CSW - everyone free to believe

'I ask my husband 'why do they do this to us?' We don't do them any harm...What they did to me still hurts me, with my injury and surrounded by people making fun of us and shouting at us...'

Maria Francisca Martínez Hernández lives in La Mesa de Limantitla, Mexico.

Maria's access to basic services - water, sewerage services, and government benefit programmes - was cut off by local authorities in January 2019. Maria's family - along with the other religious minority families in their community -  were told that their basic services could be reinstated. But they had to do one thing first: renounce their Protestant faith. Maria and her husband refused.

'Your wife is dying. Renounce your religion and we will connect your water. You have to renounce [your faith]...'

Would you make a gift of £8 to help us to raise Maria’s case, and many others, so they can live out their faith freely? 

Maria was one of 25 religious minority women from indigenous communities across Mexico who bravely shared their experiences with us. It was the first time that many of them had been asked to tell their stories in their own words. They told stories of their basic services being cut off, of not receiving access to government benefits they were entitled to, and of their land being taken away, or being expelled or excluded from their communities. 

In every case the underlying message was this: you're not part of this community unless you believe what we do.

Maria longs for things to be different in her community. She hopes that one day she will be able to practise her faith, without fear. 

That is our hope and prayer too - not just for Maria, but for so many other people around the world. 

Your gift will help us make sure Maria’s voice is heard, and to keep speaking truth to power until hope becomes reality – for Maria and so many people like her. 

Thank you.