Prisoner’s wife finds strength
in God’s Word

Sara Perez, here with her son, has kept and shared her faith since her husband was jailed in March 1998, unjustly swept into custody as the government resorted to wholesale arrests in an attempt to capture those responsible for a battle with rebel groups in which 45 people died. Chiapas, Mexico. Photo: UBS/Larry Jerden (MEX01T-37)

ACTEAL, Chiapas, Mexico — Sara Perez has only seen her husband a few times since he was jailed. Were it not for the Bible and her church family, she feels she would not survive. Mrs Perez’s husband, the oldest member of their mountain congregation, was among the church leaders and others tricked into coming to the state capital and jailed following a bloody battle between Zapatistas and their opponents in late 1997 (see feature).

He was guilty of no crime, she insists, other than being a church leader and living in a strife-torn area. She was left alone to grow coffee to support herself and her three children. She says it is through God’s Word that she has found the strength to carry on.

“When I read the Bible, I feel better,” she says. “God’s Word gives me the peace, joy and strength I need to keep going.”

It is a strength she has needed often. Even trying to see her husband requires tremendous effort.

“It costs 200 pesos [US$22] to make the trip to the capital to see him,” she explains, “and it takes four hours. I go whenever I can get the money, but so far I’ve only been able to make the trip 10 times.”

Some church families help with transport, and the abandoned wives share the load of maintaining their homes. Their pastor leads a committee of six church members in distributing corn, beans and other staples to help the families make ends meet.

The pastor and committee also visit the jail once a month, often bringing back encouraging reports.

“They tell me my husband is preaching in the jail,” she says with a smile. “I still have hope. God will have the last word!”
(WR 376/8 - 4/5.03)