The Gospel work of the nationals is so important!

This is one of the many reasons I hold brothers Rafael and Leonel in such high esteem. Especially in hard places like theirs, with eminent dangers for Americans and other foreigners. The nationals can work maintaining a much lower profile and can work even better than we can with a little help.

Here is a little context on the situation in Venezuela from the U.S. government, advising citizens not to travel to Venezuela. (The same is true for brother Leonel in Haiti right now, with so much suffering and civil unrest.)

For American citizens, Venezuela is presently at a level 4 Do Not Travel Advisory.

“Do not travel to Venezuela due to crime, civil unrest, kidnapping, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws. Reconsider travel due to wrongful detentions, terrorism, and poor health infrastructure.

On March 11, 2019, the U.S. Department of State announced the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel from U.S. Embassy Caracas. All consular services, routine and emergency, remain suspended until further notice. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Venezuela. U.S. citizens in Venezuela who require consular services should try to leave the country as soon as safely possible and contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in another country.

Violent crimes, such as homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, and carjacking, are common. Political rallies and demonstrations occur, often with little notice. Demonstrations typically elicit a strong police and security force response that includes the use of tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets against participants and occasionally devolve into looting and vandalism.

Reports from the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission document human rights abuses attributed to the Maduro regime, including torture, extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and detentions without due process and/or fair trial guarantees or as a pretext for an illegitimate purpose. Shortages of gasoline, food, electricity, water, medicine, and medical supplies continue throughout much of Venezuela. The CDC issued a Level 3 avoid non-essential travel notice on September 30, 2021, due to inadequate healthcare and the breakdown of the medical infrastructure in Venezuela. Today, the the Department has determined that there is a risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals by the Maduro regime.

Regime-aligned security forces have detained U.S. citizens for long periods. The Maduro regime does not notify the U.S. government of the detention of U.S. citizens and the U.S. government is not granted routine access to those U.S. citizens.

Colombian terrorist groups, such as the National Liberation Army (ELN), Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP), and Segunda Marquetalia, operate in Venezuela’s border areas with Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana.”

Please pray for our BCMS workers serving faithfully in hard places. May the Gospel continue to go forth, to God be the glory.

“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” – Philippians 1:3-5