It was a privilege to participate in the special prayer initiative that happened last week in Mexico City along with thirty representatives from the USA. It is called “Dos Naciones, Un Proyecto” or “Two Nations, One Project” and will be an ongoing effort combining prayer and action to bring deliverance to both Mexico and the United States from the awful drug war and its destructive effects on the two nations. Thanks so much for your support in prayer that we could tangibly feel.

Two brave followers of Christ who have significant positions in the Mexican government boldly arranged this effort to connect Christian leadership from Mexico and the United States in a common effort to pray and work together to bring an end to the trafficking of drugs, arms and human beings that has claimed the lives of 35,000 in the last five years. This dark trade has fueled widespread corruption and drug-related crime in much of Mexico and, because of our long porous border, has enabled drug cartels and other criminal gangs to increasingly operate in various states within the USA.

We as Americans bear a great responsibility for this situation because our insatiable demand for drugs (about 20 million are current users or addicts and over 100 million have used either cocaine, marijuana or methamphetamines) have made the drug trade a multi-billion dollar per year business. In addition, the U.S. Congress’s allowing the ban on assault weapons to expire in 2004 has enabled the drug criminals to acquire tens of thousands of AK 47s and other advanced weaponry that has no purpose other than killing people. They have and are using these weapons not only on law enforcement officers and the military but also on innocent civilians, even including children, without any conscience.

On Thursday, the 26th, we had the honour of meeting with President Felipe Calderon, his gracious First Lady, Margarita Zavala, and a few other key government officials. They briefed us on the situation in the nation, asking for our help in prayer and action. Here are a few key ongoing prayer concerns that you are welcome to share with other intercessors:

1. For the strengthening of President Calderon and his colleagues, including Alejandro and Rosi Orozco, as well as for their security and that of their families. These are courageous men and women who have put their lives on the line to serve their nation and eliminate the drug cartels who in turn would like nothing more than to assassinate them. These cartels have already managed to intimidate or buy off many officials and infiltrate the police, military and parts of the government. Pray for their protection and victory in this dangerous battle.

2. The government has managed to capture or kill 20 of the “most wanted” 37 drug cartel leaders and criminals. There are 17 left to bring to justice. Pray that these ruthlessly wicked people will be found and arrested soon and that their networks of other thugs will be broken up and destroyed in both countries.

3. That the government’s other efforts to provide poverty relief, better and more education for young people and other opportunities will be effective in giving children and youth a reason to live and not get seduced into the grip of organized crime.

4. That the Mexican people will not complain about and criticize this long battle against evil but will be patient, hopeful and supportive of the government’s efforts.

5. That the U.S. Congress and other public authorities in this country will take action to reapply the ban on assault weapons and take actions to stop the flow of such arms into Mexico.

6. That drug shipments will be interdicted and the routes and networks for the smuggling of drugs, weapons and humans for sexual and commercial purposes will be uncovered and cut off by coordinated and effective border patrol efforts.

7. That Hollywood would be conscientized and stop producing movies that glamorize the taking of drugs like marijuana or cocaine.

Some of us believe that breakthrough is coming during this coming year and that the Lord is rewriting the history of Mexico through its growing prayer movement and greater unity among the thousands of Christian leaders. On June 12, Pentecost Sunday and the Global Day of Prayer, they are marching and praying with millions of other believers in most of the state capitals all across Mexico. Let's agree that through the backing of the prayer movement as well as God-given strategies of action our brothers and sisters in both church and government will be able to win complete victory!

Hunting Down Mexico’s Most Wanted

Praise God that 20 of the original 37 “most wanted” criminal leaders have been removed.

Flash Report from Mexico on How God is Answering!

The following e-mail has the sole purpose of thanking you once again for travelling to our country to participate together in “Two Nations, One Project”. We would like to share with you the wonders and miracles that God has done in just the few days after our historical prayer meeting.

Saturday, in the state of Chiapas, one of the biggest crystal meth labs ever discovered was confiscated.

In the state of Quintana Roo, 10 people belonging to the “Zetas” were detained.

Sunday, in Michoacan, 36 members of the gang “La Familia” were also detained and 11 more died. That same Sunday in Northern Mexico in the state of Sonora, 400 kilos of marihuana were confiscated, and 4 drug dealers were detained.

In another Northern state of Coahuila, one ton of cocaine was confiscated and 4 members of “Los Zetas” were detained.

Thank God for all of these actions where we can see the beginning of what we declared that night of prayer in faith in regards to the peace, freedom, and security of our nations.

Gloria a Dios!

(e-mail received at the IPC office on 2 June 2011)

“Only four months after the people of south Sudan overwhelmingly voted to secede from Khartoum's Islamic Republic of Sudan - and six weeks before the independence day of July 9 - a resumption of Sudan's civil war is threatened by north Sudan's military occupation of the disputed territory of Abyei and its calls to remove southern soldiers from Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Sudan's ethnic and religious divisions coincide in all three borderland territories, with a Muslim nomadic population that looks to the north's capital of Khartoum while Christian and animist farmers are drawn to the south's Juba.

According to the security arrangements in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), both northern and southern soldiers are supposed to patrol the contested border territories. A week ago, southern military forces in the disputed Abyei region attacked UN forces escorting northern troops. Though the Juba government apologized, Khartoum made the attack the pretext for militarily occupying the territory, setting off large refugee flows out of Abyei.”
(John Campbell, CNN, June 1, 2011)

Please continue to pray for a peaceful transition towards the independence of South Sudan next month and for a good relationship to develop with the government in Khartoum with whom they will have to live amicably as their northern neighbor.