[Jehovah's Witness] Hostages escape extremist captors
Two female Jehovah’s Witnesses escaped from the extremist Abu Sayyaf group after nine months of jungle captivity in the southern Philippines, military officials said today.
Marines found the women this morning in the mountainous coastal village of Patikul on Jolo island, where the military has been waging an offensive to crush the al-Qaeda-linked guerrillas, Brigadier General Romeo Tolentino said.
The women, Flor Montolo and Nori Bendijo, said they escaped last night and groped their way through the jungle until soldiers found them. They looked tired and sleepless, their hands and feet muddy, when brought to an army brigade camp.
“They threatened that if one of us would escape, the remaining one would be killed. So we decided to escape together,” Bendijo told The Associated Press by telephone.
“I’m so happy; we’re free now,” said the 40-year-old Bendijo, sounding weak and weary.
The women were among six members of the Christian sect kidnapped last August. The two men were beheaded. Two other women escaped last month.
The guerrillas also kidnapped four Indonesian tugboat crewmen in Jolo last June, three of whom escaped separately. One died in captivity.
Three of the escaped hostages, two women and one of the Indonesians, later told military officials that two Indonesian instructors gave Abu Sayyaf recruits training in explosives and combat, according to confidential reports on the debriefings.
One of the women said she overheard the Abu Sayyaf rebels threatening to attack American troops who are expected to be deployed on Jolo, about 950km south of Manila, to train and arm Filipino troops fighting the Abu Sayyaf, the military debriefing report said.
An initial counterterrorism training exercise involving American forces has been credited with crippling the main Abu Sayyaf faction on nearby Basilan island last year.
But many guerrillas and their leaders moved over to Jolo and committed new kidnappings and other attacks, prompting the military to launch an offensive there.
Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has given the military a three-month deadline ending this month to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf, which is on a US list of terrorist groups, on Jolo.
It’s not revealed in article if either of the women were able to witnesses to their captors although circumstances would have difficult. Compare 2 Timothy 3:1 “Criticial times hard to deal with will be here”. Being witnesses they are encouraged to witnesses in “troubled times as well as good” and to the “entire inhabited world this good news must be preached”, according to principle Matthew 24:14. In the event they did rely upon Jehovah’s spirit to strengthen them to speak tactfully it may have assisted in future bloodsheed. That is in giving these men a changed view and a hope for better days ahead and that opposing the ruling forces is not the solution, but exercising faith in the promised new earth under the reigning King of God’s kingdom Christ Jesus as he removes all ungodly ones whom fail to live in peace and security with their fellow man hence preventing future attacks and giving those mislead by hatred and hopelessness a future for all.
The escape was documented but nothing in regard to if they may have sowed some “seeds of kingdom truth” with their captors which may have produced fruit at some time in the future when someone else may be able to “assist it with more water” so God may make it grow to maturity, that is that they lay down their weopons and replace with the “sword of God’s word” to guide their future lives and leave matters in his capable hands.
Netherthe less it was neice they got out alive along with the other three seemingly earlier had done so. Their brothers “will form part of the resurrection hope” that their death wasa not in vain, according to John 5:28-29. Just a mention to Genes Camposano comment Jehovah God as far as aware is not a “her” when you said “her servants like king solomon” perhaps emotion showed in appreciation but just remeber Jehovah God made “Adam” in “his image” he being a man hence subject sufficent. Genesis 1:26-27 identifies “man made in God’s image” & Genesis 2:23 identifies how the “women taken from the man” hence the completed creation of entire human family commenced. Book of Luke Chapter 3 23-38 has the entire genology from God through Adam to Christ. And our calender “anno domino” from then to now hence an entire historic record of man can be established linking to creation rather than evolution the killer of faith in God. If every one acted in God’s image “they would not hurt one another for God is love”? Peace be with you and may somehow Jehovah’s spirit force assist those in need and bring them to an accurate knowledge of the truth and “learn war no more”, by appling the Bible in forefillment of Isiah’s prophecy at Isaiah 2:4.
My comments is thise our GOD JEHOVAH show his tender affection to her servants like king solomon has said recorded at proverbs 1:33 as for the one listening to me, he will reside in security and be disturbed from dread of calamity.