Her Faith Still Speaks ...

February 26, 2008 ......... Hebrews 11:4

We mourn the death of my sweet lifelong friend, Cyd Mizell. Thank you for your prayers that have been a sweet aroma to our beautiful God Who now holds Cyd in His loving arms. It looks like she has arrived home! She is safe and secure! It's the day she lived for. Hebrews 11:4 says that Cyd's life still speaks, even though she is apparently dead. And it speaks loud. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews stirs my heart as I read it tonight thinking about Cyd. Verse 13 says "all these people were living by faith when they died." Cyd was. She was "longing for a better country" 11:15. She found it. A place prepared for Cyd. And I commend her for her faith, such beautiful childlike faith, as she gave her life away in Afghanistan. But, as verse 11:40 goes, "God had planned something better..." He has welcomed Cyd into His Presence forever. No plan of His can be thwarted by any enemy. Job 42:2.

I am going to send your comments to Cyd's father, George, who was my husband's pastor growing up. Would you be so kind to share a thought with George of what it means to hear about his daughter's story. My unending tears tonight are for Cyd's dad and their family who have lost their precious girl.

The following news update is on the http://www.arldf.net/ website, the humanitarian aid foundation where Cyd worked.

UPDATE..."We are deeply grieved to report the apparent deaths of Muhammad Hadi and Cyd Mizell, Asian Rural Life Development Foundation workers who were kidnapped by gunmen Jan. 26 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Although we have no confirmation of their deaths, we have received information over the past few days indicating that our two aid workers have been killed.

Hadi, a resident of Kandahar, had served as an ARLDF driver for two years. Known by colleagues as a “kind, loving man,” he was the father of five children, ages 6 to 15.
Mizell, 50, a native of Eureka, Calif., dedicated her life to serving the people of Afghanistan. Since 2005 she had lived in Kandahar, where she taught English to high school students and helped women learn income-producing skills such as sewing and embroidery. She also assisted in other ARLDF-related efforts in the area, which include food-for-work projects, irrigation, rehabilitation, health care and restoration projects. We are thankful for the efforts of local government and other authorities during this crisis. Our prayers are with the families of Hadi and Mizell."