Update on June 28, 2021:
We are happy to report that the situation in Reynosa has improved enough that our staff is able to resume normal activities today! Our construction staff is picking up where they left off and is pouring the floor of Casa #6, and our clinic and office will be operating as normal today. We are still being cautious and taking all the security measures that we need to, but we are thankful for the sense of calm that is slowly but surely returning to the city. We will continue to keep you posted with any more updates. We appreciate all of your prayers, and keep on praying for the families in Reynosa and for continued peace in the city.
Originally posted June 21, 2021:
Friends,
It is devastating for us to have to share news like this with you, but our commitment is to always keep you informed, be transparent, and make sure we are serving our community and our staff in Mexico in the safest way possible.
As you may have seen in the news, there were multiple shootings by armed civilians in Reynosa on Saturday afternoon that resulted in the death of at least 14 innocent individuals. These shootings happened toward the exit to Rio Bravo, near the Pharr bridge, about 15 minutes from our main complex. Police on Sunday located and killed three people that were involved and rescued two women that had been kidnapped. They are continuing to investigate the incidents and are looking for others responsible.
Our staff in Reynosa is safe, and the families that we we serve are safe. We are hoping that this was an isolated event, but until we know for sure, we are taking the following precautions in order to protect our staff and the people we work with:
- We are pausing any program activities that involve going out into the community, and we are instead focusing on activities in our facilities. The construction staff will be working at the main complex and will not be going out to job sites for the time being. The clinic in Reynosa will remain open, but staff will remain in the facility at all times. Our programs in Miguel Alemán will be operating in the same way, with each program isolated to their own area.
- The McAllen staff will be pausing any visits across the border until conditions allow us to resume our normal activities.
Our staff is continuing to monitor the situation and is staying alert of all news and updates. We will update you when we have more information, and we will keep you posted about how our staff is responding. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact David (david@faithministry.org, 956-227-1545) or Colleen (colleen@faithministry.org, 919-606-9361).
We are praying for the families who lost loved ones during these tragic events, and we are also praying for the safety of our staff and the families we work with in Reynosa.
We know that God is looking our way and that He will take care of us, even when life feels so uncertain and discouraging, just as He has through all of the difficult times the ministry has been through. We cannot thank you enough for your support and your love. We will continue to keep you posted, and we appreciate your prayers.
God bless,
David Rodriguez
Executive Director
Nathan Arledge
President, Board of Directors