A hostage gives thanksIngrid Betancourt plainly thought God had a hand in her liberation, but the signs went unremarked in most news coverage.
That Times piece thoroughly recounted the story of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) kidnappings and the daring rescue operation. CNN ran an online piece Thursday about the Americans who returned home today to a quiet reunion with their families. It was a little-addressed side of the story, welcomed in America, but briefer than the universal story of the rescue that captured the world’s attention. Time magazine online quickly put out a dramatic account of the successful mission, saying the Colombian army scored "one of the most stunning hostage rescues in the history of a country where human abduction is virtually a national pastime." The story colorfully captured the drama and details behind this amazing operation. It’s a compelling account of the revolutionary struggle and the people at the center of it. "Among the 15 people liberated was the most high-profile FARC hostage of all, former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt — a French-Colombian whose six-year-long captivity had become a cause célèbre in Europe — as well as three American defense contractors who had been held for more than five years, one of the longest U.S. hostage ordeals ever." The BBC produced an account of the full story, the timeline, and just-released video of newly released Ingrid Betancourt’s reunion with her children, as all the major media did to some degree. There are a few points these stories didn’t quite capture. Neither did the kidnappers. They were there to be seen, though, on CNN’s excellent coverage of the hostage rescue Wednesday evening, as the suddenly freed group emerged from the helicopter for the first time, in scenes of hugs and tears and jubilant faces. The immediate crowd greeting them included Betancourt’s mother, government and military officials, those closely involved. After many hugs and kisses, after initial tears were brushed back, Betancourt turned around and made the sign of the cross and closed her eyes momentarily. She did this several times over the next several minutes. When she went before the assembled press microphones for the first time, she spoke of the rescue as ‘God’s miracle’, a reference she repeatedly made. Betancourt said she had started the day that morning praying the rosary, and that the Virgin came to her aid. She spoke of faith, and closed her eyes, face up to the sky, and thanked God. In only one camera angle among all the video airing in this coverage, one could see, briefly, that among that crowd assembled at the helicopter to greet the rescued group, a priest in alb and stole was next to Betancourt’s mother. CNN interviewed the Colombian military chief and the US ambassador in Colombia about the operation, and one of them credited many people for working long and hard for freedom for the hostages and peace in the country. They included government, the military, and the Church, he said, and then he continued by giving more details of the military planning. Yes, the Church played a role. The Church in Colombia has actively been working for peace and justice for…ever….and it was instrumental in this mission, somehow. So was the faith Betancourt embodied. A lot of these articles refer to her disillusionment and depression in captivity. That was the image captured in the photo the guerillas released some time ago, the photo famously circulated among her supporters. The woman who very shortly after being whisked out of the jungle some six years after being kidnapped and humiliated, however, spoke with strength and grace and dignity, and she credited God for a miracle. Her serenity was plainly visible. Today, when she was reunited with her children, Betancourt wore a rosary around her wrist, and said she prayed it again this morning. Somewhere deep in the middle of one of these news stories, there was a line quoting her as saying that someday, she still hopes to be able to serve her country as president. This ordeal didn’t rob her of the desire she was pursuing when she was kidnapped. That sense of service and active pursuit of justice and peace are strongly informed by her faith. It’s the force more powerful than all the guerillas in the jungle. Whether it’s seen or unseen. We saw it in her televised words and actions from the time of her release. You could see it in the Times' photo, where in the center, Ingrid Betancourt is kneeling next to her mother, praying.
Sheila Gribben Liaugminas is an Emmy Award winning journalist who reported for Time magazine for more than 20 years. Until recently, she hosted the popular national radio shows The Right Questions and Issues and Answers on Relevant Radio. This story first ran on her blog at InforumBlog.com
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The phenomenal hostage rescue mission in the jungle around Bogota, long planned and perfectly executed by the Colombian military yesterday, continues unfolding in the telling of its details. Not all of it is immediately evident, though a certain photo in the New York Times comes close to revealing the part of the story not yet covered by major media. On the face of it, the picture shows the entire group of the rescued, some of their rescuers and associates, and some family. Lined up for a group shot, the back rows were standing, the front row kneeling on the tarmac.
Comments (11)
charles nixon said...Only the fool has said in his/her heart, ‘There is no God’.
Christian people stand in the pinch point between secularism and religious fanaticism . . . Meanwhile God does what he likes and it warms his heart to have servants like Ms. Betancourt who does not falter to bear witness.
Charles+
Canada | Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 2:15 pm
Fr. Juan R. Vélez, MD. said...The Colombia popluation wishes peace and many of its people work tirelessly and pray daily for that peace. Many, including priests, religious and catechists, have also died for the sake of this peace.
I have been told by family and friends of the joy experienced in Colombia after the liberation of Ingrid Betancourt and her fellow hostages. Their liberation is, as Sheila Gribben Liaugminas points out, the result of a peace process in which God’s hand is at work.
Ingrid Betancourt’s thanksgiving to God and to the intercession of the Virgin Mary is a moving recognition of God who is the source of life and all graces. Thanks to Sheila Liaugminas the gratitude of the released hostages stands out as a clear example to all of us and an impetus for more prayer.
United States | Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 4:46 pm
Mac Manchego said...I just read a New York Times article that mentions Ingrid saying that her Roman Catholic faith saved her (although it’s dated 5 July 2008. You can check it out at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/05/world/europe/05france.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Philippines | Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 9:18 pm
Petra said...This photo was actually taken - as could be seen on the CNN coverage of the event - when the freed hostages shared a moment of prayer together (praying the Our Father maybe?) and then the priest in alb and stole blessed them with holy water.
BTW, the minute-to-minute internet coverage on the website of French conservative newspaper “Le Figaro” did actually stress the Catholic side of the story. As the events unfolded, the story was given titles like “Betancourt thanks God and the army”, “Betancourt credits her freeing to the Virgin and God”. But probably the other media were uncomfortable with this or didn’t think it worth mentioning.
-- | Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 9:36 pm
Yves Ménard said...But, then, Robert Mugabe declared that only god could remove him from power since it was god who put him in power.
He also “waved a Bible in the air” (Washington Post, 5-07-08)when he took his oath of office last week.
Well, at least god doesn’t seem to play favorites.
Canada | Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 11:05 pm
Paul Waters said...One other litle thing I found interesting: If you look closely at the video of the freed hostages leaving the plane that flew them to Bogota, you’ll see, on the fuselage next to the door, Pope John Paul II’s coat of arms. I’m not sure why it’s there. Perhaps the plane was once used to ferry His Holiness about on one of his visits to South America, but just maybe it was also a sign that John Paul the Great intervened in this case.
Paul Waters
Montreal
Canada | Sunday, 6 July 2008 at 3:52 am
Al Notzon said...It is so wonderful to read of this testimonial to Our Lord and his Blessed Mother particularly after her captivity of six years when her children age 16 and 13 when it began are now 22 andd 19. Her courage in face of this separation and trust in Our Lord to come to her aid is exemplary.
United States | Sunday, 6 July 2008 at 6:44 am
Margarita Duncan Vanegas said...We were astonished as we followed the rescue media coverage throughout the world; of which CNN and RCN from Colombia were extremely professional and objective. Not only was Ms. Betancourt shown praying several times, but president Uribe referred several times to God’s intervention, and the clean and bullet-less rescue was due to God’s intervention through the united and courageous action of Colombian armed forces. He himself introduced a Catholic priest and joined in the prayers of thanksgiving before he addressed the nation.
Mr. Santos, Colombia’s Secretary of Defense,in charge of the operation in his address to the country, shared a personal anecdote: he said he had asked his wife and daughter to pray for a special intention to a famous French shrine; when they were coming out of Mass, and saw all the celebration going on around the picture of Ingrid Betancourt displayed in Paris, they realized what the “special intention” was.
Not only these and many other expressions of piety were shown, but real faith was seen when Ms. Betancourt and her 11 fellow rescued hostages expressed that they had forgiven their captors and were grateful to the government for not having shot the guerillas that were left behind, once the mission was safe.
It fills us with great hope and joy, to see with our own eyes that God’s arm has not fallen short, and scenes as those at Lepanto are happening today through the power of the Rosary
United States | Monday, 7 July 2008 at 5:52 am
German Martinez said...It is really sad to say but the media really downplayed the role of faith and the Church on the rescue of Ingrid Betancourt. Nevertheless, the media in Colombia published some unknown details about this operation.
On the day of the rescue, the Commander of the Colombian Army Forces met with the team assigned to this rescue operation and they read from Acts 12:1-11, where St. Peter is rescued by an angel while he is in jail sleeping between two soldiers.
Here is an excerpt from the website of El Tiempo
“El propio comandante del Ejército viajó al sitio de concentración entre Villavicencio y San José del Guaviare. En la madrugada se reunió con sus hombres y en un momento que todos califican como dramático y solemne a la vez leyeron el libro de Los Hechos de la Biblia. El pasaje no podía ser mejor: ese en el que Pedro es rescatado por un ángel y pasa por entre los guardias que lo tienen preso sin que ellos se den cuenta: “Ahora me doy cuenta realmente de que el Señor ha enviado su ángel y me ha arrancado de las manos de Herodes"."
I would like to add that this happened just after the Church celebrated the Feast of St. Peter and Paul on June 29th
And finally the Army Commander added:
“Ustedes saben que este puede ser un viaje sin retorno. Nos vamos con la Virgen y los ángeles” that means “You all know that this could be a journey without return. We are going with the Blessed Virgin and the Angels”
Here is the whole article -for Spanish speakers-, providing additional details about this operation.
http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/justicia/2008-07-06/ARTICULO-WEB-PLANTILLA_NOTA_INTERIOR-4363688.html
The latest today is that Ingrid Betancourt will be visiting Our Lady of Lourdes -I found this article in Reuters South Africa-
http://africa.reuters.com/world/news/usnL075297.html
United States | Tuesday, 8 July 2008 at 1:44 am
Sheila said...Thank you for the additional information that spreads the message of faith and humanity in this dramatic story. It’s all very inspiring, on many levels, and ultimately embodies hope.
United States | Tuesday, 8 July 2008 at 10:17 am
German Martinez said...Here is the picture of Ingrid Betancourt wearing the Rosary that she made in the jungle of Colombia:
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0essaMN6ow9kN/Ingrid_Betancourt
If you browse through the gallery you will see incredible pictures.
-- | Wednesday, 9 July 2008 at 12:02 am
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