Religious Rights Defender & Pastor, Esdras Alonso, Leads March on Behalf of Expelled Evangelicals

Pastor Esdras  Alonsowas forced to lead over 30 expelled Evangelicals in a peaceful march to insist that the San Cristobal city government respond to the needs of families who were driven from their homes and lands over a year ago. The new San Cristobal government mistakenly thought that a well known Alliance of Churches was the only one authorized to speak for all the different groups persecuted in the 3 major regions. Esdras Alonso is not only Pastor and Apostle to his flock, but last year finished his doctorate in penal law, and represents without charge (as opposed to other lawyers) different groups from his own Alas de Aguila and others groups who seek his advice and legal coverage. Some Alliances actually are making money off of the state government which gives them a monthly stipend of $5,000 USD each month to attend to business. We suspect much of this money never goes further than the Alliance itself, and its members.

Meanwhile, Pastor Esdras has been the target of a major smear campaign by leftist newspapers, the EZLN / Zapatista Movement, and their sympathizers. He has been falsely labeled a paramilitary commander for his leadership of the Ejercito de Dios activist group that leads marches in favor of expelled Evangelical Indigena groups… peacefully, as opposed to other so called social activist movements in Chiapas. Lately Pastor Esdras was falsely and with malice said to be being investigated by the PGR for links to the Colombian FARC in an isolated secular article, which was picked up and republished by a rival and well known human rights defender (?) in Mexico City. Unfortunately a young reporter in Nicaragua saw it and published it as truth in a well known Spanish speaking Christian source. We deplore this type of one upmanship in the press… even Christian which leads to slander and defamation never made right. Esdras Alonso Gonzalez remains the most accurate and dedicated source touching on religious intolerance and persecution in Chiapas. His people are law abiding, and seek to use both the law and peacful demonstrations to gain housing, clothes, schooling, food and medical for those who are rejected by their own communities for following the Christ they met through the  preaching the unaldulturated Word of God. Please keep both him and the people he repreasents in your prayers… and those who in ignorance attack them.

China Aid Ass. Alert

House Church in Jiangsu Province Raided, Shut Down

China Aid Association

(Zhongzhuang, China – Jan. 31, 2011) A house church in coastal Jiangsu province that has been meeting for many years was raided by local religious affairs officials on Sunday and forced to shut down, ChinaAid has learned.

The church in Zhongzhuang, Jianhu county has been pastored for many years by Pastor Zeng Zhengliang, who used to be one of the important leaders of the Chinese House Church Alliance. A church building was constructed through donations from church members.

Pastor Zeng had been summoned last weekend by the county Religious Affairs Bureau and the Public Security Bureau and was told that if he dared to enter the church on this Sunday, he would be arrested.

Before 7 a.m. Sunday, Zhang Yuchun, head of the county office of the China Christian Council and the Three Self-Patriotic Association showed up at the church door with two other officials to prevent the Sunday morning worship service from taking place. A Zhongzhuang village cadre was also there to take photographs.

Pastor Zeng and his church members went into the church according to the normal schedule for the Sunday worship service. The local religious affairs officials sent one person by force to the pulpit to deliver a sermon, but the congregation refused to listen to him and drove him out of the pulpit. He again went to the pulpit and again he was driven off. Finally, he had to give it up.

After the service, church workers bought a padlock and locked the main door of the church building before leaving. When Zhang saw this, he also bought a padlock and also locked the church door to prevent the church members from gaining access to the building. Several hours later, Zhang drove back to the church and smashed the padlock the church workers had put on the door, thus ensuring that only he could enter the building.

ChinaAid Association expresses its shock over this incident and denounces the officials’ actions. We will be paying close attention to further development in this case.

Pastor Zeng Zhengliang’s phone number is (86) 13912534211

ChinaAid Contacts
Rachel Sparkman, Media Coordinator
Tel: (888)889-7757, or Rachel@ChinaAid.org
Mark Shan, CAA Spokesperson
Tel: (267) 205-5210, or Mark@ChinaAid.org
Website: www.ChinaAid.org and www.MonitorChina.org

Background on American Missionary, Nancy Davis, Murdered in Mexico Jan. 26th, 2011

U.S. Missionary Dies after Shooting in Mexico

Published on: Wednesday, January 26, 2011

By Melissa de Bosque

According to the McAllen, Monitor,  a missionary from a Pennsylvania church was shot in Mexico Wednesday. The woman, Nancy Davis, 59, was driven to the Pharr-Reynosa International bridge by her husband late Wednesday morning. According to the Monitor, the truck had been “riddled with bullets” from an apparent attack. An ambulance took her from the international bridge to a local U.S. hospital.  Davis died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Davis’ church Beavertown God’s Missionary Church sent a message on Twitter this afternoon with the following: “Long time missionary Nancy Davis has gone to Heaven.  Serving in that country for over 35 years, she has now given her very life for her people.  Our prayers and sympathy to her husband, Sam, and to all her family at this tragic loss.”

Not all of the details of this tragic story have emerged yet. And it’s still not known whether the shooting incident occurred in Reynosa or possibly neighboring Rio Bravo or another small town in Tamaulipas. (Update) The Pharr Police report that the shooting happened on the highway near San Fernando, about 70 miles south of Reynosa. San Fernando has been plagued with cartel violence in the past year including the massacre of 72 migrants in August by the Zeta cartel. Also, a UT Brownsville student was killed on this highway during an alleged robbery on the bus he was riding. Several Mexican motorists have also reported having their SUVs and trucks stolen at gunpoint near San Fernando. According to the police, armed gunmen attempted to stop Nancy Davis and her husband on the highway. When they kept driving, the gunmen opened fire hitting Nancy Davis in the head. The Monitor has the full police press release here.

I have been afraid that something like this might happen. In the last year, I have received phone calls from time to time from people in the interior of the United States wanting to do missionary work on the Mexican side of the border. They always ask whether I think it’s safe to go to Reynosa, Rio Bravo or other small towns in Tamaulipas to do volunteer work. For decades church volunteers and missionaries have been visiting Mexican border cities to build orphanages, homes and to donate food and provide other much needed services. Often they bring their teenage children with them to volunteer as well. These volunteers contribute wonderful and valuable services to these communities. In return they also gain meaningful life experiences and make lasting friendships with people in the communities where they are working.

When they ask me whether they should go, I always tell them I am by no means a security expert, and I only have my own experiences to draw upon from visiting and working in Tamaulipas. The last time I was there was in August. The gist of my response is usually “wait until things get better.”  Things are too unpredictable right now.  When I was in Tamaulipas the cartels had checkpoints at the entrances of many of the cities. Also, there were lookouts for the cartels everywhere in Reynosa. Some churches have left it up to the volunteers to decide whether to make the trip. These volunteers feel the calling to go because as Mexico reels from the economic crisis and the devastating cartel violence these communities need their help now more than ever. But should they take that risk? It’s a tough choice for a person of deep faith to make.

Melissa del Bosque

Melissa del Bosque has a Masters in Journalism from U.T. Austin and a M.P.H. from the Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health.  She spent five years in the Texas Senate as a communications director. Her work has been published in Time magazine and the NACLA Report on the Americas.

Website: www.texasobserver.org/lalinea E-mail: delbosque@texasobserver.org

American Missionary Fatally Wounded in Mexico

We have a report of a 59 year old Methodist missionary from Pennsylvania killed in Tamaulipas yesterday… she and her husband were threatened by a Narco checkpoint on the highway, and tried to get past them. They were trying to avoid being kidnapped and tortured by the Zetas. Many mission agencies are questioning if they should pull their people out, and waiting as long as they can, hoping to keep a low profile or that the situation will change. The Lord has His protecting hand over each one of us as it suits His purposes, and will bring beauty out of ashes! Nancy’s life and death won’t be in vain…

More later this morning…

My Heroes of the Faith: VDLM /VOM Bulletin from Mexico

I want to share with you as my Family in Christ, what is our first official bulletin from Voice of the Martyrs in Mexico…This is a very special cover for me, because they are all Mexicans persecuted for their faith, and I know each one of them personally… have been to their villages, eaten with them, ministered to them, and been blessed by their faithfulness and ability to follow the Lord despite the loss of practically everything they own. They are mostly humble Indigena believers who can quote scriptures better than most of us, but have actually applied them to their daily living. I am so fortunate and privileged in being to serve them, and share their testimonies with others, so that You might be encouraged in your walk and in taking your faith a few steps further. They are:

• Antonio: from Zinacantan Chiapas, pastor, Director of the Tzotzil Seminary and COMIMEX Missions Forum
• Julia with daughter, Chamula Indigena expelled with 21 others from Chilil, was beaten and expelled from her community, and still said…” I will not renounce my faith. I know who and what I am… and I will stay with my Jesus.”
• Isabel from Oaxaca: while her husband Ruben worked 3 jobs for 8 years in the USA, building her a nice home, their son became sick, and was dying. The shamans and witchcraft could do nothing, nor the saints… but Jesus healed him. She can’t renounce her faith either… it gave her Salvation and her son’s life. She and 49 other families were expelled… loosing everything. Ruben came home to straighten her out… but found himself unwelcome too. He’s now trusting Jesus.
• Children are also victims: expelled from public schools, loosing govt benefits that bring food, milk and other aid into their homes.
• Estela: spokeswoman for the Innocent Prisoners from the Acteal Massacre Case from 1997… 86 arrested and falsely accused including almost half of them Christians that the Zapatistas wanted out of “their territory”.
• Erika, from Hidalgo… harassed and threatened in her community and her church besieged by neighbors so it can’t be used.
• Defender of Human Rights and Pastor, Esdras Alonso Gonzalez, our Spokesperson praying for pastors persecuted in San Cristobal de las Casas in San Cristobal.
• Alejandro and Refugio, ex Zapatistas now Christians constantly accused by opponents as being paramilitaries to discredit them and the Gospel they don’t just share… but live day to day.
• Pastor Lucio: Chamula from Los Llanos… was a drunken addict until he met Christ in a Christian Rehab Center. On returning home he shared Christ with his family and neighbors, and led a small congregation. In short time he saw his church torn down, then their houses… and all 31 of them were run out loosing everything last January. They are displaced persons, in Chiapas Mexico.
• Antonio from Huixtan… was run out of his community as well in 2001. Now is studying in Ocosingo Bible Institute so he can share the Gospel as a missionary to those who oppose it.
• Petra, Chamula from Los Llanos: mother of eight minor children at 33 years of age. Was expelled with the rest of her congregation… has seen her husband saved from alcoholism and her family firmly established in the Lord. She is now a spokesperson for her people, one of the few who speak Spanish well.
• Pastor Miguel with his Pastor: his congregation was attacked by a mob of 200 raging neighbors armed with machetes who came to cut their utilities because they weren’t participating in the Catholic festivals anymore, and paying fees for Catholic Traditionalist festivals.
• These are our brothers and sisters in Christ… my friends, my heroes. Please keep them in prayer along with the Presbyterian brothers who were attacked last February leaving one widow, several orphans, and a number of them incapacitated and traumatized by the violence directed at them.