First-Time US Missionary Killed in Angola

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – An American first-time missionary to Angola was killed on Friday, October 25, amid intensifying hunger and violence in the troubled West African country, the Christian Post reports.

A missionary with SIM-USA, 44-year-old Beau Shroyer from Minnesota, was sent three years ago to minister the Gospel in Lubango, Angola, with his wife Jackie and their five children. Despite intense difficulties, the family persevered and was excited to have completed their first term successfully and to return to the field.

During a presentation about their work, Jackie Shroyer told a supporting US church in June: “We battled many other sicknesses. We had a lot of security issues. Mistrust with guards. We went through so many guards and we had several break-ins in our home during the night while we were at home sleeping. It’s really encouraging that now that we’re here, we completed that first term. There’s not one doubt in any seven of our minds that this is where we’re supposed to be and just so excited to get back and continue our work.”

Reporting on dire security conditions in the country, Beau added during that presentation that desperate people were trying to break in to an orange farm connected to the ministry and that a perimeter fence was required. “These guys are here day and night guarding against thieves who will come in to steal the oranges to sell. It’s so bad that they are shooting at people … one of the thieves was shot and killed in a machete fight. They’re so hungry that they’re risking their lives to get a stack of oranges.”

In a statement announcing Beau’s death, SIM USA said: “Beau Shroyer was killed in an act of violence while serving Jesus in Angola, Africa. At this point, there are many details about what’s happened that are still unknown…amidst the shock and grief, we must not forget the truths found in the scriptures that point to God’s wise, merciful, gracious, faithful, trustworthy, and always loving character as well as the truth that Beau was a man who, because of his love for the Lord, gave His life to pointing the lost, the hurting, the desperate and the broken to the God who rescued, saved and transformed his life.”

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