IN THE NUEVO LAREDO JAIL

Ildefonso and Lupita pastor a church in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.

The sun had set, but people were still milling around the office where we stood that day in December 2004. Some people had plates of food while others carried blankets. There was a look of sadness and trouble on many faces. We were in the jail in Nuevo Laredo!


Pastor Ildefonso and his wife Lupita had asked us to join them to pray for a young man from their congregation who had been arrested. His crime was that he was from Nicaragua and he had no Mexican papers. A judge was to hear his case soon, but meanwhile he was in jail and needed prayer.

Mexican jailers do not feed their prisoners and it is up to family and friends to provide them with whatever they need. Lupita carried a platter of tamales. I had four oranges in my hands and Lloyd carried some cans of cola. Ildefonso obtained the required permission and led us into a long narrow room that had several partitioned booths along one side. The young man, Joel, met us at the second partition and we all offered him encouragement and prayer. Lloyd urged him to take advantage of the time behind bars to tell the other inmates about Jesus.

Other families gathered at each window. On our left a young mother and child leaned as close as possible to the man behind the Plexiglas screen. When her time with him was up and she left, he leaned his head dejectedly against the screen. Lupita and I offered to pray for him. He pressed his hands against the Plexiglas to make contact with us. It was heartbreaking to see the young man respond to God's love. Please join us in prayer for the people who are held captive and need Jesus in Mexico.

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost". Luke 19:10

At another time, this man said he would like to accept Jesus, but he would not come to a decision.  He represents many who are lost in Mexico