Years ago I had a great man of God tell me that the Ministry would be the greatest work in the world if it weren’t for having to deal with people! I knew what he meant and wasn’t offended at all. For the most part only those “Not” in the ministry will be offended by such, because they won’t understand. He wasn’t talking about the people personally, but the situations and conditions in which people can find themselves. So often time the minister will feel soiled themselves just by dealing with and having association with very unsavory situations.
How can one really describe the inner workings of an open society Mexican prison that is controlled and governed by a drug cartel. Open prostitution, flagrant defiant homosexuality, obvious and evident transsexualism, as well as an epidemic of drug addiction that enslaves a good percentage of the prison population. In the midst of all this God is raising up a Church!
Over the years the Lord has blessed us with a degree of influence among all elements in these prisons. We have prayed with a few heads of the Gulf Cartel and have gifted them with Bibles; men who have and do exercise the power of discipline and death, in the prison, while maintaining a semblance of order. I have met “HUMMER”; a mammoth, crack addicted simple-minded man who is the executioner for the cartel in the prison. He has faithfully carried out the wishes of the Gulf Coast more times than anyone wants to think about; and of course nobody sees anything, hears anything nor knows anything. I have personally witnessed that as he walks down the passageways of the prison those who are not accompanying him scurry in different directions, away from him, so as not to get in his way or bother him. We have ministered to soooo many of these men’s children, and have gained influence into their families for having done so.
We do not purport to be experts concerning the cartels, but 20 years of ministry in this environment has taught us a few things. I have also yet to meet one member of the cartel who would not listen to me. They don’t all pray, but over the years many have. This is their work, their livelihood, their occupation, and many have been reared with a religious background. They really do have feelings and love their children and families just as we do.
Forgive me for boring you with this treatise, but something just happened to cause this eruption of thoughts. As I was walking through one of the prisons with a few of the Christian men I noticed several pockets of men milling around that don’t normally do so. They had telephones and walkie-talkies. I was informed that due to a recent riot the cartel powers that be on the outside were visiting so as to personally establish their chains of command within the prison. (Please bear with me, this is not an extrapolated missionary story, and probably by now most who starting reading this have already left due to the length of the post.) I know these guards and I watched them as they escorted these leaders of the Gulf Cartel, giving them the red-carpet treatment as if they were dignitaries. As I passed by them I was given sheepish smiles. You see; this is the way that it is.
All that we have ever asked is that you remember us in your prayers. God knows all our needs. We have never felt fear, for we know that we are in God’s will and hands; and only two times over the years do I remember feeling a sense of danger. One of those times was during the eminent release of an American prisoner due to the circumstances of his release. The other time was due to a rumor that had been placed on me, at first unbeknownst to me, that later was shown to be the lie that it was. If you have read through this whole post, we thank you; and believe that we can depend on you for the requested prayers. God bless.