Missionaries and Pastors Who Died Serving in 2024

Metro Voice regularly reported on the challenges of Christian believers around the world in 2024. The year marked yet another unprecedented record of violence as we witnessed the tragic loss of dozens of missionaries, pastors, volunteers and other Christian workers across continents.  Great swaths of the world are plagued by persecution, conflict, and systemic religious intolerance. From the remote villages of Myanmar to the conflict-ridden regions of Nigeria and the jungles of South America, these stories of sacrifice and refusal of victims to back down from their profession of faith in Christ reveal the profound challenges confronting global Christian communities in their pursuit of faith and service. Continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in 2025.

Rev. K’Okal, 45, a Kenyan missionary serving in Venezuela, was found deceased on January 2, 2024, in a forest area in Guara, Monagas state. Fides News Agency reports his body was discovered under mysterious circumstances during his missionary work.

Open Doors reports that several dozen North Korean believers in an underground church were discovered and executed in 2024. Persecution.org notes that North Korea’s hatred of Christianity has condemned hundreds of thousands of Christians to death.

Nammye Hkun Jaw Li, 47, a Baptist pastor from the Kachin Baptist Convention in Myanmar, was shot dead at his computer shop in Mogaung township by three unknown assailants. UCA News reports the targeted attack highlighted ongoing religious tensions in the region.

Thongkham Philavanh, 40, a Khmu Christian pastor in Laos, was assassinated by two masked men riding motorcycles. AsiaNews confirms the brutal nature of the targeted killing.

Father William Banda, a Zambian missionary with the St. Patrick’s Society for Foreign Missions, was shot dead while preparing to celebrate Mass in Tzaneen, South Africa. Fides News Agency reports the shocking murder during his pastoral duties.

YWAM reported 11 missionaries were killed in a terrible traffic accident in Tanzania on February 25, 2024. Religion News Service confirmed the incident. Those killed were: Claire M., Zabulon T., Emmanuel D., Vicent K., John M., Blaise G., Ime E., Andrew D., Chimene D., Lova R. and Lordienne N. Names withheld to protect other missionaries in the region.

Two HEKS/EPER (Swiss Church Aid) staff members were killed in a drone attack on February 1, 2024, while assessing humanitarian situations in southeastern Ukraine. HEKS/EPER and SwissInfo reported the incident.

An Adventist humanitarian worker was killed and another critically injured in a drone strike near the village of Solonchaky in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region on November 25, 2024. Adventist News Network reported the details.

Three Red Cross workers were killed in a shelling attack in eastern Ukraine on September 12, 2024, during a planned aid distribution. Al Jazeera and The New York Times confirmed the incident.

Three Coptic Orthodox monks were killed in South Africa in March 2024, with a 35-year-old suspect arrested though the precise motive remained unclear. Metro Voice News details the ongoing religious violence in the region.

Sister Nikolin Padjo, a missionary religious sister in Indonesia, was killed when the Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano erupted unexpectedly in 2024. Vatican News reported her death.

Father Paul Hkwi Shane Aung, a Catholic priest in Myanmar’s Kachin state, was shot three times by two masked gunmen while preaching a sermon at St. Patrick Catholic Church. International Christian Concern reports the brazen attack during religious services.

Father Javier Sánchez, 60, from the Archdiocese of Zaragoza in Spain, died on April 4, 2024, after suffering severe burns during an Easter fire liturgical service. National Catholic Register reports the tragic accident during a religious ceremony.

Reverend Manasseh Ibrahim, a Nigerian pastor, was killed on April 23, 2024, by armed “bandits” while traveling to a church conference in Kaduna state. International Christian Concern reports the targeted attack.

On May 23, 2024, three missionaries from Missions in Haiti – Davy Lloyd, his wife Natalie Lloyd, and Jude Montis, the organization’s country director – were brutally murdered by gang members in an ambush near Port-au-Prince, with the attack occurring while they were traveling between mission sites and leaving behind a devastated community and mission organization that had been serving in Haiti’s most dangerous regions. Metro Voice News confirms the tragic details of their deaths.

Beau Shroyer, 44, a Minnesota missionary serving in Lubango, Angola, was killed on October 25, 2024, in a violent criminal attack that shocked his mission community and led to subsequent legal investigations involving his wife. Metro Voice News details the circumstances of his unexpected and tragic death.

Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, 72, died at Gemelli Hospital in Rome after a lifetime dedicated to interfaith dialogue and missionary work, leaving behind a significant legacy of promoting understanding between different religious communities. Fides News Agency reports on his remarkable contributions to global religious understanding.

Father Lawrence J. Lewis, a Maryknoll missionary in China, died in December 2024, remembered fondly by his former Chinese students for his decades of dedicated service and cultural bridge-building. Fides reports the profound impact of his missionary work.

Father Paul Tatu Mothobi, a Stigmatine priest and former Media and Communications Officer of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, was found dead of gunshot wounds in South Africa, highlighting the ongoing violence against religious workers in the region. Catholic News Agency reports the circumstances of his tragic murder.

Pastor Richard Malinga, a Ugandan pastor, was killed on June 17, 2024, while traveling home from his church, becoming another victim of targeted violence against religious leaders in the region. Barnabas Fund reports the details of his unexpected death.

Y Bum Bya, a pastor of the Evangelical Church of Christ in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, died in March 2024 after facing intense persecution, succumbing to pressures that forced him to denounce his faith. Persecution.org confirms the circumstances of his tragic passing.

An unnamed Spanish priest and four customs officers were killed in a jihadist attack in eastern Burkina Faso in mid-February, underscoring the dangerous conditions for religious workers in conflict-prone regions. Open Doors USA reports the details of the violent incident.

An 80-year-old pastor in Burkina Faso was among six shot and killed after a church service need. The group courageously refused to denounce their faith even after being threatened with execution. Open Doors USA details the remarkable testament of faith during the attack.

An unnamed pastor killed in Nigeria, representing the ongoing pattern of religious violence in the region that continues to threaten Christian leaders and communities. Worthy News notes the persistent challenges faced by religious workers in the area.

Joan Onyemaechi, a prominent Nigerian Christian evangelist and politician, was found dead after being abducted from church on August 7, 2024, in an incident that underscored the increasing threats to religious and political leaders in Nigeria. Worthy News reports the circumstances of his tragic disappearance and death.

An unnamed Vietnamese Christian was killed after facing intense pressure from local authorities following his recent conversion, representing the ongoing religious persecution in regions with restricted religious freedoms. Worthy News confirms the targeted nature of the killing.

In Pakistan, five Christian sanitation workers and active members serving in their churches were murdered in separate incidents in 2024. The deaths highlighted the precarious position Christians hold in the Muslim-majority nation.

Christian farmer and local Christian leader Kushuwai was brutally killed at a Christian farming community in November, according t0 Persecution.org.

Four Christians were killed in the Hwrra village attack in Plateau state, Nigeria, on June 26, 2024, when suspected Islamic Fulani extremists launched a coordinated assault on their community, further demonstrating the ongoing religious conflict in the region. Persecution.org reports the devastating details of the attack.

Naseem Nazir, the wife of a Christian man previously killed by a Muslim mob, died on June 21, 2024, in a tragic continuation of the violence that had already claimed her husband’s life. Persecution.org confirms the circumstances of her death.

Father Charles Onomhoale Igechi, a Nigerian priest shot dead while returning from pastoral duties in Benin City on June 7, 2024, became another victim of the escalating violence against religious workers in Nigeria. Catholic News Agency reports the details of his murder.

Nazir Masih, a 70-year-old Pakistani Christian who died from injuries sustained in a mob assault related to blasphemy accusations, represented the ongoing persecution of religious minorities in the region. Global Christian Relief confirms the circumstances of his tragic death.

Pastor Abah Jacob was killed was slain in Nigeria on March 13, 2024. He was among the thousands of Christians who have been been murdered as attacks on believers continue to plague Christian communities in the country, according to Morning Star News.

Father Cyril Mbata died suddenly on November 28, 2024, leaving behind a community mourning the loss of a dedicated religious leader. Reported via local church announcement. Local news outlets said stress over local church attacks may have contributed to his death.

Sister Jenny Lucas, a 26-year-old missionary, died unexpectedly on August 2, 2024, from sudden medical complications that shocked her mission community. Church of Jesus Christ Newsroom confirms the circumstances of her passing.

A Vietnamese Christian was murdered after local Communist authorities objected to his recent conversion. He was unnamed by in Christian reports for the safety of his family and the murder represented the growoing persecution in regions with restricted religious freedoms. Worthy News confirms the targeted nature of the killing.

Another unnamed pastor was slaughtered in Nigeria, symbolizing the continued violence and persecution faced by Christian leaders in the region with many watchdog groups likening the attacks to genocide, as reported by Metro Voice News.

Note: This represents just about 46 of the documented cases of religious workers, missionaries, pastors and other church workers who died in 2024. Verified through multiple sources, it highlights the ongoing challenges and sacrifices of religious workers worldwide.

–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice