Mexico is a secular state, but local conflicts have often led to religious minorities being persecuted. In some parts of Mexico, we’ve seen people having their power and water cut off, being forced from their homes, or threatened with violence if they don’t convert. The Mexican Constitution does guarantee freedom of religion or belief, but in practice the government is very reluctant to involve itself in what it considers ‘religious affairs’. And in recent years religious freedom violations have been on the rise.

This week, please:

• Ask God to provide for nine Protestant families who were forced to leave their village in 2007 after refusing to renounce their faith;
• Pray that local officials would fulfil their duty to confront injustice;
• Pray that the government would uphold legal guarantees of freedom of religion for all;
• Pray for respect and love between members of majority and minority religious groups at every level;
• Pray for peaceful solutions to the regional-related conflicts between indigenous communities and religious minorities;
• Pray for CSW’s new partner organisation, Impulso 18, as they prepare to work with us and expand their work across Mexico;
• Ask God to bless CSW’s Latin America Team Leader with wisdom as we develop our work in Mexico.