The Landmark Project Reducing Religious Persecution
Mexico has celebrated a historic precedent with the translation of the Law on Religious Associations and Public Worship into an indigenous language – a project sponsored by Open Doors.
The law was translated into an indigenous language spoken in the state of Chiapas. According to Roberto Martínez, Director of Open Doors in Mexico, Chiapas is currently the state with the highest number of cases of religious intolerance.
Mariano Vázquez López, translator in charge of the law, highlighted the importance of religious organisations knowing the law and their rights and obligations in their own language, as many conflicts are caused by a lack of knowledge and a poor understanding of legal terminology when they read it in Spanish.
René Ruiz Trejo, representing the General Secretary of the Government, emphasised that a historic result has been achieved, since this decree has never been translated into a native language. “We are pioneers in this work because it will reach the communities where we want them to know their rights and duties as religious associations,” he added.
Ruiz Trejo publicly thanked Open Doors for its participation in this work. Open Doors donated a budget of $3,392 to print 1,000 copies of the law to distribute to religious leaders in the state, who often suffer persecution or reprisals within their communities because of their faith. It is recorded that in two years alone, more than 300 beneficiaries have been reached by Open Doors local partners.
Helping the Church To Be Salt and Light
Open Doors continues to work hand-in-hand with the Directorate of Religious Affairs in the state of Chiapas to begin distributing the same law in other of the most widely spoken indigenous languages in the state: Tzeltal and Chol. The intention is the same: to work for the construction of spaces in Mexico where tolerance and respect can accommodate the different thoughts of our indigenous brothers and sisters, and where the Church, for its part, knows its rights and duties to be the salt and light of its communities.
Mexico is #38 on the World Watch List 2023.
Pray For Mexico:
- Praise God for the positive collaboration between Open Doors, public institutions, and the government to make this law more available for indigenous communities.
- Pray that the distribution of the law leads to less conflict between Christians and authorities and that more Christians in Chiapas will experience peace and safety.
- Pray for a return of law and order to Mexico where crime is rampant.
Stay updated with the latest prayer requests from the persecuted church.
