The smell of thick smoke filled the air, nothing but grey and black ashes remained of the one room wooden schoolhouse near Bogoten. All the books although outdated and worn were destroyed.

     The beautiful twenty-year-old school teacher was Sofia Restrepo. She was born in Charombia, but educated in the United States. Then she returned from Miami a year ago with a call from God as a Christian missionary. She with three of her four students were taken hostage and locked in a house by armed guerrillas of the communist Revolutionary Armed Forces the dreaded FARX.

     “Where are we? Why are we here?” asked Cecilia Salazar a blind twelve-year-old girl.

“Cecilia, kidnaping is a weapon of terrorists. We are being held for ransom money. Be brave. We will be all right.” “Where is Claudio?” Cecilia then asked nervously. “What have they done with her? She is too weak to be alone.”

     Teacher Restrepo tried to reassure the children. “Don’t lose hope. La esperanza es lo ultimo que se pierde(hope is the last thng you lose.”)

     “When will we go back home?” asked Marcos Vergara. “I want to go home,” Blanca Maria Navarro cried shivering nervously. “Why did they burn the school?”

     “What will they do to us now? Will they kill us?” asked Marcos.

     “I don’t know, just be strong; don’t lose hope children. We must stay calm and have faith. Pray. Love will overcome hate. Don’t be afraid. Teacher Restrepo walked over and put her arms around Cecilia.

     The next day four gun shots rang out in the room. All hope was gone.