An American missionary was among 28 people killed in an attack by al-Qaeda-linked militants in the west African nation of Burkina Faso Friday night.
Fox News reports that Mike Riddering, who moved to Burkina Faso with
his wife, Amy, in 2011 to engage in missionary work which centered on
running an orphanage, was sitting at a cafe in the captial city of
Ouagadougou when the gunmen opened fire.
State Department spokesman Adm. John Kirby confirmed Riddering’s death in a statement on Saturday.
Brant Brooks, who has known Riddering for three years and adopted a
daughter from the orphanage he ran, testified to the good work Riddering
was doing in the country.
“Every week, Mike would go out and feed the widows in the surrounding
villages. He would bring them grains and cooking oil and anything else
they might need.”
Riddering and his wife ran an orphanage called “Ailes de Refuge” or
“Wings of Refuge” in English. The couple has two grown biological
children and an adopted daughter.
Riddering’s wife shared about the work her husband was doing:
“He made an eternal impact on an immeasurable number of people in
Burkina Faso and throughout the world. His legacy on earth will not be
forgotten," she said.
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