“When I met Christ in prison, everything changed—my life turned completely.”
Sentenced to eight years, Ángel entered prison trapped in the same patterns that had defined his life—crime, addiction, and hopelessness. Even behind bars, he continued down that path. But everything began to change when he received a Bible study from visiting missionaries more than two decades ago. As he read Scripture week after week, he encountered Jesus Christ personally.
“That encounter changed everything,” Ángel says. “God began to transform my life.”
He started attending the prison church every day—sometimes twice a day—growing steadily in his knowledge of God’s Word. What began as curiosity became conviction. Within two years, Ángel sensed God calling him into ministry. Still incarcerated, he began sharing God’s Word with others incarcerated alongside him. His relationships changed as he began seeing others with compassion, mercy, and hope.
When Ángel was released, he didn’t leave his calling behind. He immediately enrolled in seminary, completed his theological studies, and began serving as a pastor in Quito. But he also felt drawn to serve at the prison where he had once resided.
“I returned to visit the brothers weekly,” Ángel explains. “To encourage them, advise them, and minister to them.”
Then, in 2006, Crossroads Prison Ministries was introduced in Ecuador. For Ángel, it opened new doors for deeper discipleship.
“Crossroads gave me the opportunity to disciple prisoners personally,” he says. “It created a bridge between those inside the prison and the church outside through mentors.”
Through Crossroads’ Bible lessons and mentorship model, men at the prison he served could study Scripture, ask questions, and grow in their faith with consistent encouragement.
“This ministry gave my life a turn,” Ángel shares. “It allowed me to have personal interaction with the students so they could not only study but also share and grow in their convictions.”
Today, Ángel continues to serve faithfully and is helping expand Crossroads’ reach across Ecuador. He has witnessed firsthand how God uses Scripture, mentorship, and consistent discipleship to change lives—just as his life was changed years ago.
He knows the power of these lessons because he has lived it.
“Every time a prisoner receives God’s Word, there is an opportunity for transformation,” Ángel says. “Crossroads helps make that possible.”
Every Crossroads Bible study lesson represents an opportunity for someone in prison to encounter Christ, grow in faith, and discover a new purpose.
When you support Crossroads Prison Ministries, you help place Scripture-based lessons into the hands of people in prison and connect them with mentors who walk alongside them.
Your partnership helps bring hope, discipleship, and lasting transformation—inside prison walls and far beyond them. See how you can get involved.