The State - News from Sept. 3, 1987

Freed American hostage Marc Nikkel thanked a hometown crowd in Reedley for prayers and asked people to remember the plight of Sudanese peasants. Nikkel, 34, an Episcopal Church of America lay missionary, and three other people were taken captive July 7 by Sudanese rebels and held for seven weeks. They were released at the urging of former President Jimmy Carter and reached freedom by walking into a northern Kenya village Aug. 25. About 200 residents of Reedley, a San Joaquin Valley farming community of 13,000, turned out in sweltering heat.