Across from the border city of El Paso, Texas, sits the city of Juárez, Mexico. If you are current with the news, you probably know that Juárez has become a violent front line in the war on drugs. Between January 2008 and March 2009, almost 2,000 drug-related murders have taken place in the city as a war rages that involves the drug cartels, local police, and Mexico’s military.
Recently Time Magazine said Juárez “may be the western hemisphere’s most dangerous town” and “certainly the hardest hit by Mexico’s drug-war terror.” *
Ministering in the city of Juárez is my friend and (extra)ordinary pastor, Carlos Contreras.
Carlos, who is 50 years old, has attended his local church for 30 years, and has served on staff for the last 18 years (11 as senior pastor). He and his wife, Kena, have been married for 26 years and have four children.
Carlos, I appreciate your taking time to answer these questions. First, I want to ask about the escalating violence in Juárez. Describe for us what is happening in your city and how the current situation affects your church and ministry.
I never imagined that we would have to lead our congregation through something like this. The three largest drug cartels in México are warring for control of our city. There are other sites in México with similar battles, but the unique situation of Juárez has made our streets the site of some of the most violent and gruesome incidents in the nation.
In addition to this, over 100 law enforcement officials have lost their lives, many of them because they had become part of a cartel but many others as they carried out their duties. The suspicion of corruption and the threat of violence has produced massive layoffs and resignations of police officers. This weakening of the law enforcement bodies has contributed in the unleashing of a severe crime wave that has exposed regular citizens to armed robbery, carjacking and kidnapping. If you add to this the subsequent financial crisis that has made our city No. 1 in the nation in loss of jobs, then you get a pretty nasty scenario.
This crisis of violence and crime has produced a very high level of fear, anxiety and hopelessness in our city and has tempted many in the church to fall into those sins. So by God’s grace we have had to use every opportunity to teach and remind people of the truth of God’s sovereignty and care. And we have seen much growth in learning to trust God like never before.
Since we couldn’t trust our government to protect or deliver us from all of this, we have had to learn to REALLY trust God for our well-being, and it has been wonderful! The church has grown, both in numbers and in maturity. As a church we are very aware and grateful for all the good fruit God has produced in our lives as a result of this crisis and we are joyfully anticipating much more of his grace.
My personal challenge has been to learn to carry the burden of concern for the well-being of our folks and our city. My love for the folks in the church has grown much as I have prayed for them and carried them in my heart all these months. But also, I have seen a new love for the city and nation develop in my heart and the heart of many others.
God is awakening a stronger burden to see our nation turn to Christ that has made us bolder in proclaiming the gospel to the authorities, our neighbors and city as a whole. Like never before this crisis has opened many doors to the gospel, and I pray that as a church we will prove faithful in taking advantage of this new opportunity to see the gospel advanced.
Thank you for this update, my friend. And thank you for your example of faithfulness to the gospel and your love for the local church!
Join us next time as we ask Carlos about his spiritual disciplines, his favorite books, and his reading.
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* Tim Padgett, “Juarez: Running the Most Dangerous City in the Americas,” Time Magazine, March 27, 2009.