A Colombian bishop staged a bold mission to obtain the release of hostages held by rebel forces, leading 500 people from his diocese into a dramatic confrontation with the guerillas, a Bogota journal has reported. Bishop Jorge Leonardo Gomez Serna of Mangangue, along with a French priest, Father Francisco de Roux, organized a convoy of 30 vehicles to venture into the jungle last weekend, searching for guerillas associated with either of Colombia's two main rebel groups: the National Liber Army (ELN) or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Maria Cristina Caballero, a journalist affiliated with the daily El Tiempo, joined in the convoy, and described the experience in a lengthy article published by El Tiempo on Wednesday. Bishop Gomez Serna and Father de Roux (who heads the Social Concerns office for the Mangangue diocese) led the convoy in their blue Toyota all-terrain vehicle. "The group was determined to obtain the release of their kidnapped fellow citizens from the guerillas at any cost," Caballero wrote. Eventually the convoy encountered ELN guerillas, and the bishop demanded a meeting with their leaders. After some negotiations, a local commander identified as "Samuel" appeared with several aides. The bishop then surprised the group by beginning to pray the Rosary, and in a second surprise the guerilla leaders joined in the prayer. When the Rosary was finished, the people of Santa Rosa-- the town from which the convoy began-- entered into a spirited debate with the rebel leaders, accusing them of oppressing the people of Colombia by their violence. In an evident attempt to assuage these critics, "Samuel" announced that he would release one hostage immediately, and others in coming days. Father de Roux rejected that offer, Caballero wrote in her El Tiempo account. "If you are waiting for us to thank you, we will not," the priest said. "Freedom is a right that comes from God, and by releasing hostages you are only recognizing that right-- not doing us any favor." Bishop Gomez Serna and his convoy failed to make contact with any FARC leaders. But after his return to Santa Rosa, the bishop received a phone call from an unidentified FARC spokesman, who promised that his group, too, would begin to release some hostages. "I know that this is an unorthodox way to deal with violence, but the people here are willing to struggle, in a peaceful way, for their rights," Bishop Gomez Serna told El Tiempo. "And I am sure that, from these people, a source of hope will spread across the rest of Colombia."