• About
  • Submit Article
  • Style Guide
  • Writing Agreement
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • Archive
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact
Menu

ADvindicate

11256 Benton Street
Loma Linda, CA, 92354
Phone Number
Reasoning from Scripture

Reasoning from Scripture

ADvindicate

  • About
  • Writers
    • Submit Article
    • Style Guide
    • Writing Agreement
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • Archive
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact

Adventist president calls for December 1 Day of Prayer, fasting to support falsely accused members

November 19, 2012 Adventist News Network
costa-n-wilson-inside.jpeg

Seventh-day Adventist world church President Ted N. C. Wilson today called for an International Day of Prayer and Fasting on December 1 to rally support for the release of two Adventists currently imprisoned in the West African country of Togo. Wilson and top church executives who voted the emphasis day at a November 20 morning business meeting said the event will raise awareness of the plight of Antonio dos Anjos Monteiro, Sabbath School and Personal Ministries director for the church’s Sahel Union Mission, headquartered in Lome; and Bruno Amah, an Adventist lay member and businessman in Lome.

Adventist lawyers and human rights activists have called for both men’s release since they were detained in March for conspiracy to commit murder. A Togolese man implicated Monteiro and Amah as conspirators in an alleged blood trafficking network, but a police search of Monteiro’s home and local church headquarters did not produce evidence. Since then, local authorities have recognized both men’s innocence.

Diplomatic efforts to secure both men’s release are expected to continue. Today church leaders established a working group to oversee efforts led by John Graz, director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Adventist world church. Church leaders are enlisting the support of members worldwide to raise further awareness through a social media campaign to promote the December 1 Day of Prayer.

“We are asking the entire world Seventh-day Adventist Church to join in prayer and fasting on December 1,” Wilson said. The world church leader met with both men in prison earlier this month during a tour of West Africa.

“These are falsely accused, innocent church members and we are pleading with the Lord for his intervention so that they can be reunited with their families and continue their work,” he said.

ANN Staff

In News Tags international day, pastor, prayer, togo

In Togo, Cape Verdean Adventist pastor imprisoned on dubious charges

November 20, 2012 Adventist News Network
Antonio-dos-Anjos-Monteiro-feature.jpg

The Northern Asia-Pacific Division is asking members to prayer for the immediate release of Antonio dos Anjos Monteiro who was detained in March for conspiracy to commit murder. https://twitter.com/nsdadventist/status/270926119149133824

Seventh-day Adventist lawyers and human rights advocates are calling for the immediate release of an Adventist pastor imprisoned in Togo on what they say are spurious charges.

Antonio dos Anjos Monteiro was detained in March for conspiracy to commit murder after a Togolese man implicated him and two other Christians, one an Adventist, as conspirators in an alleged blood trafficking network.

The accuser had earlier confessed to the murder of some 20 young girls, claiming he worked for a criminal ring that trafficked human blood. The man had met Monteiro when the pastor previously ministered to him.

Monteiro, a native of Cape Verde, has served as the church’s Sabbath School and Personal Ministries director for the Sahel Union Mission, headquartered in Lome, Togo, since 2009.

Even though a police search of Monteiro’s home and local church headquarters failed to turn up evidence, local newspapers earlier this year published inflammatory photos depicting containers of blood alongside stories detailing the allegations against Monteiro.

“To say that Monteiro is innocent I think almost goes without saying,” said Todd McFarland, an associate general counsel in the Office of General Counsel at Adventist world church headquarters.

“The suggestion that an Adventist pastor would hire someone to murder young girls and then traffic their blood is bizarre, fanciful and false," he said.

Public pressure to solve last year’s string of murders, however, continues to thwart his release and exoneration, McFarland said. Prior to Monteiro’s arrest, human rights groups had accused Togolese police of not doing enough to solve the crimes.

In mid-September, church leaders met with government officials in Togo to expedite the case. The group included Gilbert Wari, president of the church’s West-Central Africa Division, which oversees Togo; John Graz, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director for the Adventist world church; McFarland; and a lawyer from the church’s Sahel Union Mission.

“[The lawyer] is very hopeful. She said our visit created a strong impact on the government,” Wari said.

“At first we could see that the government thought they were just dealing with a small church in the corner, but now with this level of support and mobilization, they see that the Adventist Church is a worldwide church,” he said.

The Adventist Church's top international liaison is currently working with the ambassador of Togo to help secure Monterio’s release.

“The ambassador cordially welcomed me and promised to contact high level officials from the president’s cabinet to facilitate the release of Pastor Monteiro,” said Ganoune Diop, the church’s representative to the United Nations. Diop, who met with the ambassador in July, has since requested a follow-up meeting.

Graz said he wants governments to know that an innocent Seventh-day Adventist facing arbitrary detention is not alone.

“He has millions of brothers and sisters around the world ready to rally in support. We will do everything in our power to help get Monteiro released, and we are confident that justice will prevail.”

There are more than 5,300 Adventist church members in Togo, and close to 880,000 in the church’s West-Central Africa Division.

Monteiro, who was initially held in solitary confinement in jail for 14 days, has since been transferred to the Civil Prison of Lome, where pre-trial detainees such as himself are held together with convicted felons.

Despite deplorable prison conditions, Graz said Monteiro remains “optimistic and in good health.”

“We strongly believe that Monteiro is a modern-day Joseph,” Wari said, referencing a Biblical story in which an Old Testament figure is falsely imprisoned. “Everything seemed desperate and hopeless, but God was working and he was able to glorify his holy name through the crisis.”

By Elizabeth Lechleitner/ANN

In News Tags adventist, pastor, prayer, prison, release, togo
Thank you!

Recent
CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM: AWAKENING THE DRAGON
Oct 3, 2025
Kevin Paulson
CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM: AWAKENING THE DRAGON
Oct 3, 2025
Kevin Paulson
Oct 3, 2025
Kevin Paulson
THE HOPE OF THE AGES
Oct 3, 2025
Ted N.C. Wilson
THE HOPE OF THE AGES
Oct 3, 2025
Ted N.C. Wilson
Oct 3, 2025
Ted N.C. Wilson
THE MANNER OF JESUS' COMING: WHY IT MATTERS
Sep 26, 2025
Kevin Paulson
THE MANNER OF JESUS' COMING: WHY IT MATTERS
Sep 26, 2025
Kevin Paulson
Sep 26, 2025
Kevin Paulson
DISTORTING INSPIRED LANGUAGE
Sep 19, 2025
Kevin Paulson
DISTORTING INSPIRED LANGUAGE
Sep 19, 2025
Kevin Paulson
Sep 19, 2025
Kevin Paulson
SPEAKING PEACE
Sep 12, 2025
Kevin Paulson
SPEAKING PEACE
Sep 12, 2025
Kevin Paulson
Sep 12, 2025
Kevin Paulson

ADvindicate Inc. Copyright © 2012-2022. All Rights Reserved. TERMS & CONDITIONS | PRIVACY POLICY