Hundreds of delegates from virtually all over the world travelled to Madrid to participate in the recent Assemblies of God World Congress from 12-14 October.

In the break times, beyond the official programme, there was time for all kinds of conversations. These are some of the people the Evangelical Focus director met during the second day of the congress.

Oleksandr from Israel

At the bottom of the grandstand in front of the main stage, a team interprets in sign language. Right there, a flag of Israel, hanging over a railing, catches the eye. It belongs to  Oleksandr, one of the two delegates from the country.

“I’m a pastor in Jerusalem for deaf people, and I came to the congress almost by chance, because right now my country is not doing well, the Holy Spirit had his own plans”, he says.

Thanks to the help of an interpreter, he tells me that his wife and children are in Israel: after some cancelled flights, he hoped get back two days after the event.

“We’re now in the midst of war but we know God protects our people. I’m here to ask prayer for my people”. ¿How to pray?, I ask Oleksasndr. “Pray for an end to the war and the attempt to destroy people and Israel, that God will bring peace”. He later explains that he knows not only of Christians serving in the army but also about one believer who died in a militia attack after resisting eight hours defending his community.

Emmanuel from Nigeria

“It took us about ten hours to get to Madrid”, explains Emmanuel Kemka, from Nigeria, just outside the Madrid Arena during lunch time. He is director of corporate ministries and planning of the Nigerian Assemblies of God, and came with a delegation of twenty-two people, mostly pastors.

For this representative of the country with most Christians in Africa, the world congress is being “impactful” because it shows that “the kingdom of God is one, with one body from all nations, all languages and tribes… heaven will be wonderful!”, he tells me with a smile.

In the large African country. there are “close to 20,000 churches” of the Pentecostal denomination, the reverend says.

But as reported many times, many Christians are suffering in the norther part of the country. “God is helping us to reach out to the areas where there are conflicts with compassion ministries”. But “terrorism, kidnapping and bandits” are still a major prayer request, he emphasises.

The other challenge on the mind of Emmanuel is the wellbeing of families: “Pray for God to heal the economy of Nigeria”.

He goes back home encouraged, he tells me, before leaving. “I will tell the people back home that we need to unite together, this is all about Jesus”.

Glenia and Steven, working with the kids

For the first time, a World Congress of the Assemblies of God had a full-time side programme for children.

Glenia López, from Honduras, co-leads “Shine Kids” with Steven Entsminger. “In these three days, we want children to get to know Jesus and train them to shine in their own environment”, she says. “Yesterday, the kids shared what miracles God has done in their own lives. And they say yes, we want to be witnesses to their friends”.

Among the youngest, many speak Spanish or English, but also French, Portuguese and Italian. They all “adapt to the interactive activities without a problem”, says Glenia.

There are 140 aged between 4 and 14, explains Steven. “It is so important to train them in the gospel. They are going to be the light for the next generation”, he tells me outside a large room where the activities just finished. He alludes to the known as ‘4/14 window’, the ages during which most people make a decision for the Christian faith.

“So many attacks that children are sufferinf at their age now. We shouldn’t wait for them to be teens or adults, we must reach and minister to them now, giving them the tools to be light in their school and their community”.

As coordinators, Glenia and Steven’s desire is to “pass this legacy of children work to the next World congress”, which will be held in Ghana in 2026.