A Little More Than Tacos

Every two weeks, I try and give my friends (and other interested internet surfers, I suppose) an update on the happenings of my life. The original purpose of this blog was to be a surrogate for the conversations I wish I could have with friends and family, if we were able head over to a café and catch up on all the latest news in our lives. Unfortunately, it is mostly one way in this case, but it is an attempt at communication where a trip to Sam’s Place (or other applicable local café) is out of the realm of possibility.

My point is this, while primarily my posts have thus far been pertaining to Mexico and the work we are doing here, sometimes our lives and the things that are currently happening are not so cut and dry as a cute anecdote about what a kid did, or the fact that I had tacos last night for supper (which, I did).

This week, my thoughts are a little more distant than Mazatlan. The good thing about a blog, unlike sipping tea together, is that if you are bored or disinterested, you can exit this page right now and quit the “conversation.” I won’t be offended. I actually won’t even know. And it frees me to say what’s really been a big part of my life lately, even if it isn’t particularly amusing or even interesting. I’m no intellect, and have no thoughts that haven’t been voiced, more eloquently, before. With that disclaimer, here goes…

Lately, we have all been bombarded with news of global events pertaining to the killing and general persecution of Christians. Justin and I don’t watch the news, and generally don’t keep up with world events probably as much as we should. But this is not something that can be missed.

It’s tragic. It’s alarming. It’s horrific. It’s scary.

The fact is, I personally feel that it may only be a matter of time before these kind atrocities directed at Christians are even more widespread, and that perhaps, sooner than I think, I may be the one who is held at gunpoint because of my faith in Jesus Christ. The question is, how do I respond to that supposition?

There are two options that immediately come to my mind when faced with this question. And these are:

1.  Rage against the injustices of the world, get teary-eyed over the bloody pictures I see on my computer screen, then forget about it and go eat sushi (because that just seems like a care-free thing to do…?). After my initial indignation, I really just want to block it from my mind, and not dwell on the ramifications of these actions for families, communities, countries and the world. Or,
2. Barricade myself in a bullet-proof, bomb-proof, human-proof shelter with my family and my dog and hunker down while waiting for the world to end.

I’ve come to the conclusion that neither of these are very good options. Though either apathy or fear are the two extremes that would be easiest for me to give way to, from what I’ve been seeing in my Bible lately, I feel that both are wrong.

These students, journalists, all these people across the ocean I’ve never even seen before… they’re my family. We’re united through our Christian faith, the same Christianity which instructs me to pray for them. Politically, I don’t know what to do. At this point, I’m not sure how, or even if I can actively oppose what’s happening to them. But I can’t ignore it. I need to intercede for them, their families, these communities, and even those who doing the killing. If we’re a body, we should feel the pain of our members, and join with them. I can’t let myself become apathetic to the suffering of my family.

As for myself, I’ve realised that I’m not exempt from this kind of treatment. Although as far as I know there have not been mass killings of Christians in Mexico lately, it is not outside the realm of possibility in the future. Possibly even the near future.

And then I get scared. Not of dying exactly. But for my loved ones, and especially for my faith. With a gun pointed at my head, or a noose around my neck, how will I react?

I’ve been reading lately in the Bible of people who have been imprisoned, tortured, or who have died for their faith. Fact is, it has been happening ever since there was a Christian faith to die for. Oddly, I am encouraged by this. I am encouraged by the faith of the people today who I read in the news are being persecuted. Their sacrifice, though it breaks my heart and shakes my peace, drives me to want to have the kind of faith that will stand up to a bullet.  

So, once again, how do I respond?

I’ve decided that I should pray. I’m not always very good at praying. I’m much better at fretting, over-analyzing, and simply hoping. But that’s not going to cut it, is it? Praying can feel like such an intangible activism. But I’m slowly learning that not only is it the best, but sometimes it’s the only activism we can really do within the scope of our knowledge and abilities. I don’t think “I’ll pray about it” should be used as an excuse to exempt us from action. But I do think prayer is undervalued, and should be our first-response.

So, I’m trying to pray. For those who are currently being persecuted. And for my own faith; that I will be able to stand when I am face-to-face with persecution myself if/when it occurs. Instead of hiding in my everything-proof shelter, I will continue daily to do the work that I feel I’m called to do. I will try and complete the task that I have been given for the present, but I will remember to pray.

Join me?