I would like to relate a story that occured here last week. A 9 year old autistic boy, got seperated from his father and was lost for close to a week. Hundreds of volunteers combed the area for days and days turning up no clues and no little boy. Most folks, while optimistically continuing to help their hopes were dimming day by day to find anything other than a corpse. Having worked briefly with an autistic youth, I kept my optimism high. My reasoning was that depending on the severity of his affliction, the boy would likely avoid loud noises or big crowds, instead of the usual rescue victim. The young boy was found alive but injured from either a fall or from trying to ingest a hard object.
I would say that our hopes and optimisms rest with the determination of the young man to return home and the hearts and minds of those who he may come in contact with.
Chills are running up my spine just commenting on this, but it is about time that we have a good ending to anything happening in that corner of this world. Our men and women have done an amazing job of providing an opportunity for a brighter future for a generation of Persian Gulf inhabitants, I sincerely pray that Jacob's future is still alive.
