Dozens welcome missionary back

BOISE – A U.S. missionary who was released from a Haiti jail last week has returned to her home in Idaho after spending several days recuperating in Florida.

Charisa Coulter, 24, arrived Saturday night at the Boise Airport, where her father, several other Idaho missionaries who had been detained, and dozens of others welcomed her by singing “Amazing Grace.”

Coulter is a diabetic and had medical difficulties during her five-week confinement. She was treated at least once during that time, on Feb. 1, by American doctors after collapsing from what she said was either severe dehydration or the flu.

She was freed March 8 but spent about six days in Florida recuperating after leaving Haiti.

Coulter said she was happy to be home but sad to leave behind her friend Laura Silsby, who remains in custody.

“I told her I loved her and that it was just a matter of time before she was here,” Coulter said of Silsby.

Coulter and Silsby were among 10 Baptist missionaries, mostly from Idaho, who were detained Jan. 29 trying to take 33 children out of Haiti after a devastating earthquake.

The other eight were released Feb. 17.

“We are 10 Christians who obeyed God’s calling, and we went to help the nation of Haiti and its children,” Coulter said Saturday night. “It didn’t go the way we planned. It’s hard to understand.”

Judge Bernard Saint-Vil said he has until early May to decide whether to release Silsby or order a trial.

“It’s all in God’s hands,” Coulter said. “I don’t know. We’re just going to sit back, and we’re going to let him do his job.”

Kim Barton, Silsby’s sister, released a statement asking people to pray for Silsby while she remains in custody.