Wanted: Spanish speakers for Africa

Leonardo Bueto and Daniel Ukeafu at the 2008 Africans Claiming Africa for Christ conference in Badagry, Nigeria. (Photo by Erik Tryggestad)

I got a message from Leonardo Kinson Bueto a few days ago. He’s looking for Spanish-language Gospel materials and Spanish-speaking Christians to volunteer their services in Africa.
“We have the desire to interact with other Spanish congregations, within or outside of the U.S., to enable us advance in the ministry,” Bueto said. “We want Gospel bearers within the brotherhood to come and strengthen us.”
You might be surprised to learn that Africa has one Spanish-speaking nation — Equatorial Guinea, where Bueto works as a missionary. The tiny country of 676,000 souls is comprised of two parts. The continental region is between the nations of Cameroon and Gabon and includes a few offshore islands. The capital, Malabo, where Bueto serves, is on the island of Bioko, northwest of the continental region.

Equatorial Guinea (in blue) is comprised of several islands, including Bioko where the capital, Malabo, is located, and a continental region south of Cameroon.

I met Bueto, a native of Equatorial Guinea, in 2008 at the Africans Claiming Africa for Christ conference in Nigeria. There, he and Nigerian Christian Daniel Ukeafu announced their plans to evangelize Malabo, with help from believers in Nigeria and Ghana. Ukeafu, a native English speaker, addressed the crowd in Spanish as Bueto, a native Spanish speaker, translated into English. The crowd applauded when Ukeafu proclaimed “Gloria a Dios”” (“Glory to God!”)
Their work is one of the most recent examples of African Christians serving as missionaries to other parts of Africa. Churches of Christ in Ghana have played an instrumental role in church-planting efforts in many of their West African neighbors — Togo, Benin, Gambia, Senegal … the list goes on. Such indigenous-led efforts have been a focal point of our ongoing Global South series.
As you can imagine, evangelism in Equatorial Guinea is tough. Bueto told me that the few church members there don’t even have a songbook in Spanish. He’s tried to translate a few hymns himself. There’s a shortage of Bible study materials in Spanish as well.
If you can help or want more information, please post a response here or send me an e-mail at [email protected]. Thanks.

• Feedback
  Thank you, I will pray for labor Spanish speaking.

  Francisco A. Davila

  July, 16 2010

  I passed the link to this post along to a couple of men I know work with Spanish-language ministries. It’s hard to imagine an unserved, unconnected group existing still in our times.

  Adam Gonnerman

  July, 16 2010

  If they are in need of songbooks, I know someone who can help with that. My grandfather printed and bound Spanish songbooks for the Church of Christ for many years in Lubbock, TX. Now his company, Cantos Espirituales, is run by my aunt, Debora Lopez. The website is www.cantoespirituales.com and email is [email protected]

  Hannah Harriger

  July, 17 2010

  Greetings from Guinea Equatorial.
  I am happy been among the commentators of this page and it�s been my very first attempt.
  If you know of who can be of help with this Spanish songbooks please it will be a blessing for Us in EG. You might also have types or CDs of all the songs in the hymnals, and then it will be an additional advantage for this young church.
  Can you imagine how an entire Country will be with only a congregation of the Lord’s Church?
  You will always be empowered and favored in all yours ways.
  Leonardo.

  LEONARDO

  July, 18 2010

  Leonardo: Great to hear from you again. In addition to the responses above, several people have e-mailed me suggestions as well. I will be forwarding those to you on Monday. Blessings.

  Erik Tryggestad

  July, 18 2010

  Dr. Dan Coker a well know former missioner to Latin America, produces Panorama Biblico. A one year study of the bible, excelent tool to equiping workes and teachers. Please visit www.clubbiblico.org
  Blessings.

  Omar Corpus

  July, 18 2010

  Until I took a Spanish refresher course last year, I never knew about this Spanish-speaking country!

  Dorothy W David

  July, 19 2010

  Love, Love, Love the Christian chronicle! Great Spiritual Newspaper.

  Kathy Huebner Elliott

  July, 19 2010

  Erik,
  Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, TX, has a wealth of Spanish materials available through our Extension department or from me in our Translation Center. Check out our information at the Sunset site: www.sibi.cc

  Darlene Morris

  July, 27 2010

  My wife and I are thinking about mission work as we just turned 60. My wife is a Spanish teacher and I will have to take more lessons from her but how do we get more info?

  Arthur Barry

  July, 27 2010

  May God bless all of you for your efforts in helping those around the world who speak the Spanish language. We offer free bible courses that are available with text, multimedia presentation and audio for each course. Please visit www.cursosbiblicos.net to see the courses. There are also hundred of questions and answers organized by text and topic. Please let us know if we can help in any way.

  Chase Turner

  July, 27 2010

  May the peace of God be with you.
  In our website: www.iglesiadecristosilverspring.org we have more than 50 tracts in pdf ready to print, we have more than 80 sermons in mp3 ready to download and burn, a power point presentation of the five steps of salvation and we offer to send for free DVDs of our Sunday morning sermons (a couple at a time), as we already send to several Hispanic nations. All for God’s glory, the salvation of the lost souls and the edification of the church. May the grace of God be with you. -Elmer Pacheco

  Elmer Pacheco

  July, 27 2010

  Erik, I would like to get some more info about this country and when do they need volunteers. I might be available for a couple of weeks next year.

  Marco Diaz

  July, 28 2010

  Marco, Elmer, Chase and everybody else:
  Thanks for your comments. For those of you who also have passed e-mails along to me, I’m forwarding them to Brother Bueto. He’s already responded to some of you at the top of the comments list. I expect him to get back with the rest of you soon. Thanks again!

  Erik Tryggestad

  July, 28 2010

  hi blessings no much english
  how are you?
  nice to meet you
  mi name is helen from Torre�n Coah. mexico d.f
  my boyfriend know ghana he visited some time.
  ok I prayer for ghana
  elena beltran varela

  elena

  July, 28 2010

  How exciting! I had no idea that there was a Spanish speaking country in Africa. And we would love to be of help! I know that all of us at the church here in Toluca, Mexico would love to be able to correspond with brethren in Guinea Equatorial. We have the Instituto Latinoamericano de Estudios Biblicos (a branch of Sunset) here and we would love to share our course materials. My husband Raul and I would love to work as volunteers whenever you need some. We both work as translators between Spanish and English and have worked with many groups as they bring their seminars to Spanish speakers. If there is anything we can do to help… we would love to be of service. All for the Glory of our Lord and the growth of His kingdom!

  Kim Solis

  August, 18 2010

  Beloved Brethren.
  I am using this opportunity to appreciate all those who have shared their love and concern with us in guinea Ecuatorial.
  For some who have acted positively and those who are still to, we appreciate all.
  Our most deepest joy will be that you visit this work to be a witness of How the Lord is changing lives here for the glory of his name.
  We urges you to be part of the growth of this Soul winning mission and you will never regrate as the Lord will reward your efforts always.
  Leonard.

  Leonardo Kings

  September, 3 2010