Missionary Jeff Woodke Speaks Out After Six Years in Captivity in West Africa
Jeff Woodke, a missionary who spent six and a half years as a hostage in West Africa, is speaking publicly about his ordeal and the faith that carried him through. Woodke was kidnapped in Niger in 2016 and released in 2023. He has now written a memoir about the experience.
Jeff Woodke spent six and a half years as a hostage in West Africa. He was kidnapped in Niger in October 2016 while working as a missionary and was released in April 2023. Now he is telling his story.
Woodke gave an interview to Christianity Today this week to discuss his new memoir, which details his captivity and the role his Christian faith played in keeping him alive. He described long stretches of isolation, physical hardship, and the mental discipline required to maintain hope.
"There were days when I had nothing but prayer," Woodke said. "That was enough."
Woodke worked in Niger for decades before his kidnapping, running programs to help nomadic communities. His wife, Els, spent years advocating for his release while raising their children in the United States.
The memoir covers not only the captivity itself but also the complicated process of returning to normal life after years of trauma. Woodke said he hopes the book will encourage other Christians facing suffering and persecution.
His case drew attention to the dangers faced by missionaries and aid workers in the Sahel region, where armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have been active for years.
Woodke is now based in the United States and continues to speak about his faith and his work in West Africa.
