I am thankful to each of you who participated with us in 2011. I have been thinking about how the work in Juarez, of which we are a part, has flourished the past four years despite all the terrible violence and oppression our friends and brethren have faced. It is a testimony to God's faithfulness and our Juarez Partners' faith in, and commitment to, our Lord. It is vital to remember that at the core of our existence as a ministry is the reality that we are not defined by what we are doing with the programs, but rather who we are serving.   That service is first to the God who created the universe and subsequently to each of our pastor/wife partners, their church members and team of workers at the Centers and Churches in Juarez. They have risked much and trusted all in Jesus.  

Out of this thought there are three realities for me that mark the year.              

To begin with, God's protection for our Mexican pastors has proven undeniable for four years now in the midst of loss and suffering. Each of the pastors has paid a price firsthand through the death of those in their communities and their churches. We know that three of our pastors have been on "Lists" or personally targeted by local drug gangs. Their testimonies have been strengthened by fire. In the last year we have listened to Pastor Jesus powerfully and publically share how God intervened to have him leave his center and go to El Paso hours before the "dark tinted window" truck arrived at Tocando Puertas with armed gang members to kidnap or kill him. In Rio Rancho, New Mexico Bernd Braun and I heard our friend Pastor Luis from Rey de Gloria share how the couple that were the caretakers of their church were kidnapped and viciously murdered last April because the church would not pay protection money to the local drug gang. He told us how at the funeral the church members vowed as a group to stand their ground. God's Spirit met with, comforted and strengthened their congregation.  

Secondly, the ministries have continued to grow and strengthen without the physical presence of our teams or partners from our side of the border. They have stood their ground, trusted in Jesus and observed and participated with Christ in the work of Building His Church.

• Overall our 2011 church outreach programs and ministry activities have touched more people than any previous year.

Thirdly, since the summer the violence and number of drug war related deaths per month have dropped significantly. The most ready explanation is that the cartel that engaged the existing cartel for control of the Juarez drug corridor to the United States in early 2008 has largely pushed out their predecessor. At the same time the government has pulled out the 10,000 army troops that have been in the city for the past two years and the Federal Police who were seemingly everywhere are now much less evident as one drives throughout the city. This could all change tomorrow, but for now things seem to be moving back toward the environment that we knew all the years we visited regularly with church teams.