In 2017, Sister Gloria, a Franciscan religious sister from Colombia, was kidnaped by an Islamist group in Mali. Recently, her brother Edgar received a letter from her via the Red Cross. Edgar gave ACN an update on his sister.

By ACN Staff

(Update: On 8 October 2021, it was announced that Sister Gloria was released.)

On 7th February 2017, Sister Gloria Narváez Argoti (57) from Colombia was kidnapped in Mali by an Islamist group. It is believed that she is now being held by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims or Groupe de soutien à l'islam et aux musulmans (GSMI). GSMI is believed to have links with Al Qaeda through an alliance of Islamist groups operating in the Sahel region on West Africa. The Colombian religious sister is a member of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate and had been on mission for 12 years in Africa, specifically Benin and Mali. At the time of her kidnapping, Sister Gloria had been helping to run a mission in Karangasso, Mali.

A note from Sister Gloria to her brother has been sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The note was delivered to Sister Gloria’s brother, Edgar, via the Red Cross.  The note is 11 lines long and is dated 3rd February 2021. In the note she tells her brother that she had been handed over to another Islamist group, that is GSMI. In her note Sister Gloria asks for prayers:

“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.”

Edgar had written to Sister Gloria to tell her that their 87-year-old mother had passed away. Speaking to ACN Edgar said that his sister is well everything considered. She is however missing one of the captives who was held with her, French doctor Sophie Petronin. Dr. Petronin was released in October 2020.

Edgar gives more details:

“They were together for four years, they lived together, ate together, slept in the same tent. They were guarded but enjoyed a degree of freedom. Up to a point, they were able to go outside and count the stars, the pebbles and the animals passing by, in order to kill time, because they had nothing else to do. They were given breakfast lunch and tea, there were medicines and a doctor, and they were treated well because they were women, and on account of my sister’s religious habit they showed her great respect.”

An international mission team headed by Colombia went over to Mali to secure the release of Sister Gloria. The mission failed and had to leave Mali this June due to security instability. Edgar told ACN that all he wants is for his sister to be released. Please join us in prayer that Sister Gloria may soon be released.