A handwritten note sent by a kidnapped nun to her brother has come to light, in which she appeals for prayer for an end to her four-year ordeal at the hands of jihadists.
Sister Gloria Narváez Argoti, 57, who was abducted in Mali, sent the letter to Edgar Narváez Argoti, a message seen by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
The note says: “I send everyone my warmest greetings. May the good Lord bless them and grant them health. I have been held prisoner for four years, and now I am with a new group.
“May they all pray a great deal for me. May God bless them all. I am hopeful that God will help me to regain my freedom. Your loving sister, Gloria.”
According to latest reports, Sister Gloria is being held by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), militants belonging to a jihadist alliance in the Sahel with links to Al-Qaeda.
The Sister, originally from Colombia, was kidnapped in February 2017 while working in Karangasso, Mali, close to the border with Burkina Faso. The note, dated 3rd February 2021, was sent via Red Cross International and was received by Mr Narváez in May, who revealed the details to ACN.
Mr Narváez had written to Sister Gloria to inform her that their mother, Rosita Argoti de Narváez, died in September 2020 aged 87 “unable to endure the sadness and despair any longer” of her daughter’s captivity.