South Sudan: Hijacker Surrenders After Pilot Tells Him God Loves Him

Source: The Christian Post, December 11, 2025

The pilot of a Samaritan’s Purse plane that was recently hijacked told the attempted hijacker that God loves him, according to the Evangelical nonprofit’s CEO, the Rev. Franklin Graham.

Graham talked with the pilot after the incident, who described what it was like when the individual who snuck on board tried to take over the airplane. Graham said the pilot made an effort to “try to convince him not to do this, but the guy said, ‘I’m going to kill you and I’m going to count to three and I’m going to kill you.’”

“So, the pilot realized this isn’t going to turn out well,” said Graham. “So, [the pilot said] I’m just going to tell him that God loves him. The guy surrendered, and so we are just grateful.”

“We work in dangerous parts of the world; that’s part of it.”

Traveling to Maiwut, South Sudan [on December 2], the plane was en route to deliver medicine to a mobile medical unit operated by Samaritan’s Purse when it was hijacked.

“We praise God that no one was seriously injured, and we are grateful to the security forces for their support and swift action on the ground to resolve the situation and bring a safe outcome,” Samaritan’s Purse said in a statement.

Read the full story.

Also from Africa, read about a Ugandan pastor brutally attacked and accused of misleading the community’s children by encouraging them to attend church (Morning Star News) and the Rwandan president’s defense of the closure of thousands of churches (Arab News).

Meanwhile, in Asia, an influential Chinese church reports arrests as the crackdown on Christians intensifies (BBC).

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