The Captive in My Heart
October 26, 2013 4:18 pm Leave your thoughts
On June 30th, 2009 we lost a great man, but you probably didn’t hear about it. His story didn’t make headlines because he was just a soldier, and also because, on June 25th, 2009, Michael Jackson died.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying anything bad about Michael Jackson. In fact, I really don’t know anything at all about him except that he was a musician and performer. It’s not him I want to talk about, but if you remember when he died, then you’ll know when Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl went missing, and you’ll have an idea of how long he’s been a prisoner. This past June 30th, 2013 was four full years of captivity. And as far as we know, Sergeant Bergdahl is still alive, so when I say we lost him, I mean nobody knows where he is except the Taliban fighters who took him.
Sergeant Bergdahl in a Taliban propaganda video
Sergeant Bergdahl was born in Idaho in 1986 and enlisted in the U.S. Army. In 2009 he was on deployment in Afghanistan and was taken prisoner on June 30th of that same year. He has since been seen in five different Taliban propaganda videos. It is believed he is alive at this time, but his whereabouts are unknown.
His release seemed possible in 2012 when negotiations were going on between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban, but those talks have since broken down. At this time there is no plan to secure his release, and no chance for a military rescue.
My heart breaks for this young man and his family. How can we, safe and comfortable in our homes, ever really understand what they are going through? Can we really grasp their pain?
I am reminded of a book I am currently reading, Prisoners of Hope, the story of Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer who were also held captive in Afghanistan. Their struggles were endured by their faith in God, but they still suffered greatly. How similar is their captivity to Bowe’s?
Sergeant Bergdahl in another Taliban propaganda video
Please join me in praying for Bowe and his family. I pray for his safe return, and for the strength to endure until that day. And I pray for those who hold him captive, that they might find mercy in their hearts. Finally, I pray for our leaders, as they wrestle with this problem, so they may have the wisdom to bring him home soon.