"Even in This Darkness"

I know you are thinking of me and praying for me. And I am so thankful. I feel you all especially when I pray. I pray for you to stay strong and to believe. I really feel I can touch you even in this darkness when I pray.

– James Foley (1973-2014)

From a message memorized in June by a fellow captive later freed,
and printed in the article, "Foley Describes Captivity in Letter to Family"
Associated Press
August 24, 2014

See also the previous Wild Reed post:
James Foley: "Prayer Was the Glue That Enabled My Freedom, An Inner Freedom"

Related Off-site Links:
James Foley's Family Shares His Hopeful Final Letter – Polly Mosendz (The Wire, August 25, 2014).
Bishop: Slain US Journalist Foley Opened Our Eyes – Jeff McMenemy (Associated Press, August 24, 2014).
James Foley: Focus on Humanity Amid Suffering – Dave Clark (AFP, August 20, 2014).
What My Friend Jim Foley Taught Me to Question – Jessica Desvarieux (The Real News via YouTube, August 20, 2014).
James Foley on the Power of Prayer – Frank Weathers (Patheos, August 19, 2014).
Remembering James Foley's Remarkable Faith – Antonia Blumberg (The Huffington Post, August 20, 2014).
Faith, Prayer Sources of Strength for Slain U.S. Journalist, His Family – Catholic News Service (August 20, 2014).
Priest Comforts Foley Family After Killing of Journalist – Catholic Herald (August 20, 2014).
Pope Phones Family of Slain U.S. Journalist – Francis X. Rocca (Catholic News Service, August 21, 2014).
British Intelligence Reportedly IDs James Foley's Executioner – Dashiell Bennett (The Wire, August 24, 2014).
ISIS, Hip-Hop Jihadists and the Man Who Killed James Foley – Christopher Dickey (The Daily Beast, August 25, 2014).
One Big Question Surrounds The Murder of U.S. Journalist James Foley by ISIS – Michael B. Kelley (Business Insider, August 25, 2014).
Top Islamic Authority: Extremists Are No "Islamic State" – Sarah El Deeb (Associated Press via Yahoo! News, August 24, 2014).
Top Sunni Cleric Says Stop Calling Terrorists "Islamic" – Patrick Goodenough (CNS News, August 25, 2014).

UPDATES: The Horror Before the Beheadings: ISIS Hostages Endured Torture and Dashed Hopes, Freed Cellmates Say – Rukmini Callimachi (The New York Times, October 25, 2014).
James Foley Remembered with Touching In Memoriam Video at Online Journalism Awards – Ryan Grenoble (The Huffington Post, October 30, 2014).
Debating a Change of Faith Under Brutal Captivity – Jim Yardley (The New York Times, February 21, 2015).
Life on the Front Lines: A View from James Foley’s Camera – GlobalPost (August 8, 2015).
Beheaded Journalist James Foley’s Mother Says He’d Be 'Devastated' by Revenge Killing of 'Jihadi John' – Jordan Chariton (The Wrap, November 13, 2015).
Life on the Front Lines: A View from James Foley’s Camera – GlobalPost (August 8, 2015).
'Jihadi John' Death: Islamic State Says Mohammed Emwazi Killed – BBC News (January 19, 2016).
Covering War to End War: New Film Recounts Life and Legacy of James Foley, Journalist Killed by ISIS – Democracy Now! (January 28, 2016).

Image: Candles are lighted on the town common during a vigil for James Foley in his hometown of Rochester, N.H., Saturday, August 23, 2014. Foley, a freelance photojournalist, was killed earlier in the week by Islamic State militants. He was abducted in November 2012 while covering the civil war in Syria. (Photo: AP/Jim Cole)