PERSECUTION IN MEXICO

Lloyd took this picture on one of his trips into Mexico with Spanish Bibles.

When we think of the persecution of Christians, we seldom think of Mexico.  But there is a long history of such activities all throughout the country south of the border.  For various reasons, many Christians have found it difficult to worship openly even in the most unexpected places.  A missionary who recently returned from a short trip into San Luis Potosi related this amazing incident:

An isolated church high in the mountains of central Mexico was harrassed by groups of people who did not want the influence of the church in their area.  They burned down the homes of the Christians and did other things to discourage church services, but worship continued.  Finally the son of one of the members of the church was kidnapped and a stern warning was sent back to the humble little group.  "Close the church and stop your meetings and we will return your son."

Members of the church immediately went into urgent prayer for the return of this young man, but they were not willing to agree to the kidnappers' terms.  The very next day their prayers were answered and they saw the victim as he made his way back home.  He said he had been set free!

When he asked his captors why they were letting him go, they said it was because they were very afraid.  During the night they had seen great balls of fire coming down out of the sky and they had been terrified.  The leader of the group said they knew that the God of the Christians was very strong and powerful, and they had to let him go.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."  Hebrews 12:1