5 Prayers for Mexico on “Cinco de Mayo”

Today, May 5, is both the National day of prayer in the US, and the Cinco de Mayo celebration in Mexico and the US.  Thus, it is a perfect day to remember Mexico, our southern neighbor, in prayer.   Our family has a special love for Mexico.  We have been to Mexico 8 times with our church for ministry trips, and we have had children live in Mexico for ministry and education for months at a time.  We have fallen in love with the joyful children; kind, hard working pastors; amazing, fresh-tasting cuisine;  and beautiful, scenery.  Mexico always has a place in our prayers.  Today, I hope, it will have a place in yours.

5 ways to pray for Mexico:

Unreached People Groups:          Mexico, according to Operation World, is 95% professing Christianity, with 8% evangelicals.  However, Mexico still has some unreached indigenous people groups in remote areas of the country.

 Pray for the Gospel to be spread in Mexico, especially to those who have never heard.

  Training for Pastors:    Many of the pastors in Mexico work jobs to support their families as well as pastoring churches.  There are

not  many opportunities for pastors to be trained in the Bible such as seminaries, or interning with older pastors.

Pray that God would open opportunities (like the MTI seminary and biblical studies at Agua Viva Ministries) for pastors to receive solid Biblical training to help them shepherd their flocks.

  Those Living in Poverty, especially Children:    Operation World estimates that there may be 800,000 street children in Mexico City, desperately living by whatever means they can.  Also, up to 11 million Mexican children under the age of 15 work to help support their families.  Because of this, they cannot complete their education.

 Pray for Christians to love and help the street children and for all the families struggling with poverty.

  Persecution of Christians in Certain Areas:   In certain areas of Mexico, including Oaxaca and Chialpas,  protestant Christians are persecuted for not renouncing their faith as detailed in this article from Christianity Today from earlier this year.

Pray for the persecution to stop, for the Christians to be strengthened and bold in the face of persecution, and for God to be glorified and build His church through this situation.

  Immigration, and the Hearts of American Christians toward Immigrants:  The immigration laws between the US and Mexico are hotly debated in many forums.  As Christians, we should try to be Biblical in our response to these situations, as these Christians in this article from Patheos.

Pray for the governments of both US and Mexico, that there would be fair and reasonable immigration laws.  Pray that we would each have an attitude informed by Scripture as we discuss these issues.  Thank God for your neighbors to the south, and take any opportunities to “love you neighbor.”

And, now that we have prayed for Mexico, don’t forget to enjoy some spicy Mexican food, listen to some upbeat Latin music, and watch some subtitled, Spanish movies on this Cinco de Mayo!

With Joy,

Kathleen