At least five inmates have been ordained as pastors at the Torit Central Prison in Eastern Equatoria State on Sunday.
This came after some inmates requested biblical studies that would help them reform and transform their lives.
The Network of Evangelical Churches intervened by providing a six months training in evangelical teachings and life transformation.
Reverend Odong Luka, the chaplain at the prison said the five inmates have dedicated themselves to serving God and preaching the good news to the needy.
“I am speaking with great happiness because 5 inmates were ordained and offered themselves to serve God as pastors. The Evangelical Churches introduced spiritual life in the prison to especially transform our inmates,” he said. “These five made up their minds to serve God for the rest of their lives and received intensive training.”
Meanwhile, Khadija Clement Kong, a member of the interreligious council confirmed the ordination and urged the new pastors to commit to serving God.
“You have made a positive step in faith and you should continue to the end until heaven by God’s grace,” she advised. “It is not easy to reach this level and you must have hope as a pastor and you should not remove that collar from your neck until the day you fulfill God’s mission and he calls you.”
On his part, Ogeno Mark Fish, one of the newly ordained pastors, said he was going to heed the call to serve and appealed to the youth to refrain from wrong deeds and accept Jesus Christ in their lives.
“I am very happy that we are now confirmed officially. If it is a call from God, we are going to perform and I want to say with a willingness that we are attracting a divine favor upon our lives to fulfill our destiny in Jesus Christ,” he said.
The group of newly ordained pastors said the ordination will transform their lives and that they will work for the betterment of society.
“I was a very bad person but when I was sent to prison, I started knowing God. I urge those who are still in darkness and robbing people along roads that it does not please God,” one of the new pastors said.