Russia (MNN) — There’s encouraging news to share about a South Korean missionary detained in Russia — and many are calling it an answer to prayer.

Ms. Park Tae-Yeon, 69, has been held by Russian authorities since January 15. Earlier this week, Mission Network News reported on her arrest and an online petition calling for her release. That story was picked up by South Korean media, and quickly reached people who could help.

(Photo courtesy of VOM Korea)

Eric Foley with The Voice of the Martyrs Korea says those headlines mattered.

“We really believe it is [an] answer to prayer. The Voice of the Martyrs Korea has confirmed that Ms. Park met for 40 minutes with a representative from the Korean consulate on the afternoon of February 3.”

Park is also in a better living situation now. “We can confirm that today, Ms. Park was moved from the detention center to house arrest after submitting a pledge not to leave Russia until the end of the investigation,” Foley says.

Park was targeted at the same time as Child Evangelism Fellowship in a months-long investigation by Russian officials. The charges against her remain unchanged, which means the hard work is still ahead.

Foley says the situation highlights a broader pattern.

Russian flag (Photo courtesy of Dimmis Vart/Unsplash)

“This is an example of the increasing restrictions on religious liberty, especially for evangelicals in Russia. So let’s make sure we’re praying for both of those situations — one, the release of Ms. Park, but also that this is really the tip of a very big iceberg.”

The Voice of the Martyrs Korea continues to collect signatures for a petition calling for Park’s immediate release. The ministry will deliver the petition to the Russian embassy shortly after the Lunar New Year.

Access the petition here.

Please pray for Park’s encouragement, protection, and full release. Pray also for Christian ministries in Russia, asking God to guard believers and keep the Gospel moving forward despite growing pressure.

Header photo of Ms. Park Tae-Yeon, courtesy of VOM Korea.

“This is not surprising in a lot of countries that we work in where there are attacks of this nature, abductions, and things like that,” says Floyd Brobbel with Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. “We don’t always get the information right away, so, often we sit on a number of stories and we wait to see, ‘Where do the real numbers [land], and how does the story play out?'”

He adds, “In Nigeria, though, it’s been fairly consistent that the reporting has come quickly and it’s been verified. In this particular case, it seems that stories are not being verified as quickly.”

Disinformation tactics could be at work. Brobbel says some might want to downplay a real kidnapping to avoid the chance of another United States airstrike. But others might want that type of intervention.

“Part of the issue is that we’re dealing with a very volatile region. Many of these places are remote, so they’re not easy to get to [in order] to verify quickly,” Brobbel says. 

The bigger picture of Nigeria

Questions about the weekend mass abduction aside, kidnappings and killings are a core part of the strategy of Islamic militants in Nigeria.

Video screenshot of Rev. Gideon Dawel courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada.

“What I think we’re looking at is acts of terrorism within northern Nigeria meant to destabilize the region, promote fear, gain control, and further create this religious animosity that is happening there,” Brobbel says. (Listen to the story of one Nigerian pastor here.)

There’s another layer to Nigeria’s security issues, not only the clash between Islam and Christianity. One missionary to Nigeria told Brobbel that even posting guards can’t prevent attacks. 

“It’s not like you can look at somebody and right away say, ‘Oh, that’s a Boko Haram fighter,’ or ‘That’s a Fulani herdsman,'” he says. “They blend in. They look alike, and then suddenly they can form and gather together.”

On top of that, when an attack is over, government authorities don’t always cooperate to bring justice.

Brobbel says the Nigerian Church continues to grow and to reach out in love to neighbors, but these believers are caught in a difficult time. 

“Not all Christians respond in a godly way — in a biblical way — to these attacks,” says Brobbel. That’s why VOM Canada helps to equip Nigerian believers with a theology of persecution, in addition to practical aid. (More on VOM Canada ministry projects in Nigeria here.) 

Find your place in the story

(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada)

Please pray every day that God will strengthen the Nigerian church to stand in faith, “that leaders in Nigeria would not be tempted to take up arms and fight with the weapons of the world, but would recognize that their battle is not against flesh and blood,” says Brobbel. 

“Pray for practical relief to be able to get into the country. There are Christians in IDP camps. There are food shortages and a hunger crisis that’s happening there because of the instability in the region. Farmers aren’t being able to get into their field to cultivate their crops.”

Finally, please take action by contacting your government representatives to raise awareness of what’s happening in Nigeria. Ask them to use their influence on Nigeria’s behalf.

Learn more about Nigeria at VOM Canada’s website.

Header photo of people praying in Nigerian church (photo courtesy of David Iloba via Pexels).

Ryan, a pilot with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), was detained in Mozambique in November 2022 while preparing to fly supplies for local orphanages. He was released months later, and in 2024, a Mozambican court officially dismissed the case against him.

(Photo courtesy of Annabel Koher)

Now, the Kohers have returned to the city of Nampula in northern Mozambique, resuming their Gospel ministry with MAF.

“Back in October of last year, we got news that the case was closed, and that was really exciting for us,” Ryan recalls. “At that time, Annabelle was pregnant…. It was several months after the case was closed that we were finally able to return here. So we got back to the field in mid-April.”

Ryan has stepped into a larger leadership role this time — serving not only as a pilot and mechanic, but also as the Director of Operations.

“It’s a lot more responsibility and a lot more challenge,” he says. “But I find it really enjoyable to be serving this way.”

MAF’s team in Mozambique supports the MozMed Project, a partnership that flies doctors into the Niassa Special Reserve. Medical teams visit remote villages, providing vital care in the name of Jesus.

Ryan also flies for other ministries and church partners — helping short-term mission teams and denominational leaders reach distant congregations. Meanwhile, MAF’s Mozambican staff continues to share Christ through Jesus film showings.

“We’ve had [at least] 30 requests from local pastors and communities too for us to come out and show the Jesus film,” Ryan says. “It’s really cool to see the desire for Jesus here.”

MAF pilot Ryan Koher reaches a flying milestone. (Credit: Annabel Koher/MAF)

Following Ryan’s detainment, MAF has implemented a few internal policy updates — but the ministry’s mission hasn’t changed.

“We’ve understood that my situation was very unique,” Ryan explains. “We did learn a lot from it, so we have made some changes policy-wise, but nothing very major. I don’t think we’ve changed who we fly or where we fly at all because of this.”

The Kohers ask believers to pray for northern Mozambique, where terrorist activity has intensified and some attacks are being directed at Christians.

Annabel requests, “Be praying for Christians in Mozambique, for protection, [and] for them to stay steadfast in their faith. Also, [pray] for the terrorists, that they would come to know Christ and they would repent of their ways. They’re not too far gone, and we believe that the Gospel is powerful.”

Learn more about MAF’s work in Mozambique.

Header photo of the Koher family, courtesy of MAF — used with permission from the Koher family.

Earlier this month, over 7,000 young people from across the region gathered at KwaSizabantu Mission for a week of worship, teaching, and spiritual renewal.

Dr. Peter Hammond addresses the KSB youth conference. (Photo, caption courtesy of World Missionary Press)

One speaker at the KSB youth conference, Dr. Peter Hammond with Livingstone Fellowship, brought more than a message. He brought Gospel booklets printed by WMP.

Helen Williams with WMP says, “The service was overflowing, and they passed out two tons of World Missionary Press Gospel booklets in Zulu to this mission in time for the youth conference!”

The truth of Scripture is especially needed in South Africa. Although Christianity as a religious label is increasing across the country, mainline denominations are decreasing. More and more South African youth are drawn to heretical offshoots of Christianity, prosperity gospel, and cults.

By reading and knowing God’s Word, young people can better discern false teachings and follow Jesus in wisdom and truth!

Williams says, “It’s encouraging! I can just see this guy in South Africa handing out two tons – 4,000 pounds – of booklets, and all these young, eager Christian South Africans from the region ready to go out with their Zulu booklets.

“Only the Lord can do all of this – lay out this plan of distribution, and us taking the money that is sent to us and the prayers that are given for us. We just print [the booklets] and then we send them, and the whole plan just amazes me.”

(Photo courtesy of World Missionary Press)

WMP works with trusted ministry partners like Dr. Hammond to get Gospel material to the ends of the earth.

“This is what our people in various countries do. They don’t just sit on it. They don’t just wait for someone to call. They find these opportunities, and they get the material out into the hands of people.”

From the rural mission base in KwaZulu-Natal, the ripple effect of this youth outreach is just beginning. The hope is that each booklet given out will find its way into a home, a school, or a village – and a heart.

Pray for conference attendees to share their faith boldly, using WMP Gospel booklets as a resource! As South Africans encounter Scripture, may they be drawn to the Lord’s truth and lovingkindness.

You can support WMP’s ministry here!

Header photo courtesy of World Missionary Press.

“They say the blood of the martyrs [has] so fertilized the soil of Africa that everywhere you plant the gospel, it germinates,” says Ray Mensah with OneWay Africa. 

With that missionary history of sacrifice comes responsibility.

“The Bible says to him that much is given, much is expected or required. So now that Africa has the largest number of Christians, Africa has to play a significant role in world evangelization,” Mensah says.

“Africa cannot continue to be a mission field. Africa has to be a mission force. We believe we are [a] mission force but want to be [a] full-scale mission force, sending praying, supporting in every area.”

That’s why Mensah and other African leaders are planning the Africa Missions Conference September 23-27, 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.

(Photo courtesy of Annie Spratt via Unsplash)

“It will be a place for networking, for partnerships, for new movements to rise up,” he says, adding, “We’re hoping that some of the denominational heads in Africa will come and churches that are not missionary, and they will catch the fire for missions.”

The conference carries an open invitation for you to come in person. Mensah calls for anyone around the world interested in missions to attend — whether field workers, leaders, intercessors, trainers or [those] carrying other roles.

“I challenge all those with passion for missions to stand with us globally. Especially also if someone is listening and you are African in the diaspora… we are calling you, come!” Mensah says, sharing that many nationalities will be represented. “Be part of the mission movement. God is doing wonderful things in Africa, and we invite you, come back home.”

Jesus Film Riders (Image courtesy of OneWay Africa)

The conference committee is also praying that the gathering will lead to national missions associations being launched in every sub-Saharan country. These have already begun in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya and Malawi in the past decade or so.

“We have realized that mission movements, or national mission associations, help to push or propel missions in the country to reach the unreached,” Mensah says, adding, “Once those movements are formed, it will be a turning point in missions in Africa.”

Mensah sees [that] God is raising every part of His Church to be active. Learn more about the conference and register here. 

“I believe the Africa Missions Conference will be that part of the global Church in action, and Africa taking its place and playing its role, together with North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Oceania, together for the Great Commission to take the gospel to the ends of the earth,” he says. “Amen!”

Header photo of Jesus Film Rider courtesy of OneWay Africa.

Click! A worship song overlaps the call to namaz in a furnished apartment. The digital age has opened new doors for those living under strict regimes. Denise Godwin from the International Media Ministries says: “It’s the Holy Spirit at work in the Middle East. People [are] getting a chance to peek outside the curtain of their own country, see what’s happening in the world, and start exploring ideas.”

Men talking to each other (Photo courtesy of Edmond Dantès via Pexels)

This is the opposite of what oppressive regimes in the Middle East and North Africa intend. Instead of blindly obeying restrictions on information and limited freedoms, many people actively seek knowledge through the one source they can access freely — the Internet. Many go online to learn about Christianity or engage with believers through various apps. They share inspiring videos or watch them together on a trusted minister’s screen. On this journey, many encounter Christ.

This is a prophecy coming to life. Godwin reminds:

“It says in the Bible, every tribe, tongue, nation, and everybody’s going to have that chance to hear [the Gospel]. This time in the media is definitely a time like that, that everyone can have a chance to seek the truth for themselves, examine it, and make their own decision.”

As technology advances, so do media ministries. Their impact is even greater when they collaborate to produce high-quality content. “We need to keep creating content that catches people’s eyes,” Godwin urges. “We need people to be called into media missionary living!”

More than ever, believers should have a basic understanding of sharing the Gospel online — and, when needed, use online translators. Someone somewhere in the world might be open to learning about their Savior, and a single online encounter could be their only link to Christianity. Even if someone feels unsure about sharing the Gospel, they can always share a video made by a professional media ministry.

Please pray and consider supporting International Media Ministries as they use advanced technologies to share timeless stories and bring people closer to Jesus in a way that’s easy to understand.

“It’s a super important time for the message of the Gospel to go forth through media. That’s how a lot of people are going to start their journey!” Godwin says.

May many of those journeys begin.

Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Keira Burton via Pexels.

In November 2024 Trans World Radio (TWR) released Lifted, a documentary about the Schoen family’s ministry to the two tribes in Suriname. The story is inspiring and some who have seen it might question if they also are called to missions.

Receiving a Call to Missions

Clay Perry with TWR notes that a call to missions can look vastly different person to person. “I do think the Lord calls people in the missions in in various ways. There’s stories like this, like a testimonial that calls people into missions because they can relate to and they see one family’s obedience, and they say, ‘Hey, why don’t I be obedient in the same way?’ I think others are just called from reading Scripture. It’s very clear that Jesus wants us to go into all the nations proclaiming His gospel and usher in the kingdom. And I think others will wrestle with it for a while.”

Perry also served as a missionary for a time. He says that his personal journey included prayer, understanding God’s heart for the nations and then taking a step of obedience, knowing that God would equip him.

“He calls us to big things, but he’s a big God that gives us the necessary means to either raise the support or get the necessary training, or just the necessary boldness to go and trust to go.”

A Powerful God: The Impetus for Missions

Whether the call is instantaneous or requires time and discernment, Perry notes that the theme of God doing the big work should be consistent for every missionary. The goal of going into missions is not to demonstrate your own greatness, but to make God great among all people. This theme is central to Lifted and should be true of all God’s people.

(Photo courtesy of TWR)

“I do think when folks watch Lifted, you will not walk away from the film thinking, ‘Wow, the Schoen family is a really unique, powerful missionary family.’ You will walk away thinking, they serve a very powerful God. They make that super clear in the film that it’s not them who has caused this great awakening among tribal peoples. It’s the Lord, and they just happen to be the vessels who were there and they were faithful enough to go.”

If you feel God calling you to missions be encouraged that God will equip His people to answer the call. Click here to learn more about how you can get involved with TWR.

Header photo courtesy of TWR.

The truth is that God can use anyone, regardless of their profession, to further His Kingdom.

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is a testament to this truth. Missionary pilots and mechanics are essential to their ministry. Yet, MAF relies on many different hands and laborers to reach isolated communities with the love of Christ — including IT, education, administration, and even human resources.

Marionne Tucker, MAF’s Chief People Officer (Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

Marionne Tucker, MAF’s Vice President and Chief People Officer, is a prime example of how God can use diverse talents in missions.

With a background in human resources, Tucker’s role might seem far removed from traditional missionary work. Yet, her work in managing and supporting MAF’s staff is crucial to the organization’s ability to advance the name of Jesus through aviation.

Tucker’s prayer to the Lord captures the heart of missions: “We want to give You our lives, we want to give You our talents, our skills, our treasures… for the expansion of Your work.”

MAF continually seeks individuals with various skills to join its mission. From IT specialists to teachers, there are countless ways to contribute to the Great Commission.

Beyond offering talents, Tucker emphasizes the importance of prayer and financial support. She prays for more laborers to join the mission and for the resources needed to sustain MAF’s work.

“I just pray…that they may desire to come alongside Mission Aviation Fellowship… to be a blessing, to sow into this ministry,” she says.

Whether you’re on the field or behind the scenes, God can use your talents to reach the unreached and bring His love to the ends of the earth.

Find missions roles at MAF here!

Header photo courtesy of Chuttersnap/Unsplash.

By God’s grace, the experience of imprisonment in Mozambique actually deepened Ryan’s passion to serve the Mozambican people.

“Over at least my detainment experience, I grew to love the people of Mozambique more as I spent time with the worst of society in jail and learned to love them and love the people who put me in jail and the prison guards,” says Ryan. “We just also look forward to doing life with our team and our national staff that we came to know in Mozambique, and just ministering to them as well.

“Our drive going back is rooted in our love for Christ and our love of serving Him and bringing people to Him.”

Ryan Koher, Annabel Koher, and their two boys. (Photo courtesy of MAF, used with permission from the Koher family.)

MAF has been serving in Mozambique since 1999 and created Ambassador Aviation in 2014 to meet new requirements for charter services. Today, the ministry’s missionary families and indigenous staff primarily serve hard-to-reach people groups in northern Mozambique, flying healthcare resources and other forms of aid in Jesus’s name.

The Kohers still believe in this mission and want God to use them, despite whatever future challenges may arise.

“God has given us special gifts and abilities and skills, and also opportunity to go and serve in Mozambique,” Ryan says. “We are just going to take that open door and go and serve them there.”

After their daughter is born and they have time to recuperate as a family, Ryan and Annabel plan to move back to Mozambique and continue serving with Ambassador Aviation.

As they prepare to follow God’s calling, Annabel requests, “Prayer for the visa process, that our daughter’s passport would come through quickly and smoothly, that we’d be able to get visas to go to Mozambique smoothly.

Ryan Koher (Photo courtesy of MAF, used with permission from the Koher family.)

“Also [pray for] the transition back into Mozambique because we have been out of the country for over a year now. Our boys are five and almost four, and they’re super excited to go back. That’s home to them, but we also realize that there will be a transition going back. So prayer that that will go smoothly, that our language skills will come back to us, and just that we’ll thrive there and be open to whatever ministries God has for us in Mozambique.”

To learn more about how Mission Aviation Fellowship serves communities in Mozambique, visit MAF’s website.

Header photo taken in September 2022 at Nairuko, Mozambique. Featuring Ryan Koher, Annabel Koher, and their two boys. (Photo courtesy of MAF, used with permission from the Koher family.)

“From the very beginning, we knew that Ryan was carrying out a legitimate and needed flight and was completely innocent of the suspicions that were investigated,” said David Holsten, MAF President and CEO. “During this lengthy ordeal, Ryan and Annabel have faithfully trusted the Lord and experienced His sustaining care on many occasions. We are so grateful to everyone who has diligently prayed for the Koher family. We know that God will use this situation for His glory.”

Ryan Koher (Photo courtesy of MAF, used with permission from the Koher family.)

Ryan Koher responded to the news by saying, “It has been a long journey and an uphill battle at times, to get to this point of closure. I know this would not be possible without the many people who have been faithfully praying to this end. I would like to thank everyone for your prayers and love for our family. I pray that God will receive all the glory for His work in our lives.”

On November 2, 2022, Koher left the AAL base in Nampula for a five-hour flight to Inhambane on a Cessna 206. He met two South Africans who had brought supplies to be delivered to an orphanage in northern Mozambique. AAL has been conducting these supply flights to the
orphanage for several years.

While going through the normal security scan at the airport, police took an interest in some vitamins, over-the-counter medications, and food preservative supplies. They confiscated the entire load and detained Koher and the two South Africans. None of the confiscated material belonged to Koher nor had it been loaded onto the airplane, which was secured by police.

The three men were jailed under suspicion of supporting the insurgent activity in northern Mozambique, near to where the orphanage is located. Following an initial incarceration at the local police jail on November 4, 2022, they were officially arrested on November 7 and moved to a prison in Inhambane. Koher and the South Africans were then moved to the Machava High Security Prison near the capital city of Maputo on November 16. AAL retained a Mozambican lawyer for Koher, and the U.S. Embassy was made aware of the situation.

Kohers arrive in Boise. (Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

Koher was released from the high security prison on March 14, 2023, and required to remain in Mozambique. In late September 2023, a judge ordered that Koher’s passport be returned and he and his family arrived in the United States on October 5. Ryan and his wife, Annabel, have two boys and are expecting their third child in December. They are currently planning to resume their work in Mozambique in 2025.

“There has never been a point in this whole process where Annabel and I lost the desire to return. Through this experience, we have come to love the people of Mozambique more, and we are very excited to go back and continue serving there. Because we know from experience that God is faithful to carry us through hardship and difficulty, we can return in confidence, knowing His plans for us are good and that He will again help us in any time of trouble,” Koher said.

Mission Aviation Fellowship has been serving the people of Mozambique since 1999 with Ambassador Aviation becoming the operational entity in 2014. Based out of Nampula with two aircraft, the Cessna 206 and a Cessna Caravan EX, typical flights include medical evacuations, medical care through the MOZMED project, and flights for conservation groups in the Niassa Special Reserve, to name a few.

In 2021, AAL evacuated over 800 people from Afungi following insurgent attacks on Palma in the Cabo Delgado province. They also provided food, medicine, and relief supplies to the area. Medical personnel flights served the area for several months in late 2021 and early 2022 as the
region recovered from the attacks. In 2019, AAL provided a disaster assessment by air following Cyclones Idai and Kenneth and conducted 184 relief flight legs, delivering over 45,000 kg of cargo and 691 passengers as part of the humanitarian assistance response.

Tomorrow, we’ll share part two of this story, focusing on the Koher family’s hope to resume their ministry in Mozambique.

Header photo: Ryan & Annabel Koher, their two boys, and a baby girl expected in December 2024. (Photo courtesy of MAF)