American missionary Josh Sullivan, a year after his harrowing kidnapping ordeal, shares his journey of faith and recovery, highlighting the harsh realities of crime in South Africa.

Josh Sullivan had barely started his sermon in his Motherwell church when four armed men walked in.

Thinking it was a robbery, he reached for his iPad to hand it over. Instead, the American pastor was struck in the head with a pistol and forced out of the church.

He was kidnapped in front of his congregation and driven away. Five days later, he was freed during a police operation in KwaMagxaki that ended in a shootout in which his captors were killed.

"Am I happy that they were filled with bullets? Absolutely," Sullivan said in his first interview with South African media since his release. "They harmed me and my family. They changed the way that my family will be forever because of greed. But would I love to see them in heaven one day? Absolutely."

The missionary from Tennessee has lived in Gqeberha since 2021 and has learnt Xhosa. He said he first visited "beautiful" South Africa in 2018. His decision to relocate to the country was made after prayer and reflection.

"We love South Africa. South Africa is a beautiful, beautiful country. I mean, the people are beautiful, the country's beautiful."

"Anyone who goes out there can...