Steadfast Global, December 2019
Swiss nun Beatrice Stockly was abducted from her home in Timbuktu, Mali in January 2017. Doctor Ken Elliot, in his eighties, remains unaccounted for after being abducted in Burkina Faso also in January 2017, having served in that country for over forty years.
Italian priest, Pier Luigi Maccalli, having served in Mali for eleven years, was taken from his home in September 2018. Sister Gloria Argoti, originally from Colombia, was abducted in Mali by Al Qaeda affiliated fundamentalists on 8 February 2017.
Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel disappeared into the Eritrean prison system back in May 2004—over 15 years ago! He has never been charged with a crime and he is being held in isolation. American citizen, Jeff Woodke was abducted in Niger in October 2017, having served the communities of Niger for the past 24 years.
Leah Sharibu has now spent almost 2 years in captivity following her abduction by Boko Haram militants in February 2018, reportedly because she has refused to deny her Christian faith and embrace Islam. Iranian Christian Ebrahim Firouzi commenced his 2-year period of internal exile in November. He is required to report daily to court officials.
Pastor Wang Yi of the Early Rain Covenant Church in China remains in detention awaiting trial since December 2018. Pastor John Cao, a permanent resident of the United States, remains in prison in China after losing an appeal against a seven-year sentence after being arrested in March 2017.