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A married couple who had served for 28 years as Baptist missionaries in Mexico were murdered on Tuesday Jan 31, John and Wanda Casias were strangled with electrical cords when intruders broke into their house and stole a safe, televisions and ministry vehicles, along with other items. The area has suffered heavily from attacks by drug cartels in recent weeks, including the murder of the mayor of El Cercado, leading to the tentative conclusion that the crime was committed by people serving narcotics traffickers. Drug traffickers in Mexico oppose the message of Christ because it turns people away from their business, and thus Christians have been among the targets of the criminals. The killers left Wanda Casias dead inside
the house and the body of her husband was reportedly found in a storage room of a small building elsewhere on the property.
Pray: that the Church would be strengthened to become a powerful witness to counteract the drug cartels. (Zec.10:12)
More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/mexico/article_1386234.html
Mexico is a hot spot for trafficking. 85% of victims are girls exploited for unpaid labour or prostitution where they earn 160-180 pesos (£8-10) per sexual encounter with 20-40 men a day. The girls are kidnapped, or sold by parents as forced wives or servants, or lured away from home by false promises of jobs, or seduced by pimps posing as boyfriends and future husbands. Child sex tourism is also growing in Mexico, especially in tourist areas. Trafficking is linked to Mexico’s infamous drug cartels which the government is fighting, though human traffic makes far fewer headlines than the ‘war on drugs’. Human trafficking is one of the most profitable means of illegal income around the world. Mexico also has serious corruptionproblems involving police, judges and politicians. Campaigners say the country has inadequate laws to tackle human trafficking.
Pray: for Congress to pass powerful trafficking legislations and for the influential people fighting these legislations to be silenced. (Ex.23:1)
The Triqui region of Mexico is mainly populated by indigenous people and is one of the poorest and most troubled in the country. For more than 30 years it has suffered inter-community conflicts in which scores of people have been killed. State and federal authorities have rarely taken action to hold those responsible to account. Human rights organisations called for the Mexican federal authorities to thoroughly investigate an ambush on a Caravan of thirty Human Rights Observers which left two officials dead and several injured on Tuesday 27 April 2010. Jyri Antero Jaakola, a Finnish observer and indigenous human rights defender Alberta Cariño were killed in the attack and a journalist and an activist were injured. The group was on its way to document long-running human rights abuses and to provide humanitarian assistance.
Pray: for NGO’s and those authorized to establish law, order and aid in Mexico to succeed against corruption and conflict. (Ps.68:1)
Traditionalist Catholics abducted, jailed and beat a group of Evangelical Christians with rods and stones in Oaxaca, Mexico last week on orders from the head of a municipality for declining to participate in and help pay for Traditionalist Catholic festivals and for protesting their previous mistreatments. The mob attacked the Christian’s unfinished church structure with sledgehammers and pick-axes and four of the Evangelical Christians were jailed for four days. Three brothers who escaped the mob sent to kill the Christians said officials led townsfolk to hate those who are not Traditionalist Catholics. Traditionalist Catholics in remote areas practice a blend of Catholic and indigenous rites involving drunkenness, revelry and idol worship. Christians declining to participate in the Traditionalist Catholic festivals have been threatened, attacked and economically deprived in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo and Puebla. The Mexican government’s aversion to involving itself in religious issues has allowed such situations to escalate.
Pray: for the independent Pentecostal Churches to receive state help and protection. Pray for these ‘suffering saints’ - including many very new believers. (Ps.24:5-6)
More: http://morningstarnews.org/2013/11/head-of-town-in-mexico-sends-mob-to-beat-abduct-christians/
At least 70 evangelical Christians in Mexico's east-central region were homeless on Saturday, September 17th after being expelled by local authorities from their village where traditional Catholics reportedly threatened to ‘crucify or lynch’ them. The government of Puebla state ‘bowed’ to pressure from the traditional Catholics in San Rafael Tlanalapan village, 60 miles from Mexico City. Initially 50 Protestant families were ordered to leave the village by September 12th but some were allowed to stay on condition that they would worship outside the area. Additionally they are not allowed to get involved with traditional Catholics, who practice a mixture of indigenous and Catholic rituals. Regional government officials said, ‘there is an agreement that evangelicals not originating from the area have to go as the state government can not guarantee their safety.’
Pray: for an end to decades of small town persecution of Evangelical Christians by local authorities, and for the Holy Spirit's presence to be established across Mexico. (Is.65:1)
More: http://www.worthynews.com/10963-mexico-evangelicals-leave-village-amid-crucifixion-threats
Most headlines involving Mexico over the past few years have revolved around some sort of drug cartel shootings, kidnappings, or most recently, arson. Of the 40,000 deaths that have occurred since 2006 connected to Mexican drug cartels, most have been men actually caught up in some way with the cartels. But the violence has spread easily and quickly outside those circles to include many civilians, paralyzing many who live along the border with fear. ‘People have a feeling that today could be the day that they die,’ says Todd Szalkowski with E3 Partners. ‘They literally approach every day, because of the violence there, as if it could be their last day on earth. People are afraid to gather in large groups, and that affects church-going people’. He added, ‘They're seeing their pastors abducted out of the pulpit and held for ransom. Gripped by fear, even believers are too nervous to attend church’. (See also Prayer Alert 33-2011)
Pray: to the Lord while He may be found and pray that God would anoint our prayers and heal the Land. (2Chr.7:14)
Decapitation, rape, murder, mass corruption and national chaos is the fruit in Mexico of America’s illicit drug use. A Mexican offensive against drug cartels has raged since President Felipe Calderon took power in 2006 making a crackdown on drug cartels the hallmark of his six-year term, which expires later this year. However in a wide perception that the crackdown has not worked his party is losing hope for re-election. Mexico has a high percentage of Christian believers in the population and over past years hundreds of prayer vigils, walks and demonstrations have been held regarding the corruption, terror and drug wars in the land. On Sunday soldiers arrested the perpetrator of the decapitation and dismembering of 49 people dumped on a highway last week. Graffiti sprayed at the scene of the corpses showed the mark of the Zetas, who are fighting for control of the region. Their empire consists of hired killers, smugglers, kidnapers, extortionists and of people involved in then the crude oil industry.
Pray: for prayers against corruption to be answered and for God’s chosen president to lead the country out of immorality and corruption.(Is.1:23-26)
A row between Catholic Church leaders and Mexico City's mayor over gay rights has embroiled the Supreme Court. ‘Would any of you want to be adopted by a couple of lesbians or queers?’ said the Archbishop of Guadalajara at a recent news conference where he reacted to Supreme Court ruling granting equal rights to same-sex couples, including the right to adopt, was constitutional. The Cardinal’s next comments fanned the flames of the quarrel further when he alleged that Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard had bribed the Supreme Court judges to hand down a ruling that supported gay rights. Mr Ebrard is now sueing Cardinal Sandoval Iniguez for defamation. A Church spokesman urged Mexican voters to punish the mayor's party at the next election. The dispute has taken further twists and turns, drawn in other players and is closely followed by the Mexican media. At its heart is tension between the Roman Catholic Church and the secular state. Pray: that God’s truth will rid Mexico of its endemic corruption through the church’s grace filled message of truth, love and peace. (Ps.45:2) More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11119011
The Bishop of Cuernavaca in Morelos has added his voice to appeals for peace between feuding drug gangs over Christmas. Poet-turned-peace activist Javier Sicilia became a full time peace campaigner after his 24-year-old son was murdered by a drug cartel in March. Now the Bishop has joined the calls for a truce saying, ‘I appeal to them as brothers and in the name of God to understand that this is not the way of goodness, that this is not the way of peace, that this is not the way of life as brothers and sisters, and as human beings.’ The number of people killed in gang-related violence since 2006 is 40,000. Mgr. Cortes said the violence was causing pain and distress to Mexicans and the perpetrators were acting ‘more through ignorance than malice. We must be messengers of peace, and hope that this Christmas will be a time of peace and love for all.’
Pray: for God in His mercy to hear the cries of thousands mourning the death of a loved one because of drugs. (2Sa.22:3)
For decades Mexico has been scarred by struggles among drug cartels for control over the lucrative drug trade to the US. The conflict has left 70,000 dead since 2007, paralyzed whole cities with fear and spawned a culture of corruption reaching the upper levels of the Mexican state. The rape by suspected drug gangs last week of six Spanish women vacationing in Acapulco has heightened fear and questions government control of crime. It didn't help that at the same time as the rape of the Spanish holiday makers, Mexico's minister of tourism was in Spain, attempting to promote tourism. This is Mexico's moment, was her theme.
Pray: 2013 would be Mexico’s moment for the government and police to overcome the evil vicious drug war violence. (2Sa.23:3-4 & 6-7)