Liberia: captured missionary safe

A British priest captured by rebels in Liberia while helping the blind will be free soon, the Missionary News Service reports. Fr Garry Jenkins, 60, who originally comes from Brighton, is with the Society of Missions of Africa (SMA). He disappeared in Bomi County, about 40 miles north of the capital Monrovia while trying to shepherd dozens of blind Liberians away from fierce clashes between the army and the guerrillas. On Sunday UN personnel in Liberia announced that they had been in contact with the LURD (Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy) rebels holding Fr Garry, and that he was well. There was no news of the blind people. Guinea's Apostolic Nuncio Mgr Alberto Bottari said that the missionary was in good health and that diplomatic efforts were underway to ensure that "international personnel" would be attending the missionary over the Guinea border. Fr Garry has worked with the poor and sick in Liberia for over 25 years. Many Catholic institutions in Liberia have been damaged in recent fighting. Fr Garry's home was looted by combatants in an earlier attack, forcing him to flee.