Sunday, November 30, 2008

Back from Chihuahua


"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Mat 10:28)
Across Mexico, the carnage is impossible to hide, with severed heads and decapitated bodies turning up, sometimes nearly a dozen at a time. There have been more than 3,700 killings related to drugs and organized crime this year, up from about 2,700 last year, the Mexican attorney general’s office said early last week, with Chihuahua the most violent state and the killings continuing in the days since.
In the Mexican state of Chihuahua, which shares a border with New Mexico, there have been over 200 killings since the beginning of 2008, an increase of about 100 percent over the previous year. This violence, which is mostly perpetrated by international drug trafficking organizations, impacts the well-being and safety of communities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.Mexican drug cartels, Hezbollah (Party of God) and other Islamic terrorist groups are joining forces in Mexico. Hezbollah is synonymous with terror, suicide bombings, kidnappings and beheadings. No wonder the criminal organizations in Mexico seem to have adopted many Middle Eastern terrorist tactics with kidnappings and beheadings happening throughout Mexico.
Saturday, August 16: just before six o'clock in the evening, three luxury SUVs bearing a dozen gunmen pull up outside a warehouse, where teens and young adults are having a dance-party at Creel, an enclave in the Chihuahua mountains. They are apparently looking for two people to finish off, but they do not know what they look like. They open random fire at close range, taking additional lives. Among the victims is a one-year-old boy who dies in spite of his father's heroic attempt to shield him with his body. The mystery is that there is no sign of the police or the army in Creel before or after the massacre.
That day the government did not exist for families at Creel. Their fundamental human right to life, which gives rise to the social contract the state is founded upon, was not fulfilled. A grave violation of human rights was committed by omission, given the ineffectiveness at all levels of government. In total desperation and impotence, Creel locals now warn that justice will be taken into other hands. Lynching is sought as a substitute for the inefficiency, the cowardliness, and the complicity of the authorities.
Well, these above are just a few news headlines you can read in the newspapers any day. My husband got back from the mountains early this morning, around 2AM. We are so glad to have him back. Thank you so much for your prayers on his behalf. Dad stayed back for a bit longer, we don't know when my brother will return, but it warms my heart to see him in this picture below, and when Daniel tells me how he is boldly sharing Christ with everyone.

Daniel was telling 'Cieneguita,' the place where he was, reminds him of a town from an old western movie where there is no law and the people just live in fear. He was telling me that is really the case there. People are very afraid all the time, they don't sleep well at night fearing for their lives. Armed men sometimes show up in the wee hours of the night, drag people out and shoot them. Yet the men there continue to grow drugs and have their children helping. You really don't know if drug traffickers are showing up, or the law, since the drug dealers can show up dress as the military.
When the elections were going on for this last administration, the people were told to vote for this current mayor and they would have 'no law.' Who would want this, I ask? Well, the people growing drugs didn't want to be bothered...now they are reaping the consequences and they are not pretty. May the Lord have mercy on these people!

My 80 year old dad, (picture above), usually goes to these communities in the mountains of Chihuahua two, or three times a year, and shares the Gospel there, usually just women listen though. My husband had a neat time sharing every afternoon while there. He encouraged the women to reach out in their community, pray for their husbands and make an effort to bring them to the Lord. He also advised them on how to share and read the Bible more effectively. He also had the opportunity to share with some of the men and really encouraged my brother to reach out to them. The second evening saw around 60 people gathered with a lot of men listening to the message.
We are so thankful the Lord allowed Daniel to go there at this time. It was a neat time of fellowship with my brother, and also a good time to instruct him in how to better use his time and how to conduct himself now the he has given his life to the Lord. Right after he baptized my brother, he felt the Lord would have him go back with him since his intent was to share the gospel with this community that he has lived in for many years now.
Listening to the "Proclaimer" reading her the Word of God It. Thanks Jerry for hooking us up with this great tool!

This old lady is a living testimony of what the Lord can do. She recently came to Christ and even her face looks different!
We don't know what roll we will play in reaching these parts of Mexico with the Gospel, but we want to be sensitive to the Lord's guiding. The roads there are not very accessible or safe, and it takes a long time to go short distances, but people are dying every day and going to hell.
In a way, I would have loved to be there with my husband, I, like Paul, don't like to miss a thing the Lord is doing...
"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:35)
Thank you so much for being part of this ministry with us!
Daniel & Ana

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