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Church, community rejoice at POW's rescue

April 3, 2003 News media contact: Tim Tanton7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn. 
10-71B{202}

By Tom Burger*

ELIZABETH, W.Va. (UMNS) - When Pastor Harold Francis activated the prayer
phone chain at Elizabeth United Methodist Church to celebrate the rescue of
Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch, he had little idea what he had started.

Francis simply invited his people to church in this Wirt County community
near where Lynch grew up "to express awe and appreciation to God" for her
safe return after nine days in the hands of the Iraqi army.

"Jessica has arrived safely in Germany," Francis announced. "We have every
right to rejoice." Lynch is from the community of Palestine, near Elizabeth,
the county seat.

"I thought it would be a small gathering of my congregation, but it got a
little larger," Francis said of the April 2 evening celebration.

People from all over the county packed the modest, white-frame church, where
they shared their joy after the rescue by U.S. special operations forces. 

The troops rescued Lynch, 19, from an Iraqi hospital April 1. She had been
missing since March 23, when the maintenance convoy in which she was
traveling took a wrong turn and was ambushed by Iraqis. After the rescue, she
was taken to an American hospital in Germany. Her injuries include two broken
legs and a broken arm.

West Virginia's Gov. Bob Wise was at the Elizabeth church, along with many
local, regional and national reporters.

"God is still in the miracle business. If you don't believe that, then come
to Wirt County," Wise said.

Francis led the service of prayer and song, giving everyone the opportunity
to speak. 

"The evening is to be informal," he said. "We are here to give people an
opportunity to express their joys and to read a little scripture."

The pastor remembered those who still await word about loved ones listed as
missing in action.

"I want to have a word of prayer for those families who can't celebrate
tonight as we can," he said.

Since the war in Iraq began March 19, the church has been open for prayer,
and the community had surrounded the Lynch family with love and care after
her capture, according to Francis.

"We in West Virginia are a family," he said. "Beyond that, we are a family in
the Body of Christ."

# # #

*Burger is director of communications for the West Virginia Annual
Conference. This story was written with the help of Connie Dale of the
Parkersburg (W.Va.) News Sentinel.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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