In 2003, Lisa Miller broke up with her lesbian partner, Janet Jenkins, with whom she had a civil union in Vermont and subsequently had a daughter through artificial insemination. Miller subsequently became a Christian, renounced her homosexuality and got a divorce, but Jenkins was given partial custody of the child. In 2009, because Jenkins’ lesbian lifestyle was affecting her child, Miller disappeared with the daughter. Now, according to the Associated Press, what started as a custody battle has turned into a global manhunt, with indications that pastors and other faith-based supporters may have helped hide the two in Nicaragua.
“God’s Holy Law never recognizes a gay marriage,” said Pablo Yoder, a Mennonite pastor in Nicaragua, in an email message to The Associated Press. “Thus, the Nicaraguan Brotherhood felt it right and good to help Lisa not only free herself from the so called civil marriage and lesbian lifestyle, but especially to protect her nine year old daughter from being abducted and handed over to an active lesbian and a whole-hearted activist.”
Miller was originally granted custody of the girl, but she defied visitation schedules, leading to a judge to eventually award custody to Jenkins. The FBI tracked the two to Nicaragua, and though they were unsuccessful in locating the mother and daughter, they did arrest a missionary for abetting an international kidnapping.
CLICK HERE to read more about this saga from the Associated Press.
