Drug War Rages On

Drug Cartels Shift Focus of
Attacks to Area Where We Work

The chatter of automatic weapon fire rings out over the city. Suddenly, hand grenades explode in the streets. A military chopper hovers overhead, spraying gunfire into the stronghold of enemy forces on the ground. After the smoke clears, dozens lay injured; some are dead.    Click to read more...

No, this is not an action scene from a war movie; this is not even an incident in some faraway, war-torn country. This is close and it’s happening at an alarming rate—in Reynosa and Rio Bravo, Mexico, headquarters for Spirit and Truth Ministries.

Clashes between rival drug cartels fighting for territorial rights (shipping lanes for drugs bound for the U.S.) happen almost daily. The number of executions, hangings and beheadings are now in the tens of thousands. Thousands more have been kidnapped and tortured. And this is only what we can gather from limited news reports. TV stations have been bombed and journalists have been killed for simply reporting the news. Nowadays information is sketchy.

The battle rages on. For 3 years Mexican authorities have been at war with the cartels in an effort to extinguish the drug trafficking and violence. But for every kingpin that is killed or captured, there are dozens ready to take his place. It seems there is no end in sight. (Continued below...) 

The northeast quadrant of Mexico where we conduct our mission work has been relatively quiet, until recently. Rumors began to fly that a big attack was about to occur. The public panicked. Schools and businesses closed. A curfew was put into place; it wasn’t needed. Residents were holed up in their homes, as was the local police; terrified, they abandoned their posts. Bustling communities became like ghost towns overnight.

How is our ministry coping with all this? For one, we are operating with utmost caution. Skirmishes can break out anywhere, anytime. Innocents can be caught in the cross fire; a little girl died in the helicopter incident, gunned down by a stray bullet. Our feeding programs are needed more than ever. The economy is suffering; working people have lost jobs. Enrollment at schools has dropped significantly. More hungry kids are showing up at our programs for a meal. They need us.

And we need you. We need your prayers, but we also need your financial gifts to help us meet this greater demand. We may have a crisis, but we also have a Christ. Will you pray? Will you give?

Did you know that we can feed a hungry child a hot nutritious meal for fifty cents? That's right. For two quarters, less than a cup of coffee, we can place a bowl of meat, beans, rice and tortillas and drink before a needy little one who otherwise might not get to eat that day.

How many meals can you provide? 50 meals, 100, maybe 200? Imagine if the U.S. was in a dilemma like Mexico and it was your own child who had nothing to eat. You would go to the ends of the earth to get food for them. Reach deep and give your best. The child you feed could someday grow up to be a great evangelist or missionary. Cast your seed into the ground. Who knows what lasting fruit could be brought forth through your giving?

To make a donation simply click here or on the Donate button at the top of this newsletter or in the next article. You can contribute by credit card, debit card or checking account. You do not need a PayPal account.

Meanwhile, back on the streets of Reynosa and Rio Bravo the extreme violence continues; no one is ever sure when or where it’s going to occur. It rises and falls like the ocean tides on the Gulf of Mexico nearby. If only it was as predictable. 

 Bill Pay, PayPal are Popular Among our Donors

 There have been some inquiries to this ministry concerning the lag time that it takes for cancelled checks to get back to the donor’s bank so that it appears on their statement. Simply put, their complaint is that it takes an extraordinary amount of time for their check to clear.

All I can say is that we deposit contribution checks frequently (because we need your gifts like yesterday! LOL) The problem is with how long it takes mail to get to us. (They call it “snail mail” for a reason. :>) )

There are a couple of ways to get around all this delay and they're as convenient as you could ever want. How would you like to not have to write a check, nor pay postage, nor even have to remember to make your monthly contribution?

There’s an easy way and it’s called Bill Pay, available at your bank. It automates your giving and debits your account, hands free! According to your one-time customization, the bank will cut the check, mail it to us, pay the postage, and you never have to lift a pen. It doesn’t get any easier. Best of all, it’s a free service. You may contact your bank or go to your bank’s web site to get started. We have several donors that use this system and they love it. Try it and I believe you’ll feel the same way.

The second convenient method to donate to this ministry is called PayPal. This has become one of the most popular means to send and receive donations online. Even though PayPal charges us a per-transaction fee, we feel that the convenience of this service is worth it to supporters who like doing business online using a credit card, debit card or checking account. It's simple to use and you don't even have to have a PayPal account. Try it! Just click the Donate button at the top of this article and you will be stepped through the process of making a donation directly to this ministry. Quick, safe and free! It's the absolute easiest way to contribute to Spirit and Truth Ministries online.

And if you still prefer to send checks or money orders through the mail, that is perfectly okay with us. Simply print the donation form below and send your gift to the address indicated.

We thank you for standing with us in reaching the lost and hurting of this country caught in one of the greatest turmoils in its history. Nearly 20,000 have died in three years and more are dying every day. What if we could reach some of those before they are flung into an eternity without God? Let's do our part to reach them and God will do the rest. Thanks and God bless!

To send a contribution please print and complete the donation form and send it with your check to:  STM  *  PO Box 2635  *  Mission, TX  78573-0044