By Fidel "Butch" Montoya
There is another story in the Arizona Republic today (May 8) about the ICE raid on April 12 against a group of men out on a religious retreat. But even after the April 12th arrests of the men who were part of a Christian men's retreat...the Latino Evangelical Church outside of Arizona remains outrageously silent.
Oh Church, where is the righteous indignation and condemnation of the injustice toward God's mighty men of valor?
Can we hear from churches from across this nation that will take a stand against the arrests and deportations...and the jailing of the Pastor Maldonado for almost two weeks in jail?
What about the pastor's 12 year old who witnessed the insensitive work of law enforcement and ICE? What a nightmare for this young man to have see. To watch ICE agents mistreat and disrespect his father...who is a Man of God? How can we not be shocked and angered?
Yes, they have the authority to arrest, but where is the discretion these officers could have used?? When we allow these agents to interfer with our religious worship, prevent others from singing and praying in public, and arresting and deporting the men straight from the campground and we remain silent and hidden from the authorities, something is terribly wrong?
What about the families that expected the fathers, husbands, brothers in the Lord to come back excited and inspired to serve the Lord? Instead the shock and fear of their loved one being detained and deported must have been a horrific shock for the families.
Now the whole valley of churches in this part of Arizona are stunned and afraid of further police action against them. And can you blame them? Not one other church outside of this valley that I have read has taken a public stand against this police action.
If it can happen in Arizona, it can happen to any church, in any city, or in any state in the Union!
We are facing perilous times...and with the silence of the good people against the evil committed against the Church, this is not acceptable anywhere!
I say stand up now and stand against this injustice and insane action by the county law enforcement and ICE in Arizona against the Church.
What has to happen to our Church before we stand up and say enough? Do we understand the ramifications this has across the country? We need to send the message loud and clear to ICE that they stay away from our Churches which represent the House of God.
Where are the mighty men of valor that will stand and be ready to defend the Gospel with the Churches in Arizona?
Pastor Maldonado said they were "terrified." We should all say we are "TERRIFIED and "rightiously angered and opposed" to this injust treatment of good people...good Christian people!
Wake up Latinos! Wake up Church!
Read the news story down below....after the SAVE Act news article,
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light Ministries - Latino Faith Based Initiative
Denver, Colorado 80212
fmon@hotmail.com
"He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water." Isaiah 49:10
Not one, not a single posting of prayer support for Pastor Maldonado and his flock as called for by brother Montoya.
ReplyDeleteSadly, there has not been one posting of support for brother Montoya's call to prayer in his posting of April 10 either.
Do we really believe that we can win this battle, this vicious attack on not only immigrants, but the entire Latino community, in our own strength? Are we so busy flailing away that we have forgotten to bring into the fray our most powerful ally?
As brother Montoya rightly pleaded, we must begin this battle on our knees. "if my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land." 2Chronicles7:14
I am not a pastor, merely an elder in my church, but I pledge to brother Montoya that I will join with him in prayer, and enlist others to do the same, not only for Pastor Maldonado and his flock, but for God to bring our political leadership to their senses and bring to an immediate end the demonizing and persecution of our immigrant brothers and sisters, and their little ones too, whose only sin is to come here in search of work and a better life for their families.
God bless you brother Montoya for your courage and determination to stand up for those who have no voice!
Jose Kennard
Edmonds, Washington