Missionaries’ child abducted, returned home
Amy Sherman, 12, found safe after Guatemalan kidnapping ordeal
GUATEMALA CITY
Every parent’s nightmare of having a child abducted became reality for veteran Guatemalan missionaries Steve and Magda Sherman in late April.
On April 26 Amy Sherman was kidnapped in Guatemala City. Within three hours, however, she was reunited with her parents and two sisters, Lisa and Sara.
“This was the major news story in Guatemala — not so much because there was a kidnapping but because she was rescued so quickly,” commented Scott Owings, missions minister at the Otter Creek church, Nashville. Otter Creek is the Shermans’ overseeing congregation.
“We are so thankful for all those who put their life on the line in rescuing Amy: the Guatemalan police and particularly the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala. Ambassador Prudence Bushnell became personally involved from the first word of the kidnapping,” said Owings in a release.
“We especially praise God for how he delivered Amy,” according to a statement by Owings.
April 26 appeared to be a normal day for the Shermans. Steve was taking the three girls to school when four men took Amy at gunpoint, according to a release from Otter Creek. Steve called the U.S. Embassy, the local police and Otter Creek church. “That’s when we went to work,” commented Owings. “Within minutes our church family was crying out to the Lord for a quick and safe rescue.”
According to Guatemalan newspaper stories, a woman saw Amy and her captors get out of their vehicle and go into a house. She called the police and within minutes the house was surrounded. The attempt to apprehend the suspects resulted in a shoot-out in which one kidnapper was wounded. Two others were later captured, leaving one captor and one accomplice still at large.
Bushnell told Otter Creek that it is just a matter of time before the two are captured.
“Not only do we thank God for this neighbor woman, but also for Amy. She handled herself as a confident child of God, remaining very calm,” Owings said.
When asked about his reaction to this incident, Steve responded, “All we can say is that we went to hell and to heaven in three hours ... . When all was lost, the mighty God of Heaven gave us life and restored his child Amy safely to us.”
The Sherman family was to return to Nashville for the summer. “They need a tactical retreat; a time to rest, to receive counsel and love from our church family,” said Otter Creek elder Fred Ewing.
GUATEMALA CITY
Every parent’s nightmare of having a child abducted became reality for veteran Guatemalan missionaries Steve and Magda Sherman in late April.
On April 26 Amy Sherman was kidnapped in Guatemala City. Within three hours, however, she was reunited with her parents and two sisters, Lisa and Sara.
“This was the major news story in Guatemala — not so much because there was a kidnapping but because she was rescued so quickly,” commented Scott Owings, missions minister at the Otter Creek church, Nashville. Otter Creek is the Shermans’ overseeing congregation.
“We are so thankful for all those who put their life on the line in rescuing Amy: the Guatemalan police and particularly the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala. Ambassador Prudence Bushnell became personally involved from the first word of the kidnapping,” said Owings in a release.
“We especially praise God for how he delivered Amy,” according to a statement by Owings.
April 26 appeared to be a normal day for the Shermans. Steve was taking the three girls to school when four men took Amy at gunpoint, according to a release from Otter Creek. Steve called the U.S. Embassy, the local police and Otter Creek church. “That’s when we went to work,” commented Owings. “Within minutes our church family was crying out to the Lord for a quick and safe rescue.”
According to Guatemalan newspaper stories, a woman saw Amy and her captors get out of their vehicle and go into a house. She called the police and within minutes the house was surrounded. The attempt to apprehend the suspects resulted in a shoot-out in which one kidnapper was wounded. Two others were later captured, leaving one captor and one accomplice still at large.
Bushnell told Otter Creek that it is just a matter of time before the two are captured.
“Not only do we thank God for this neighbor woman, but also for Amy. She handled herself as a confident child of God, remaining very calm,” Owings said.
When asked about his reaction to this incident, Steve responded, “All we can say is that we went to hell and to heaven in three hours ... . When all was lost, the mighty God of Heaven gave us life and restored his child Amy safely to us.”
The Sherman family was to return to Nashville for the summer. “They need a tactical retreat; a time to rest, to receive counsel and love from our church family,” said Otter Creek elder Fred Ewing.
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