July 2007 E-Update

Angie Velasco

It was a horrible, terrifying experience! I’ve heard it happens a lot here in Mexico but experiencing it gives one an entirely different understanding. Let me tell you what happened.

On June 18 Monday, eleven of us drove 12 hours from Cuernavaca, Morelos to Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas. We got to the Baptist church where we were staying for the night, had our dinner, and around 10 pm heard a woman screaming to the top of her voice and sounds of her husband beating her. Their nine year old boy crying, ran to the church where we were staying and pleaded for help. The pastor called the police and within minutes the police came. The husband, seeing the police, slammed the door of his house. For the next few minutes the screaming and the beating went on with three policemen and a few neighbors outside the house unable to do anything. I was told the police cannot enter the house without an official order. I’ve never felt so paralyzed my whole life! Here we were, hearing all the screaming and beating that was going on but unable to do anything! I decided to pray with one of the gals in our group. We asked God to protect the woman, bring salvation to this family and that the church be a light in this community.

The whole night I could not sleep. Two verses came to mind. Exodus 2:24 where it says, God heard the cries of the Israelites, and Luke 4:18 where Jesus said He came to set the captives free. I thought… surely God heard the cries of this woman and surely Jesus came to set this family free from domestic violence.

The next day my friend Lulu asked how I was. I just started crying and could not stop. The Lord filled my heart with compassion for the woman and her son. I was overwhelmed with how much this family needs to be given an opportunity to hear the gospel and to respond. Jesus came to save us from our sins. How sad that so many people live in sin and many others they love suffer because they don’t know Jesus! They don’t have to live this way, yet they don’t know any other way to live.

Since April I’ve been praying for confirmation from the Lord if Chiapas is His will for me in the next few years. I sensed that witnessing this event was another confirmation from the Lord. I was told what I saw and heard is repeated many times over in San Cristobal de las Casas where I would like to help plant a church.

I am willing and ready to go to help proclaim freedom and liberty in Christ but without others with me I cannot do it. Would you pray for a team to join me? Would you consider joining my team? Would you inform others of my desire to plant a church in San Cristobal de las Casas? Maybe someone else, somewhere else might have a similar desire.

Thank you for your love, prayers and support.