My family was packing to leave town in a few hours—but the news caught my eye. Kabul had fallen. A dear friend and her husband live there, and in a split-second the realization of what a Taliban coup would mean for her dawned—she is a Taliban target trifecta—woman, Christian, interpreter.

“M” returned my frantic messages right away, and for the next 72 hours her messages chronicled the advance of the Taliban on the airport. She and her husband had been ahead of the curve and had already secured tickets out of Kabul. I was relieved that they were already inside the airport awaiting a flight.

But her next message dropped me to my knees: “They are fleeing. All the airport staff. They are leaving! There is no one to fly planes or take tickets! We are hiding on the second floor. What should we do? What does the news say is happening?” From that point every message was more chilling:

“Elizabeth we tried to go to the NATO side of airport like you said, but they have snipers!”

“Chaos everywhere. Mobs looting every store. It is so dangerous here.”

“We tried to leave but Taliban killed a boy downstairs.”

“There is shooting.”

“We are trapped here what do we do?”

As “M’s” messages rolled in I toggled between messaging her, getting people to pray, and figuring out who I knew who might be able to help—or knew someone. I sent frantic emails and made calls to the offices of both Senator Josh Hawley and Senator Tom Cotton. I called friends who called friends on the Hill. I called my military brother. I messaged the Director of the large organization they worked with.

This was going to be much more challenging than an American citizen evac—my friends are foreign nationals that are neither American not Afghan. But because of their work, they were in grave, grave danger. I was going for broke, compelled by love. Imagining someone I love trapped by the (literal) Taliban was breaking my heart and my mind.

Hundreds of people began to pray all over the world. Both Senators Cotton and Hawley’s staffers responded to me, and began to get to work up-channeling the names I gave them. I expected to encounter resistance, but instead I found that they were ready and willing.

In what other nation can a total nobody (me), be heard by two of the most powerful people on the planet (United States Senators) because a friend is trapped by an evil regime? And then these powerful people actually move on behalf of strangers to respond and rescue? Only in our America, land of the free and home of the BRAVE.

As word came in from Afghanistan that “M” and “V” decided it was safer to brave a Taliban checkpoint than stay in the airport, my heart trembled. A few torturous hours later came the relief: “We made it through the Taliban checkpoint. Now sheltering in place with American missionary girls we know.”

Around midnight on day two, a new text came into my phone—it was a personal text from a private number. One of Senator Cotton’s team was ready to contact ground forces in Kabul and get “M” and “V” on the evacuation approval list. Throughout the night, this staffer stayed awake with me as we shuttled detailed messages back and forth…passport numbers, countries, legal names, phone numbers, etc. They went the extra mile to get the details of the Americans they were sheltering with so that a secure transport could connect the group together, pick them up safely, transport them to the airport, and get them evacuated. It was an astonishing night as these champions worked tirelessly to rescue unknown people. The Senator’s team “called and called and called” all night to link all the names together and ensure approval to board an evac flight. My tears flowed and flowed and flowed with gratitude.

The fog of war is real, and I knew to expect that it would be impossible at some level for every single soldier along the way to have the same updated list of names. Those of us in direct contact with “M” & “V” coached them through the night… “Be bold. Act American—don’t take no for an answer. Be confident your names ARE on the list! Do not get out of that line! Be persistent!”

The first hurdle was safe transport through the city to the airport. About 3am we got word that the transport had been executed and they were safe on the NATO/US Military side of the airport. Rejoicing!!! Next hurdle: the line to get on a plane. The dreaded text came saying “the soldier says we need a green card to be in this line. It isn’t going to work Elizabeth! Pray!” (Screengrab image)

And pray we did. Thousands of us.

We continued sending encouraging messages to keep them believing and hopeful—at this point they had been awake 48+ hours, and were fraying with stress and exhaustion…

“Stay in the line. Your name is on the list. Tell them confidently. Americans won’t leave you behind. They won’t. Look them in the eye, tell them your name is on the list, check again. Show them Senator Cotton and Hawley’s names. Tell them you are meant to be evacuated. Americans WILL NOT LEAVE YOU. Don’t give up!” A few hours later the most beautiful voice text came…

“Elizabeth, the miracle has happened!!! The soldiers said yes! We are boarding an evacuation flight for Qatar!!!”

Twelve hours later “M” and “V” messaged that they were SAFE in Qatar surrounded by kind soldiers taking care of them, with clean beds, hot showers, and nutritious food provided. Their hearts are undone with gratitude as they navigate home through many countries and military bases. They are alive.

Theirs is a literal miracle rescue, made possible by a chain of champions—people who run INTO the fire to rescue the innocent, not from it; by champions of the brave and true American sort; and by champions in prayer who pounded Heaven for days on behalf of a brother and sister they have never known