Anderson’s Sister Given 500 Cards : Pupils Wish Hostages ‘Happy Birthday’

A group of schoolchildren sang “Happy Birthday” for kidnaped U.S. journalist Terry Anderson today and presented 500 birthday cards wrapped in yellow ribbons for him and other Americans held hostage in Lebanon.

“I hope that your brother and all the other hostages will be home soon. They are in our prayers,” eighth-grader Stacey Calhoun told Peggy Say, of Batavia, N.Y., sister of Anderson, who turned 39 today.

Last year, Say sent birthday greetings to her brother via Lebanese television. But for his second birthday in captivity, she decided to join the humanitarian foundation No Greater Love today in asking children across the country to send birthday cards to the hostages.

Four children represented St. Francis DeSales School, where 500 pupils spent a week learning about the hostages and making birthday cards for them.

“I want to take them all home and read them. They’re so precious,” said Ken Reed of New York City, whose brother Frank was taken hostage last month.

Before the presentation, Say read some letters she has received from children in other parts of the country.

“ ‘Don’t cry,’ they say, ‘Terry will be home soon.’ Children, the hope of the world, they make us laugh when we want to cry. I am looking forward to the day Terry’s little girls wrap their arms around his neck and say ‘Welcome home, Daddy,’ ” said Say, her voice shaking.

Father Lawrence Martin Jenco, 51, a Roman Catholic priest who was released in July after 19 months in captivity, said Anderson could expect a treat today from his captors.

“They made birthdays special,” he said in a recent telephone interview. “They would stay with us and have our cake and ice cream with us. They would buy French pastry cups.”

The hostages are thought to be guarded by members of Islamic Jihad, a loosely knit radical Lebanese Shia organization with ties to Iran.