Call to prayer for missionary pilot and volunteers imprisoned by Mozambique government

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A call to prayer has been sent out for the release of an American Christian missionary pilot and two South African volunteers who have been jailed in Mozambique for a month since being arrested by government officials on suspicion of insurgents in the ongoing civil war, the Christian Post (CP) reports.

Ryan Kohler, 31, a pilot with the US-based Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), was detained in the coastal city of Inhambane on November 4, together with 77-year-old W.J. du Plessis and 69-year-old Eric Dry, CP reports.

The three men were stopped by officials as they loaded supplies of vitamins, over-the-counter medications, and food preservatives onto a plane belonging to MAF partner Ambassador Aviation Ltd, for delivery by Koher to church-run orphanages in Cabo Delgado Province.

None of the supplies belonged to the three Christians: Ambassador Aviation has been carrying out humanitarian flights such as the one intended for November 4 since 2014, CP reports.

“I urge Christians around the world to pray for Ryan’s safety and swift release, and call on those in power both in Mozambique and here in the US to do everything they can to resolve this wrongful detainment,” MAF President and CEO David Holsten said in a statement Friday.

“Ryan is a caring and gentle individual,” Holsten added. “Over the last couple of years, he and his wife have worked hard to learn the language and culture of Mozambique to better serve those who rely on our service. Understandably, this situation has been very challenging for the family. We fully believe in Ryan’s innocence, and we are all praying that this issue will be resolved very soon with the charges dismissed and Ryan released.”

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