17/01/2017

Good morning. This week I have been reflecting on the fact that it is thirty years since I was captured and kept as a hostage in Beirut. Many people in the world have suffered far more than I have but I did face some deprivations. For almost the whole of that time I was chained to the wall in solitary confinement and therefore lacked exercise. I did my best to maintain good physical health and prayed that I would not fall prey to illness. On the whole, despite a meagre diet and lack of fresh air and exercise, I did reasonably well except toward the very end of my incarceration when I became very ill with a severe bronchial infection.

For the final few weeks of captivity I was moved out of solitary and put in with other hostages. By then the infection had taken hold of me so badly that I could not lie down and had to spend day and night sitting on the floor with my back against the wall fighting for breath. They told me that several times I fell unconscious and they thought I was about to die. I shall never forget their support and compassion, particularity one very simple action. At night, when I could hardly breathe, the American Hostage, Terry Anderson, who was chained near to me, stretched across and simply laid his hand on mine. He did not say a word. I found this one simple gesture both comforting and calming. Often when visiting sick people in hospital I wondered what I might say. Now, as a result of this experience, I realized that words did not really matter. What really mattered was the close comforting presence of another human being who cared.

O Lord, Grant us wisdom and compassion that we may bring calm to those troubled in body, mind or spirit.
Amen.