.bmp)
.bmp)
Agustin Gomez, 21, and Carlos Perez, 24, were hospitalized. Carlos sustained five gunshot wounds to the chest and was treated for internal bleeding and shock. He remains in serious condition. Agustin was also treated for gunshot wounds, but was released. Along with 15-year-old Andres Gomez Gomez and 13-year-old Santos Jiménez Perez, Agustin and Carlos were ambushed on the road while heading home from collecting water for their families, living in a village where there is no water.Chiapas state is home to the worst cases of religious intolerance in the country. Small municipalities have the most problems with severe and long-term persecution of evangelical Indians, mostly from caciques, or powerful community chieftains.Caciques practice “traditionalist” religion, a semi-pagan mix of Roman Catholic beliefs and ancient Mayan religion.Traditionalist caciques have proven especially vehement enemies of Christians because they see Protestant Christianity undercutting their control over local villagers.When villagers become Christians, they typically stop drinking posh-an alcoholic beverage produced by caciques-and stop participating in pagan-like festivities, which results in a loss of income for caciques.Pressure is put on the evangelical Christians by denying them access to community services; water, electricity, agricultural assistance, and by demanding that they pay “fines” and stop sharing the Gospel or leave the community.Eventually arrests, destruction of homes and church buildings, even violence and murder are threatened or carried out by the dominant groups.One Pastor’s Words:“The Lord says, ‘Vengeance is mine,’ so we don’t respond by paying back their abuses,”Gomez Ton said.“Rather, we respond with patience, faith and love-because we hope that some day they’ll change their ideas about us.They act against us out of ignorance, and if Jesus Christ had not entered into us, we would be doing the same things. Our only weapon is prayer.”Source:Open Doors
As in the days of Noah...
