An Apostle in prison! And young people went with him. Their mission: pastoral care. The following story from Equatorial Guinea shows how a change of heart can transform someone’s life.
Around fifty young people from the congregations of Bata, Niefang, and Evinayong went to the juvenile detention centre in Teguete together with their Apostle Salvador in late June 2025. They did not come empty-handed, but brought essential items such as clothing, water, hygiene products, and football and basketball gear. They wanted to provide material and moral support to the inmates.
Visiting offenders
The campaign was part of the Alcance a la Comunidad (Community Work) programme, which the New Apostolic Church in Equatorial Guinea has been running since 2024. People in need and socially disadvantaged groups are regularly offered one-off assistance in the form of material goods. Motivational talks are also part of this pastoral care concept. The idea came from Apostle Salvador Mitogo Obiang.
The facility in Teguete takes in minors who have committed offences such as theft, robbery, assault, or drug-related crimes. While in detention, the young people can train as carpenters, plumbers, or electricians to help with their reintegration into society following their release. They also receive psychological counselling. In June, a total of 27 young people were housed there, including 25 young men and two young women. Most of them are between 15 and 18 years old.
The example of the criminal on the cross
During the visit, the young inmates attended an interactive talk on the following subject: “Change your attitude and your circumstances will change.” The talk focused on the biblical event of the two criminals who were crucified next to Jesus (Luke 23: 39–43). One of them was aware of his faults and his situation and asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Apostle Salvador explained that this man’s attitude changed his situation. He was admitted to paradise with Christ. “The Lord’s reaction to the criminal on the cross makes it clear that God loves all human beings, regardless of who we may have been in the past.”
Choosing a better future
If we decide to change today, God can offer us an even more blessed future, the Apostle told the inmates. He encouraged the young people, “We may not be able to avoid the consequences of our past actions, but we can choose our actions today to work toward a better future.”
To change, one must not wait for the perfect moment, like the one criminal. “In fact, we should not wait with doing good until we have been reintegrated into society,” the Apostle urged. “We can start right now, where we are, and put the commandment to love our neighbour into practice.”
“We have changed”
The presentation was followed by a discussion. Some inmates reported: “We are normal young people. As children, some of us did not have the opportunity to learn how to do things properly. In fact, some of us only received an education here.”
They asked the Apostle to take the following message to the people outside: “Please let them know that even though we are locked up here, we are not bad people.” And: “Please tell them that we have changed. They teach us a lot here. We ask them to please forgive us in their hearts for what we have done, because we deeply regret what we have done.”
Passing on what we have learned
“No one has come to talk to us like you did,” the young inmates said gratefully. “We would like to ask you to come more often and to talk to us.”
The young inmates summed the visit up as follows: “If it were possible, I would like to pass on what I have learned here today to young people who are exposed to the same influences that brought us here.”
Photo: INA Guinea Ecuatorial