Cipriano, José

Pastor Cipriano José was renown in the Evangelical Synodal Church of Angola (IESA).

The son of Andriano Hungulo and Paulina Vissila, of Nhime, Cubal, Bengeula province in the heartland of IESA the Evangelical Synodal Church denomination of Angola which is located in the center of the country. Cipriano José was born on March 25, 1945 in Cubal. He had an uneventful childhood, but there were lots of challenges as one of seven siblings in an area with no believers in Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, in his village, his family did not yet know Jesus Christ, and for this reason his parents, siblings, and he himself were involved in an alcoholic lifestyle. Alcohol was a negative situation that marked his life and childhood.

Cipriano José married Laurinda Yambo José and they had ten children, 34 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He was educated in Cubal and Benguela. In 1980, he received Jesus Christ as Lord of his life and his home. He abandoned alcohol and lived in the light and joy of knowing Jesus. He was called to ministry in 1982 and moved to Kalukembe to study at the Instituto Biblico de Kalukembe (IBK). This move brought important reforms into the life of the whole family. Being involved in the Lord’s harvest showed him the Lord’s faithfulness and His love for the world. During his three years of study at IBK, he deepened his knowledge of the Bible and theology and committed himself to serve the Lord and serve His people.

He began his ministry in Lobito, Bengeula as regional secretary. His ministry was very difficult, involving not just one congregation but several across the region. It was a very hard assignment for a new pastor, trusting that the Lord equips those He calls. At the end of his term, he was transferred to Xangongo, Cunene to serve as pastor of one congregation. He continued in leadership, pastoring the Lord’s sheep. Next, he was transferred to Ondjiva as regional secretary and also as pastor of a local church. He now had regional responsibilities as well as his own congregation to pastor.

He had important roles in evangelism and missions, in growth in numbers of people entering the church as well as spiritual growth. He also supervised construction of the church at Ondjiva, Cunene and worked for unity as regional secretary. His devotion to the work of ministry and being willing to leave other employment and goods marked the lives of those he led. In everything, he showed his joy and gratitude for the privilege of salvation in Jesus Christ.

He died November 6, 2008 after years of difficulty with diabetes until the Lord called him to Himself when he was 63. We believe there was much more that Cipriano José would have done to develop the work, but what he was able to do serves as a signpost for people to follow his steps and continue to grow in the faith.

Olga Margarida José Cundala Júnior

Sources:

Olimpia Cufundala, interview. João Carlos Cufundala, interview. Cristina Teresa, interview.

This biography, received in 2024, was written by Olga Margarida José Cundala Júnior, a master’s degree candidate of Instituto Superior de Teologia Evangélica no Lubango (ISTEL) in theology. This biography was written under the supervision of Sindia Foster, instructor at ISTEL and missionary to Mozambique with Serving in Mission (SIM).