RICHMOND, Va. (BP/FBW)-Three Americans researching needs for humanitarian projects in northern Iraq were killed and two were wounded in a drive-by shooting March 15 in Mosul. The workers were in the area under the auspices of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.

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Killed were Larry T. Elliott, 60, and Jean Dover Elliott, 58, of Cary, N.C., and Karen Denise Watson, 38, of Bakersfield, Calif. The Elliotts had served with the International Mission Board in Honduras since 1978 and transferred to the Middle East in February 2004. Watson had been with the board since March 2003. Names of the injured are being withheld until family members have been contacted.

IMB President Jerry Rankin said all Southern Baptists shared the sorrow and grief of the families and co-workers.

"In times like this, there are no words that will take away the pain of a loved one's violent death," Rankin said. "Everyone in the IMB family and everyone who loves Southern Baptists' overseas workers are grieving with the family members and co-workers of these precious souls. "We are grateful that God himself comes alongside us in our deepest sorrow and comforts us in a way no one else can."

Marc Pargo, pastor, Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, told Florida Baptist Witness March 15, he worked with the Elliotts for years when they were "the water people" assigned to Honduras. He and members of his church have joined with the Taylor Baptist Association and others to journey to Honduras since the 1980's to help dig wells and assist in other humanitarian efforts.

"Brother Larry and Jean were just so encouraging in the sense that they allowed you to be who you were and helped you on the crew," Pargo said, after hearing about their tragic deaths. "They were an inspiration in that they were willing to do anything that God laid upon their heart to do. They were flexible and energetic."

Pargo said he was recently in Honduras and heard the Elliotts had gone to Iraq.

"My impression was that Larry really had a sense of calling to go there. I was really excited for him and the opportunity to present the Gospel in some humanitarian way. He was opening the door for Christ to work, by working with his hands as a laborer, side by side with the Iraqi people," said Pargo. "We were sure looking forward to hearing great things."

Before heading to the mission field the Elliotts were members of First Baptist Church in Cary, N.C. They kept close tabs with members of the church; whenever they were stateside, they stayed at First Baptist’s mission house.

Watson was a member of Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield, Calif.

The International Mission Board has mobilized its prayer network and is asking Christians everywhere to pray for the healing of the injured workers and the comforting of all the families involved. The board is ministering to the families of the victims. A field representative has been dispatched to the injured workers, who are being treated at a U.S. military hospital.

The deaths of the Elliotts and Watson came barely a year after IMB missionary Bill Hyde was killed by a terrorist's bomb at the airport in Davao City, Philippines. Just 14 months ago, three workers were murdered by a terrorist at the Baptist hospital in Jibla, Yemen.

[Joni B. Hannigan, managing editor, contributed to this report]