 479 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 3: and Spotify by searching on the ground with Samaritan's Purse. 480 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 3: You do not want to miss the rest of this story. 481 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,159 Speaker 3: Listen now it's Samaritanspurse dot org slash listen, and I 482 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 3: want to close reading Romans eight twenty four through twenty eight, 483 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 3: which came alive to us that day in the same way, 484 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:03,880 Speaker 3: the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, for we 485 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 3: do not know how to pray as we should, But 486 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:09,640 Speaker 3: the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep 487 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 3: for words. And he who searches the hearts knows what 488 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 3: the mind of the Spirit is, because he intercedes for 489 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:20,120 Speaker 3: the saints according to the will of God. For we 490 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 3: know that God causes all things to work together for 491 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 3: the good of those who love God, to those who 492 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 3: are called according to His purpose. Thank you so much 493 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 3: for listening, and God bless you.