Joseph-Marie Bantaba was baptized on Easter 2022 after growing up in a family that practiced magic

Joseph-Marie Bantaba was baptized on Easter 2022 following a transition from occult practices to the Catholic faith. Raised in Brazzaville, he was part of a household where magic was a traditional practice passed down through generations. His father, a military officer and former district mayor, practiced these rituals after the death of his own father, who had been a shaman.

Bantaba credits his wife, Ginette, and her persistent prayer for his conversion. He describes his path to Christ as a long process of attempting to separate himself from the influence of his family's occult traditions. He is now a father of 7 children.