Funeral Held for Americans Shot Down in Peru

FRUITPORT, Mich. â€”  At the funeral for his wife and infant daughter, an American missionary said he has forgiven the Peruvian pilot who shot down their small plane and said his wife would have done the same.

“I’m not bragging about my attitude. I have no idea why I feel this way,� Jim Bowers said Friday night at the funeral for Veronica Bowers, 35, and their daughter, 7-month-old Charity.

Veronica and Charity Bowers died after a Peruvian military plane, believing the small plane was smuggling drugs, shot it down over northeastern Peru on April 20.

Jim Bowers, 38, and son Cory, 6, were also on board but were unhurt. Pilot Kevin Donaldson, 41, who managed to land the pontoon plane on the Amazon River, suffered serious leg wounds.

About 1,300 people attended Friday’s service at a Baptist church in Fruitport, 40 miles northwest of Grand Rapids. The victims will be buried Sunday afternoon in Pensacola, Fla., near the home of the wife’s parents.

Bowers, in a 30-minute eulogy, spoke calmly as he recalled fond memories of his wife and daughter, and thanked people around the world for their prayers and words of comfort.

“One sign that God was responsible for what happened is the profound effect on people around the world,� he said. “I’m hoping it will result in an increase in missionaries. . . . I’m sure it will.�

He said he and his wife considered Charity, whom they adopted when she was 1 month old, “their precious gift from God.�

Manuel Boza, Peru’s consul general in Chicago, offered his nation’s condolences during the service and called the deaths a tragedy for his country as well.

“There are moments when really it’s very difficult to find the words that could appropriately and adequately express our sentiments or emotions,� Boza said. “Certainly, this is one of those moments.�