February 2015: Disappeared But Not Forgotten

February 2015 Mission Bulletin Format

Febrero 2015 – Desaparecido pero no olvidado

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, the bringer of good news, announcing deliverance, proclaiming to Zion, “Your God has become King.” Isaiah 52:7

The world was shocked when it heard about the sudden disappearance of 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Normal School near Tuxtla, Guerrero Mexico last September.  The students came from very poor and marginalized areas of Mexico and were protesting the unjust education reforms that affect their education and prevent application for scholarships and student aid.

In reaction to this atrocity, the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Matanzas, Cuba, convened a prayer vigil. The community gathered on a hill overlooking the beautiful Matanzas Bay. Each participant held a candle and a photo of one of the students. The students were named one by one, and a brief reference to their life and origin was shared. Verses from the Bible were read, and the community prayed for justice and expressed their solidarity for the students’ families.

The violation of human rights primarily against women and students in Mexico has been an ongoing issue. Today, Mexico is living in an environment of violence and terror to the point of civil war. We must collectively insist on justice for these students and their families and never forget what has happened. Isaiah’s prophetic words can become our watchwords for this Lenten season, reminding us of the true hope in the coming of the Messiah – justice for all.

Missionary:
Carmelo Alvarez serves as a missionary affiliate appointed by the Global Ministries Board to serve with the Latin American Evangelical Pentecostal Commission (CEPLA) and the Evangelical Pentecostal Union of Venezuela (UEPV) based in Chicago, Illinois, serving as program con