FORT WORTH, Texas -- Fellow students and friends of David and Carrie McDonnall gathered on the steps of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s B.H. Carroll Memorial rotunda to pray for the missionary couple that was attacked by gunmen while serving in Iraq on March 15.

The March 16 prayer service called for the health of Carrie – the lone survivor of the attack, and for healing and grace for the families of the four slain missionaries.

“David and the others are the heroes of the faith. They are examples of people who have great passion for Christ.... [David] was a blessing to know and a blessing to the Lord,” said Brennen Searcy, a student who had ministered with the McDonnalls in Iraq.

“Carrie is a strong girl,” Searcy said. “She will grieve the loss of her husband and her friends. But her faith in Christ Jesus will not waiver, I am confident of that.”

Jimmy Shaw of Bowling Green, Ky., who helped lead the prayer vigil, said the event strengthened his devotion to do missions in the Middle East.

“This attack has affected me to the point where it has burdened me to do a short-term trip to Iraq,” Shaw said. Currently, Shaw said he feels drawn to serve God in the Amazon Basin in Brazil. But he would go to Iraq if he was needed there. There was nothing about the attack on the McDonnalls and their fellow workers, Larry and Jean Elliott and Karen Watson, that discouraged Shaw from going on an international outreach.

“This has just made me want to press on and go out and spread the Gospel to the entire world including those hard to reach areas and those areas where you may put your life at stake.”

Searcy agreed, saying, “the tragedy only strengthens my call for missions.”

“My call does not waiver because of circumstances.”