Source: www.csw.org.uk
Date: September 5, 2020
‘You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.’ (Galatians 5:13)
In his immeasurable love and bounty, God created us to be free. Many of us no doubt find we regularly take this gift of freedom for granted, perhaps even on a daily basis. Our freedom to choose how we live our lives – and how we live out our faith – is rarely called into question.
Tragically, this isn’t true of those whom we work and pray for each and every week.
We’ve just learned that two Protestant Christian families from the Huasteca region of Hidalgo State in Mexico are at risk of having their access to water and other basic services cut off again if they don’t pay the remainder of an extortionate fine – an amount which they have no possible means of settling themselves. To make matters worse, this wouldn’t be the first time the families have been denied basic necessities because of their faith.
In January 2019 eight other Protestant Christian families in their village were pressured into signing an illegal agreement, in which they renounced their faith. But these two families stood firm and refused to sign the document. The local authorities retaliated by cutting off their access to water, drainage, government benefits and the community mill.
A year later, on 15 January 2020, the two families were forced to sign an illegal agreement in which they gave up their right to hold religious services, in order to have their access to water and other basic necessities reinstated. The families risk being cut off from essential services again if they cannot pay the remainder of the fine levied as part of the agreement.
In summary, please pray:
- For protection over these two families, that their rights would be upheld and that they wouldn’t be denied access to basic necessities.
- For conversion of heart for those preventing religious minorities in Mexico from practising their faith.
- For an end to illegal agreements between local authorities and religious minority groups, and that all matters relating to religious disputes would be brought before the appropriate justice systems.
- That the government in Mexico would intervene in situations where freedom of religion is violated throughout the country.
- That all Mexicans would be able to practise their religion of choice freely and without fear of the repercussions.