Search and Rescue for Jacob Allen

Yesterday morning, I headed out to Dolly Sods to join the search team for Jacob Allen. They staged the volunteers at the Canaan Ski Area and divided us into task teams of 10-15 people. Once there I ran into a couple of friends from Morgantown, John Griffiths and his friend Dave. We were a part of a task team that crossed Red Creek and hiked straight up a gas line to an elevation of 2800 feet, then fanned out in intervals of 20 feet and searched across the side of the mountain for Jacob. It was the most grueling hike I've ever been a part of, in fact I thought I was going to lose my lunch at one point. We were basically bushwacking across the mountain, going over and under fences and downed timber.

Around 2:15 pm, we got the wonderful news that Jacob was found alive about 1/2 mile from the Boar's Nest Trail! I have been praying all week that he would be found safely, but 5 days in many of us were beginning lose hope that he would be rescued, or even found at all. We serve a BIG GOD! I've been reading IN A PIT where Mark Batterson talks about how many of us don't have a big enough view of GOD, and I have been guilty of that many times thru out my spiritual journey.

I consider Jacob's safe rescue a MIRACLE FROM GOD! What are the odds of a severely autistic young man surviving 5 days and 4 nights in the most rugged wilderness area of WV and possibly the eastern US? Thousands of people have been praying fervently for his rescue and God answered those prayers. May God receive all the glory from this and hopefully this will impact the lives of people who need Jesus.

I will post some pics from the day as soon as Belinda returns my camera cable.