BOONE, N.C. /Christian News/ — Three Samaritan’s Purse employees were abducted at approximately 5:30 p.m. (GMT+3), Tuesday, May 18. The Samaritan’s Purse team, two Sudanese men and one 36-year-old American woman from California, was traveling in a two-vehicle convoy and stopped by a group of armed men 25 miles southwest of Nyala in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Samaritan’s Purse is working with U.S. and Sudanese government officials to secure the safe return of its staff.

“I have visited Darfur several times and it is one of the most difficult places in the world to work. I’m asking for the prayers from people around the world for a quick resolution and the safe return of our Samaritan’s Purse staff,” said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse.

Samaritan’s Purse has provided $83.7 million in relief assistance to Sudan since 2001 including medical relief, clean water projects, food distributions, agricultural projects and the rebuilding of hundreds of churches destroyed in the country’s civil war. Samaritan’s Purse is a nonprofit organization that provides immediate response to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations.