By A Elango
New Delhi: A Jesuit priest, who was released from the custody of Taliban militants in Afghanistan two years ago, says his heart goes out to an Indian Salesian priest held captive in Yemen for a year.
“Let us pray without ceasing for the release of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil,” said Father Alex Premkumar on February 22, the second anniversary of his official release from the Taliban custody. The Taliban had handed him over to the Indian authorities at Helmond in Afghanistan three days earlier.
He was abducted on June 2, 2014, from Sohadat village, 25 km from Heart province. He was engaged as a social worker in the Islamic country.
Recalling his release, Fr Premkumar said his heart was filled with gratitude and “my heart uttered ‘Thank you Jesus’ several times. This prayer helped him during his travel from Helmond to Kandahar. “Prayer was my strength and consolation during my captivity,” the 49-year-old mustachioed priest told Matters India.
Rejoicing over the second anniversary of his release, the priest, who now works the Jesuit Refugee Service, asks everyone to pray for the safe release of Fr Uzhunnalil, who was kidnapped on March 4, 2016, from the home of an elderly in Aden, southern Yemen.
“Nothing is impossible to God when we pray with a total surrender unto Him,” Fr Prem said.
He thanked all who prayed for his release and continued to support him after his release. “Thank you for being with me in my struggle of captivity and joy of my release,” he said and pleaded that the same should be done for the Salesian priest.
“Contemplating the birth, life, works and death of Jesus helped me to endure all sufferings and troubles,” he explains secret of his survival during the captivity.