Congressman Pete Sessions speaks about bringing Lufkin missionaries home

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTRE) - Congressman Pete Sessions spoke on Saturday about how local and international cooperation were essential in bringing 12 missionaries back home after a coup interrupted their travel in Niger.

Harmony Hill Baptist Church recently sent a team of missionaries to Niger to spread their message. During their stay, the country began a coup, which prevented their timely return. On Tuesday, the church announced their team would be able to return home, but arranging this return involved multiple leaders and international cooperation.

Sessions began by remarking on how local residents organized to support each other.

“I think prayer and confidence really helped these students and the three adults that were with them. Harmony Hill Baptist Church in Lufkin, Texas, has a lot of prayers that they gave on behalf of these people that were sequestered — I don’t know that they were ever threatened — but they were sequestered as a result of a coup that took place in Niger.”

The community came together in a remarkable way, holding prayer vigils at 6 p.m. each day, even asking those who could not attend to take a quiet moment at home.

Sessions said they knew on Monday that a flight was available, but the airport was still shut down. The state department became involved to verify identities and help coordinate the extra measures needed. It took diplomatic cooperation to solve these challenges.

“The U.S. was not in a good position, but our friends the Italians were, so they agreed to not only help but take responsibility, and then the U.S. embassy jumped in when they got to Rome,” Sessions said.

Even communicating with the missionaries across countries was not simple, however.

“They had limited access on wifi, so they had limited access on their communication devices,” Sessions said. “So, we had to make sure first that we established that point of contact, then to make sure everybody was safe, everybody was accounted for, and we could move forward with a plan.”

Sessions pointed out how relationships between countries can enable solutions to complicated issues such as this. He also said he will be in contact with local Lufkin officials to follow up as the situation concludes.

Related:

• Lufkin church says mission team on way home from coup-locked Niger

Copyright 2023 KTRE. All rights reserved.