Sister Gloria Cecilia Narváez was held captive by Islamists in Mali for over four and a half years. Released last October, the religious sister returned to her native Colombia. There she was interviewed by ACN about her experience.

By ACN Staff

Between 7 February 2017 and 9 October 2021, Sister Gloria Cecilia Narváez was held captive by Islamist militants in Mali. After her release from captivity, the sister of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate returned to her native Colombia. Sister Gloria had been on a mission in Mali for around 25 years. In Colombia, Sister Gloria spoke with Hernán Darío Cadena from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Colombia about her time in captivity and her mission work in Mali.

She explained that her work in Mali was primarily about health and education. Sister Gloria worked a lot with women, helping to teach them to read and write and also farming and sewing. Some men also attended the classes to learn skills if their wives became ill or died. Sister Gloria worked with health professionals in teaching men and women about health care during pregnancy and childbirth. Death during childbirth is commonplace in Mali. Sister Gloria explained that she and her sisters developed a close relationship with the local people, with it even being agreed that the sisters would look after their children should a mother pass away:

“The parents entrusted us with the care of their babies, which we did with great pleasure, but we got the parents to commit to their children, visit them frequently, and spend time with them.”

This was the work Sister Gloria was carrying out when Islamist militants abducted her in February 2017. Sister Gloria told ACN that she saw the kidnapping as an opportunity provided to her by God:

“It was an opportunity God gave me to see my life, my response to Him... a sort of exodus.”

Her captivity was brutal, with Sister Gloria being a victim of physical abuse at times. Throughout this time, Sister Gloria remained prayerful, often reciting the Psalms and prayers of St. Francis. Sister Gloria would also reflect on the sayings of her order's foundress, Blessed Caridad Brader, and what her own mother had taught her. Sister Gloria’s mother died last year. Her sayings helped Sister Gloria navigate her way through captivity. One saying that Sister Gloria found herself frequently repeating in response to aggravation was the following:

“If someone is a match, don’t be a candle.”

Sister Gloria was frequently abused, being beaten by her kidnappers for praying and sometimes for no reason at all. Sister Gloria told us that what she used to say to herself when she was beaten:

“My God, it is hard to be chained and to receive blows, but I live this moment as You present it to me... And in spite of everything, I would not want any of these men to be harmed.”

One of the group leaders began to beat Sister Gloria while insulting her and God, saying: “Let’s see if that God gets you out of here.” Sister Gloria gave more detail about the experience:

“He spoke to me using very strong, very ugly words... My soul shuddered at what this person was saying, while the other guards laughed out loud at the insults. I approached him and told him in all seriousness: ‘Look boss, please, show more respect to our God; He is the Creator, and it really hurts me a lot that you talk about Him that way.”

After Sister Gloria said this, one of the guards told the others to stop insulting God, which they did. Sister Gloria firmly believes that Our Lord and Our Lady intervened several times to save her life during her captivity.

The Islamists tried to make Sister Gloria adopt Islamic prayer and customs. She told us more:

“They asked me to repeat bits of Muslim prayers, to wear Islamic-style garments, but I always let it be known that I was born in the Catholic faith, that I grew up in that religion, and that for nothing in the world would I change that, even if it cost me my life. More than words, however, we have to defend the faith with the witness of life. We are called to be a witness of our faith.”

Sister Gloria wanted to pass on a message to everyone to keep praying and not get tired. When asked what she wanted to do next, Sister Gloria said she wants to go where God wants her to go and continue to carry out her mission.