Pat had been amazed that during the time that Paul was held captive she didn't feel upset. But then she heard from one person after another how many people were praying both day and night.

One older missionary lady, known as "Grandma Poulsen," had spent long hours praying into the night. She had told Pat that God would bring Paul back soon, and that he would tell them his own story with tears in his eyes.

Now Pat ran across the airstrip and football field faster than she had run in years to get to the radio. Afterwards she walked home with Grandma Poulsen.

"Oh, Pat," Grandma said, "In the night God seemed to stop me from praying for all four of those who had been kidnapped and had me pray very hard for Paul. I seemed to see him trying to escape, as though he was swimming.

"Pat, dear, I wasn't dreaming. I was just sitting up in my bed praying; and God seemed to show me that Paul really needed my help in prayer. So I prayed on until God gave me peace."

Later that morning, when the sound of the plane filled the air, all the people at the Mission headquarters, even the school children, ran out to meet Paul. Paul's eyes were so misted with tears of joy that he could hardly see to land and park the plane.

Paul tells his story. (Click on the picture to go to a larger picture you can print out and color.)

That afternoon everyone met in the schoolhouse to hear Paul tell his story.

He showed how he had cleared off the wings of the plane -- his eyes closed as though blind in the dark, his arms making the motion of a breast stroke to show how he had cleared the stuff away.

Turn the page to read Part Five: Release.

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