The Miracle Files

Episode Title: Kidnapped in Mexico: Robert Meek's Nightmare | REMASTERED
Date: November 24, 2025
Hosts: Holly Worthington and Emily Jones
Podcast Theme: Inspiring, faith-driven stories of miracles and light in the world, focused on divine intervention and hope in dark circumstances.

Episode Overview

This remastered episode tells the harrowing true story of Robert Meek (Bob), an agricultural CEO, who was "virtually kidnapped" by a cartel during a business trip in Chihuahua, Mexico. The episode explores Robert’s ordeal, the spiritual and psychological challenges he faced, the power of prayer from his family and community, and the eventual miraculous resolution. True to The Miracle Files style, hosts Holly and Emily emphasize moments of hope, grace, and God’s intervention amid extreme fear and danger.

Main Discussion Points & Timeline

1. Setting the Scene: Robert’s Background and Warnings

• [02:50]–[04:27]
  • Robert Meek, raised in Colorado's agricultural world, frequently travels to Mexico for business.
  • Despite warnings from his colleague, Sean, about Chihuahua's dangers, Robert is confident due to his experience and Spanish fluency.
  • He checks into a hotel after visiting new business associates without suspecting any imminent danger.

2. The Abduction Begins: The Virtual Kidnapping

• [04:34]–[08:41]

  • Robert receives a late-night call from someone claiming to be hotel security, warning him of a cartel attack in the hotel and instructing him to stay put.

  • As the situation escalates, Robert is told, “We are the cartel and you’ll do what we say or we’ll kill you.”

    "Terror struck. I could feel the unreality...that this has to be a dream, that I can't be involved in something like this. And yet the reality continued." — Robert Meek [05:40]

  • The cartel threatens his family, forbids external contact, and keeps him on the line for hours, using increasingly ominous language and threats.

3. Forced Compliance: Moving to a New Hotel

• [08:46]–[12:53]
  • The kidnappers order Robert to check into a different hotel under a specific Mexican alias, but he courageously uses his stepfather’s name, Kenneth Shepherd.
  • He leaves deliberate clues in his old room, hoping to provide a trail.
  • Despite the high risk, he maintains composure and even invents explanations to keep his captors appeased.
  • Notable Quote:

    "Kenneth is my favorite name. If I could have named myself as a baby, I would be Kenneth. And I said, Shepherd is the good man above, and I need every blessing I can get." — Robert Meek [12:33]

4. Spiritual Struggle & Miraculous Peace

• [13:23]–[17:05]

  • Alone in his hotel room, feeling spiritual oppression, Robert turns intensively to prayer and scripture.

  • He experiences a profound sense of peace after praying to God, feeling reassured about his spiritual state and prepared for death if necessary:

    "[God said,] 'You're okay. You're not perfect, but you're okay, and you don't have to fear death.'" — Robert Meek [15:37]

  • Robert also prays to overcome hatred and to forgive his captors, struggling until he feels a divine reminder that forgiveness is possible through Christ:

    "Don't worry about it. Jesus Christ paid for their sins, and he forgave them and will forgive them for what they do." — Robert Meek [16:07]

5. An Unexpected Connection: Ministering to a Captor

• [17:05]–[18:51]

  • Robert engages "Sergio," a cartel member, in conversation, learning Sergio was once baptized in Robert’s church.

  • Robert offers hope:

    "There was hope for him, there was a way for him to work back into good favor in the sight of God." — Robert Meek [17:39]

  • For a brief time, Sergio’s heart softens, but the moment fades as the threats resume.

6. Ransom Demands and Company Involvement

• [18:59]–[23:49]
  • Sergio instructs Robert to buy a disposable phone for ransom negotiations.
  • Robert calls his CFO, Trevor, under cartel instruction, making a plea for ransom money.
  • Western Union limits and staff reluctance complicate the scheme, while threats against Robert escalate.
  • The FBI is alerted by his coworkers, providing a parallel rescue effort.

7. Miraculous Rescue and Police Intervention

• [23:49]–[26:41]
  • A call to Robert’s hotel room from the police almost betrays him to his captors, but police arrive just in time to extract him safely.
  • Robert describes the emotional trauma and the danger he still feels until finally reaching the safety of the police station.
  • Notable Quote:

    “We don't rescue people, we recover them.” — Mexican police, explaining why Robert's case was extraordinary [27:13]

8. The Trail of Clues & Reunion

• [27:13]–[28:40]
  • Robert’s intentional clues (mess in the original hotel room, the alternate name at check-in) allow police to track him.
  • He’s reunited with family after a harrowing return journey, crossing the border with the help of friends and a private plane.

9. From the Family’s Perspective: The Power of Community Prayer

• [28:40]–[30:58]

  • Robert’s wife recounts learning of the kidnapping and immediately turning to prayer with her family:

    “It was probably the most sincere, heartfelt plea for heavenly help that I’ve ever given.” — Robert Meek’s Wife [29:48]
    “God loved this man that I loved, and that if there was any way for him to be protected, that it would come through God.” — Robert Meek’s Wife [29:52]

  • She describes the peace and assurance that came through faith and collective prayers.

10. Reflections and Lessons

• [30:03]–[33:38]
  • Robert shares that younger listeners helped him see the ordeal was perhaps orchestrated for his captor Sergio's sake, not just his own.
  • The hosts reflect on Robert’s courage and the miracles of hope, light, and faith.
  • Robert's experience is now also chronicled in his book "One More Chance," which echoes his wish for redemption—even for his captors.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Robert’s terror and spiritual surrender:

  "Are you ready to die? And so I knelt down and I prayed to God. I said, God, am I ready to die?" [15:09]

• The moment of forgiving his captors:

  "I knelt again and I prayed to God, help me forgive these guys that hold me captive...Finally, a feeling came...Jesus Christ paid for their sins, and...that was such a relief." [16:07, 15:37]

• Compassion for Sergio, the kidnapper:

  "If I ever thought that I could change, he said, I hope that I could find someone like you to help me, because when you speak to me, I get a really warm feeling in my heart." — Sergio to Robert [17:39]

• Police on their rescue:

  “We don't rescue people, we recover them.” [27:13]

• Robert’s Wife’s desperate prayer:

  “It was probably the most sincere, heartfelt plea for heavenly help that I’ve ever given.” [29:48]

Reflection & Takeaways

• Resilience and Faith: Robert’s deep faith and connection to God give him remarkable emotional and spiritual strength to endure terror and isolation.
• Miracles in Small Details: Inspiration leads him to leave key clues, aiding his timely rescue.
• The Power of Prayer: The episode underscores how Robert, his family, and his broader community experienced the tangible effects of collective prayer and support.
• Compassion Even in Crisis: Robert’s effort to forgive his kidnappers and even minister to them, especially Sergio, underscores the podcast’s message—that light can shine through profound darkness.

Recap and Closing Thoughts (Hosts)

• [31:19]–[33:27]
  • Holly and Emily marvel at Robert’s courage and kindness.
  • They highlight the story’s power as a testimony to prayer, faith, and the transformative reach of compassion, even for one's enemies.
  • They discuss how Robert’s story was personal for them as their family prayed for him in real time.
  • Robert's book, "One More Chance," is mentioned as a fuller account and a symbol of hope for both the victim and the perpetrator.

Important Segment Timestamps

• [04:34] — The kidnapping begins
• [06:29] — The cartel reveals itself and threatens Robert’s family
• [09:24] — Instructions to move hotels; Robert leaves critical clues
• [13:23] — Spiritual struggle; Robert’s “dark night”
• [15:37] — Robert experiences miraculous peace
• [16:07] — Praying for the ability to forgive his captors
• [17:39] — Conversation with Sergio, the former church member
• [20:19] — Ransom negotiation call to company
• [23:49] — Police call to the hotel; rescue unfolds
• [27:13] — Police: “We don't rescue people, we recover them.”
• [28:40] — Wife’s perspective and family prayers
• [31:19] — Hosts’ closing reflections

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Miracle Files delivers a gripping account of survival, highlighting both the horror of criminal victimization and the triumph of faith and prayer. Listeners are left with an uplifting reminder to look for—and participate in—miracles, even when circumstances seem hopeless.