Prayer for hostages and their families

2 are no longer with us, and 21 are still being held by the Taliban. While these are not the first hostages captured in these past months, their situation - much like those hostages that have been captured previously - is indeed one for which I cannot find any words to describe. It is tragic to see civilians who have gone under the umbrella of volunteering and aid be captured and killed one by one. A hostage situation is always a delicate one where things seem to be complicated by the perspectives of the respective countries involved. Nonetheless, lives hang in the balance and the families of these hostages must be in extremely anxious and distressed states. So as the world watches, let us pray and remember these families and the individuals who are currently alive and being held captive by the Taliban - pray for strength, for hope, and for things to be resolved as peacefully as possible.