A peace worker and former Goshen resident was among a group of six people that was kidnapped this week in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

34-year-old Michael Sharp graduated in 2001 from Bethany Christian High School. He, along with a United Nations official from Sweden, three Congolese drivers and a translater were abducted in the country’s Kasai Central province, according to the Elkhart Truth.

Authorities in the Congo are investigating and working with the U.N. on freeing Sharp and the other captives, according to the Associated Press.

Sharp resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His parents now live in central Kansas. His father, John Sharp, told The Wichita Eagle that his son is committed to finding nonviolent ways to end conflict. John Sharp says his son Michael has been successful in getting militia groups to give up child soldiers.

“The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the protection of U.S. citizens overseas,” the department said in a statement. “When a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities and cooperate fully in their search efforts.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story