The coronavirus has hit Mexico City hard, as would be expected of a city with a metropolitan area of over 20 million people. The hospitals are almost filled to capacity, and there is still much unease with regard to what the future holds. We have not been meeting in our church building since the end of March, and it looks like that will continue until June at the earliest.
Thankfully our church people have been kept safe. The sister of a lady in our church was diagnosed with Covid-19, and it is likely that the sister had it too, but they both seem to have recovered from the virus. Some friends and family of people in our church also have the virus, and some have passed away, but we thank the Lord that He has preserved our people. Please continue to pray for that protection, as we have a good number of elderly or chronically sick people in the church who are at high risk of the virus.
One of the biggest challenges we face is economic—about half of all Mexicans work in a job where they get paid day to day, instead of having a fixed income. That has caused a real issue during the quarantine, because if these people don’t go out to work, they have no money. Many have expressed that they are in an impossible situation: either they go out, work, and perhaps get exposed to the coronavirus and die, or they stay at home and die of hunger.
Our church has taken seriously that need for our people and is fully supporting around ten families during this crisis—people who are not working and have no income. Please pray that the Lord will continue to provide through the generous offerings of those in our church who are still working, and also from those outside our church. We are thankful for those who have thought of us during this time and have showed their love in such a practical way.
As in all our churches, we are longing to meet together again and enjoy the fellowship of the saints and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Please pray for spiritual strength for our people, and for unity of heart when the Lord allows us to have services again. That is going to be a complicated process, considering the extreme precautions that the city has taken to avoid an even more massive outbreak.
Please also pray for our sister churches during this crisis. Wenceslao and Pepe, two pastors who have expressed interest in joining with us, do not have jobs, as is the case for many in their churches. Ramón, in the Dominican Republic, has not had any income for two months, and is in great need as well. Thankfully, Lalo and Jair continue to have work, for which we praise the Lord. All of these men, as well as our church here in Mexico City, would greatly covet your prayers as we navigate these difficult times.