Classic Case of Religious Intolerance Leading to Persecution

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Oscar Moha, well known Christian news journalist and human rights defender in Mexico for over 20 years, receives and documents each case of religious intolerance and developing persecution in Mexico as they occur. Many realize that there is ongoing persecution in the southern state of Chiapas, but aren't conscious that there are reports on a regular basis from 7 other states, involving sometimes entire communities, or several families threatened with violence, loss of their lands and expulsion...leaving everything they own behind. Such is the case of the over 400 evangelical believers expelled from San Juan Yatzona in the state of Oaxaca, since 1984. Oscar initially received their complaint of not receiving any help from the government Religious Affairs office back in February of this year, later met with and interviewed them, and advised them of where they should go to seek legal support. We organized a Children's Day activity for their families for the 30th of April, with the idea of meeting with them again and seeing how things were going. These activities are also a way of encouraging those who are persecuted, and providing them with an opportunity to relax a little and enjoy both their families and Christian fellowship. Several sisters in Christ have been working in the office in Sinaloa since September making gift containers, collecting, and shopping for small gifts and Christian material for the children of these brothers and sisters in Christ who were expelled from their homes, leaving everything behind. The actual expulsions began in 1984, very strictly maneuvered to discourage anyone else from daring to leave behind the old ways combined with a local required form of Catholicism. Those who were expelled originally, could not recuperate their houses, lands, crops, or possessions. Little by little they accomodated themselves in new places, and went back when they could to visit with, and occasionally share the gospel with the familiy members they had left behind. Whenever there were enough new converts to be noticed, they would be expelled by force again. The latest expulsions in 2007 and this past year put a real strain on the believers who had left years before, making it more difficult to help them resettle. Nine families were expelled in the past year, loosing the family lands and houses built with much sacrifice and hard work. Rxxxxx, a young Catholic had worked in the US for 8 years, managing to send back to his wife enough to build his 2 story house and equip it. He received a fax from the community authorities telling him his wife had converted, and he made his way home to present her by force and pay the fine required. But when he arrived, willing to do anything to recover his legal property, he was beaten, and dropped off in a near by town. He is being punished for not controlling his wife's behaviour, and for her becoming an evangelical believer. He can't understand why his fellow Catholics have stolen his property by force and abused him and his family. Two other young wives were abandoned by their husbands who decided not to send them any more money from the States if it meant loosing what they were investing in. One of the children, a three year old girl died at the end of March without her father's support. A young brother in Christ, Nxxxx, decapacitated and in a wheel chair, died from a treatable illness, without resources, leaving his young wife Nxxxxxx, of 28 and their 9 year old son, Axxxx alone. She was evicted from their tiny apartment 2 weeks after he died for lack of funds. All of these people had houses, lands, merchandise, jobs, etcetera before they were violently expelled at 4 am in the morning, in the pouring rain by a mob of 15 masked "neighbors", forced to hide in the bushes as they were chased from their town. They are forbidden to even talk to their families in Yatzona, to prevent them from contaminating the rest with their "evangelical cult " ideas. The Oaxacan state government has refused to even acknowledge the religious persecution. Arrest warrants were signed for 8 persons, but they each paid for and received an amparo which allows them their freedom from prosecution. This is one of the clearest caes of persecution I've seen yet.. and is outside of Chiapas. Please keep them in prayer...they are without resources and struggling to maintain their children in school, and fed. Their party was postponed by the influenza epidemic...but I left everything there ready for them, to enjoy as soon as possible, and shared with them about others who suffer persecution even more severe in other parts of the world. I think they have learned to understand what it is to suffer for Christ's sake, and can relate better to the sufferings of others. Pray for young Rxxxx, for his relationship with the Lord in the midst of his problems, which seem to him to be so unfair. Will keep you posted...if you are interested in encouraging them, or in helping in some way, leave me a comment here please. God bless you for your concern, linda