Mexico Youth Attack Step in the 'Wrong Direction'
ICC Note:
The recent attack on Christian youth in Mexico has left the country in shock, and presents a “disconcerting change.” This criminal activity is considered a “new act of violence [and] is a step in the wrong direction” because in the past the church and children were “left alone.”
07/18/2012 Mexico (CharismaNews)- A gang of nearly a dozen armed people stormed into a church youth retreat near Mexico City on Saturday and went on an hours-long rampage of beatings, robberies and rape.
Any connection between the gang and the drug cartels is still unconfirmed. However, Mexican authorities say that campers and hikers have been targeted in the past by common criminals, and the region is known for violent drug-related crime.
That said, the attack on children presents a disconcerting change. Tim Glenn with Compassion International says they have several projects in the region between Oaxaca and Mexico City. While none of their sponsored kids were victims of the attack, “I think it's a scary new venture in the active criminal activities. Historically, in the past they left the church alone, they left the kids alone. This new act of violence is a step in the wrong direction.”
Because Compassion's Child Development Centers and other projects are in somewhat secluded areas, they do take precautions to prevent such attacks. Glenn explains, “One of the things we require of our church partners is that they have a safe place for kids to go so that they can learn, they can play, they can grow and be away from these type of things in their community.”
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The church youth group that suffered Saturday's attack has a lot of healing to do emotionally and physically. Glenn urges prayer support for the gospel workers who are on the front lines. “One of the first prayer needs that we have is for the church to be the church in those communities, for the body of Christ to step up and say, 'We're going to take these kids under our wings. We're going to give them a safe place. We're going to protect them from this type of thing so that they don't have to look to a gang for relationship and acceptance.”
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