November 19, 2025

Missionary Pilot Kidnapped in Niger (Taken to Timbuktu?) │The Prison Pulpit

28 minutes

On this episode of the “Prison Pulpit” on the China Compass podcast I dive into what missionary pilot Kevin Rideout might be experiencing in Niger (or Timbuktu) after being kidnapped by Islamic extremists (but I repeat myself) last month, in the hopes that we will take time to "remember his chains" and intercede for him as Hebrews 13:3 teaches us to do....

I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben, back home in Malaysia. Follow me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I share daily reminders to pray for China.You an email me anytime @ bfwesten at gmail dot com and learn more about our strategic prayer and missions projects @ PrayGiveGo.us!

American Missionary Pilot Kidnapped in Niger (Oct 22)

https://christianchronicle.org/missionarypilot/

https://www.christianpost.com/news/american-missionary-pilot-kevin-rideout-is-abducted-in-niger.html

First, a couple of facts about where Kevin lived, and where Niger is located…

He was in an upscale neighborhood of Niamey, the capital of Niger

The US Embassy of Niger was just 2 miles away (8 minute drive)

The Niger Natl Guard and Presidential Palace were just a mile away

Niamey is located 125 miles west of NW Nigeria, and 125 south of Mali’s southern border

Kevin was reportedly taken north towards Mali, home to the infamous city of Timbuktu.

Niamey is 500 miles north of the Atlantic Ocean (leap-frogging Benin)

Niamey is in the south Sahara, 1500 miles from the Mediterranean and 2100 miles from Cairo

Niger is about twice the size of Texas, 3x the size of California, and virtually the same as Peru

Niamey has about a million people, and Niger as a whole 25 million

Niger has both the highest birthrate in the world at 6.5, but also the highest infant mortality rate

The child mortality rate (child deaths before age 5) is between 80 and 250 per 1,000 (1 in 4)

Niger is such a basketcase that even China has trouble getting them to cooperate, despite throwing hundreds of millions (billions, really) of dollars their way!

China and Niger:

https://northafricapost.com/88430-chinas-costly-gamble-niger-exposes-risks-of-regime-agnostic-diplomacy-in-africa.html

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3313824/china-niger-ties-challenge-beijings-cornerstone-non-interference-policy

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Subscribe to China Compass wherever you get your podcasts. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures), check out our website (PrayGiveGo.us) and email anytime @ (bfwesten at gmail dot com). Hebrews 13:3!

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By China Compass