FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (BP)–Two Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board missionary couples are preparing to evacuate Freetown, Sierra Leone, by U.S. helicopter ship at 8 a.m. Friday, May 30. Embassies are organizing evacuations as Nigerian troops loyal to deposed President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and troops backing coup leader Maj. Johnny Paul Koroma are poised to square off against each other in Freetown, if diplomatic pressure against the coup proves unfruitful. The mission workers are Ron and Sharon Hill of Albuquerque, N.M., and Felix and Dene Greer of Jackson, Miss.
The Hills are permanently assigned to work in the country, while the Greers were most recently assigned to Liberia, working outside Freetown until they can get back into Liberia. The four plan to stay in a hotel off the missionary compound in Freetown the night of May 29. Their evacuation route will take them through Conakry, Guinea, in West Africa, and then possibly on to Brussels, Belgium, before flying into Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where administrative offices for West Africa are located. Baptist Press will supply more information about their evacuation as details become available.
