Free

This story has made me cry more than once today. I can't imagine what this lady has been through. She was a candidate for the presidency in Colombia, when she tried to talk peace with the guerrilla and they kidnapped her. That was 6 years ago. She had been living in captivity in the jungle ever since. Just yesterday, soldiers from the Colombian military risked their lives in a stealth operation to free 15 of the hostages. They tricked the guerrilla into thinking they were also rebels, and were just there to take the hostages to the guerrilla's leader by helicopter. They put handcuffs on the hostages and put them on the helicopter. Once they were on board, she saw that the guy in charge of the hostages, who had treated her so cruely for so many years, was bound and blindfolded on the floor. She didn't understand why, until the men, whom she thought were rebels, said, "We're from the national army. You're free." She said all 15 hostages started jumping up and down, almost bringing the helicopter down. She said she never lost hope that she would get rescued. Everyday she thought, maybe today will be the day. I can't even imagine. The sad thing is that there are still about 600 people in captivity.


It makes me so sad to know that a country that I love and that is home to many people that I love is full of so much sadness and terror. Even though nothing has ever happened to me when I've gone over there, I'm still nervous every time. I mean, I love Colombia. I love so many things over there. For starters, the food is delicious. My grandparents farm is a truly a little "oasis", as it's named. The scenery is beautiful. The mountains are gorgeous. And the people are so fun. There are a lot of positive things to be said about Colombia. But the fact of the matter is, there is also a dark side, a dangerous side. It's the side that the rest of the world always hears about: the guerrillas, the kidnappings, the killings. But it's not like Colombia is the only place where this is happening. This is happening all around the world. It's scary to think about how much darkness there is out there.


Anyway, this whole post is pretty random, but I just wanted to say that I'm really grateful that nothing has ever happened to any of my loved ones in Colombia, and that I don't have to live in fear. I'm so grateful to be free.


One more random story to liven up this entry. When Marcelo and I went to Colombia a few years ago, a few of the girls I was working with at the time were really scared that something was going to happen to me. So on my last day of work before leaving, they gave me a "kidnapping kit". They put together a box of stuff I would need in case I was kidnapped. It had things like toilet paper, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a little tarp thingy to use as a parachute, food, and some games in case I got bored while sitting in the jungle. It was hilarious. Not to be insensitive to everything else I've written in this post, because I know it's not a laughing matter, but the fact that they took the time to put that kit together was pretty dang funny.