After nine days Tim was feeling really low. "God," he prayed quietly, "I'm a father, and I know there are times when my girls need me to pay special attention to them. Well, that's how I feel right now. I need You to let me know You love me."

Steve asked, "What are you thinking, Tim?"

Tim told Steve about his prayer.

The next morning, Sunday morning, Steve exclaimed, "Tim, here's your answer! Look at the choir of birds!"

On the branches of trees all around them sat big birds and little birds, singing and chirping. The little birds usually flew away from the big birds, but not this morning. The missionaries counted 26 different kinds of birds: parrots, toucans, and even a big old turkey buzzard. The bird choir sang for three hours. Tim, Bunny, and Steve sang too, praising God. At noon all the birds left.

They watched for the bird gathering the next day, but it didn't happen. Nor did it happen the next day, or the next ... until the following Sunday. This time there were even more birds, chirping, singing, and croaking. Again they stayed until noon. When the missionaries pointed out the birds to the guerrillas, they couldn't care less. But Tim, Bunny, and Steve were thrilled that their Heavenly Father had sent the birds to show them He loved them and cared.

One day the guerrillas took the three missionaries back to the Puinave village, so the villagers could see that they were all right. Tim was glad to hear that the Christians were meeting together regularly, teaching others, and praying always that God would release the prisoners.

"You will be set free," Alberto said. (Click on the picture to go to a larger picture you can print out and color.)

"You will be set free," Alberto said, "because we have prayed!"

Chico's son said the Puinaves felt bad when the three were taken away. "It was like one of our children had died. We didn't feel like eating. We would walk by your empty house and feel so sad!"

On the way back to the jungle camp,the commander was very quiet. This was the first time he had actually seen the Puinaves and the missionaries together. The next morning he had to ask them the question that had been burning in his mind all night: "What makes the Puinaves love you so much?"

Tim didn't give an easy answer. He just said, "Ask them."

After another week, the missionaries were told ...

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