[Today's Prayer] Canadian who helped Afghans escape is freed after two months in captivity

A former Canadian soldier held captive in Afghanistan has been released after more than two months.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly thanked Qatar for facilitating his release, tweeting on Twitter the day before that “David Lavery has arrived safely from Afghanistan to Qatar and is in good condition,” according to AFP-Reuters.

He was released through Qatari mediation and is now reportedly staying in Qatar with his family.

Lavery spent decades in the Canadian military and was a key member of the elite Task Force (TF), a special operations unit.

He famously helped about 100 Afghans escape to Canada in August 2021 during the withdrawal of U.S. and other Western allied forces.

He remained at Hamid Karzai International Airport at the time, carrying a list of more than 1,000 people who had been granted permission to move to Canada, and crossed the security perimeter outside the airport in the midst of the chaos to help those on the list enter the airport.

It was said that those who wore red and wanted to travel to Canada should meet with “Dave the Canadian.

Lavery was until recently running a private security company in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and traveled back and forth between Canada and Afghanistan, but was arrested by Taliban authorities shortly after arriving in Afghanistan on Nov. 11 last year. It is not known for what reason he was arrested.

On Nov. 21, Afghanistan released two Americans imprisoned in Afghanistan in exchange for the release of Khan Mohammad, an Afghan imprisoned in the United States.

Mohammad, whom Taliban authorities refer to as an “Afghan fighter,” was reportedly serving a life sentence in the United States after being captured in Afghanistan in 2008 on drug and terrorism charges.

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At least two other U.S. citizens are believed to be currently being held in Afghanistan, former aircraft mechanic George Glezman and naturalized American Mahmoud Habibi.

Source: Nate News

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).

Lord, the savior of the Afghan people and of all nations,

protect those who are working on behalf of the Afghan people who have lost hope and fear for their lives under the horrific oppression of the Taliban.

We are thankful to hear that the Canadian brothers Lavery, who have helped countless Afghans, have been released from detention.

We ask that You would increase Your grace among those who are helping the Afghan people in these dangerous and difficult circumstances, and that You would cause the global church and many more of Your people to rise up and go forth with a helping hand and the gospel of life for the Afghan people!

May the world church become more fearless and awake to You, so that we may fulfill the Great Commission given to us by Jesus Christ, and make disciples of the Afghan people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

So that by Your grace, the Kingdom of God may come among the Afghan people, and the Afghan people may stand up among all nations in these last days to fulfill Your Great Commission!