American Taliban prisoners talk about their experience

Two American missionaries who were kidnapped and imprisoned in Afghanistan last fall were in Broken Arrow Thursday talking to students about their terrifying experience. <br><br>As News on Six anchor

Thursday, March 28th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Two American missionaries who were kidnapped and imprisoned in Afghanistan last fall were in Broken Arrow Thursday talking to students about their terrifying experience.

As News on Six anchor Terry Hood explains, Dana Curry and Heather Mercer have quite a story to tell. â€œI remember what I saw just turned my world upside down and really broke my heart."

Heather Mercer and Dana Curry spent 105 terrifying days in a Taliban jail in Afghanistan. They say it was the most difficult thing they've ever been through, but that their faith kept them going. "I was really afraid, especially that first night. I thought for sure, they're going to beat us." The two women were arrested after showing a video about Jesus to an Afghan family. They weren't beaten, but for nearly three and a half months, they endured sickness, desperation and fear.

Thursday, several hundred students at Broken Arrow High School heard their story, which was at times heartrending, but more often inspiring. "I finally got to the point where, you know, it doesn't matter whether I live or die, all that matters is that I trust God in the middle of this. It wasn't his plan for us to die, but to come out so we could tell about what he had done for us."

Megan Gilligan is the editor of the school newspaper. "I thought it was unbelievable that they would have the stamina to last through that it was amazing. I was just in awe and so impressed by these women that lasted through this horrible hardship." When the Taliban fled Kabul in November, Curry and Mercer suddenly found themselves, and the city, free. "It was so amazing to really get to be a part of this wonderful miracle in Afghanistan that we had prayed for so long.â€

American Special Forces flew into Afghanistan to bring Mercer and Curry home. The two are now traveling around the country telling their story.