BY SUCCESS KANAYO UCHIME
A Mexican arm-gang has murdered an American missionary-couple, John Casias, 76, and wife Wanda Casias, 67, who had served for 28 years as Baptist missionaries in Mexico.
The ugly incidence happened on 31 January at their home near Monterrey in El Cercado, Santiago, about 600 miles north of Mexico City.
This fact is contained in a report by Open Doors United Kingdom (UK) (www.opendoorsuk.org) adding that they were strangled with electrical cords when intruders broke into their house and stole a safe, televisions and ministry vehicles, along with other items.
Quoting Compass Direct News (CDN), the report said that the killers left Wanda Casias dead inside the house, and the body of her husband was reportedly found in a storage room of a small building elsewhere on the property.
“Affiliated with the Global Independent Baptist Fellowship, the couple came originally from Lewisville, Texas. Their ministry in Mexico included founding churches, running daily Vacation Bible Schools and organising youth camps,” it stated.
It continued: “They are survived by ten children, who have reportedly said they hope to continue their parents' ministry.”
According to Open Doors, this area has suffered heavily from attacks by drug cartels in recent weeks, including the murder of the mayor of El Cercado, leading to the tentative conclusion that the crime was committed by people serving narcotics traffickers.
It observed that Drug traffickers in Mexico oppose the message of Christ because it distracts from their business, and Christians have been among the targets of the criminals.
Christians in Mexico were of the view that if the motive for the attack on the Casias' was robbery only, their assailants would not have needed to kill the missionary couple adding that Churches are seen as a direct threat to organised crime because they teach that drug-related issues are not compatible with the gospel and tend to ask for the allegiance of their members.
The report stated: “This opposes the totalitarian outlook of these mafia groups, who demand absolute loyalty to their business empires.”
In a related development, the report said that another Christian falsely charged with participating in an armed confrontation in the Acteal community in Mexico over 10 years ago was released from Amate prison on February 1.
It noted that he was acquitted of all charges following a Supreme Court of Justice review of his case. Six other prisoners will also be released on the basis of this resolution. “A total of 44 men have been released from Amate prison in the last two years on the basis that they were convicted on false charges.”
A Mexican arm-gang has murdered an American missionary-couple, John Casias, 76, and wife Wanda Casias, 67, who had served for 28 years as Baptist missionaries in Mexico.
The ugly incidence happened on 31 January at their home near Monterrey in El Cercado, Santiago, about 600 miles north of Mexico City.
This fact is contained in a report by Open Doors United Kingdom (UK) (www.opendoorsuk.org) adding that they were strangled with electrical cords when intruders broke into their house and stole a safe, televisions and ministry vehicles, along with other items.
Quoting Compass Direct News (CDN), the report said that the killers left Wanda Casias dead inside the house, and the body of her husband was reportedly found in a storage room of a small building elsewhere on the property.
“Affiliated with the Global Independent Baptist Fellowship, the couple came originally from Lewisville, Texas. Their ministry in Mexico included founding churches, running daily Vacation Bible Schools and organising youth camps,” it stated.
It continued: “They are survived by ten children, who have reportedly said they hope to continue their parents' ministry.”
According to Open Doors, this area has suffered heavily from attacks by drug cartels in recent weeks, including the murder of the mayor of El Cercado, leading to the tentative conclusion that the crime was committed by people serving narcotics traffickers.
It observed that Drug traffickers in Mexico oppose the message of Christ because it distracts from their business, and Christians have been among the targets of the criminals.
Christians in Mexico were of the view that if the motive for the attack on the Casias' was robbery only, their assailants would not have needed to kill the missionary couple adding that Churches are seen as a direct threat to organised crime because they teach that drug-related issues are not compatible with the gospel and tend to ask for the allegiance of their members.
The report stated: “This opposes the totalitarian outlook of these mafia groups, who demand absolute loyalty to their business empires.”
In a related development, the report said that another Christian falsely charged with participating in an armed confrontation in the Acteal community in Mexico over 10 years ago was released from Amate prison on February 1.
It noted that he was acquitted of all charges following a Supreme Court of Justice review of his case. Six other prisoners will also be released on the basis of this resolution. “A total of 44 men have been released from Amate prison in the last two years on the basis that they were convicted on false charges.”
