LatinaLista — A day hasn’t gone by lately when Juarez, Mexico isn’t in the news. The latest sad tale to come from Mexico’s most violent city, and the most violent city in the world outside a war zone, is the senseless ambush of U.S. Consulate employees who were in separate cars with their children, and in one case, spouse, when they were pursued by gunmen and assassinated.
Before the rampage of gun violence perpetuated by the drug cartels, Juarez was known as the most unsafe city for women. Since 1993, Juarez has been the site where young, attractive girls and women would disappear either to reappear days or weeks later, their bodies mutilated, or never to be seen again.
The deaths of the Juarez women have inspired many movies, plays, poems and art exhibitions to raise awareness of what happened and what, no doubt, is still happening amid the drug cartel violence. In fact, it was reported that last week alone three girls ages 12, 14 and 15 have been reported missing — that brings the total number of missing girls/women to 24 for 2010.
It was for that reason that on February 16, Los Angeles’ Casa 101 began a special global campaign — A Prayer for Juarez.
A Prayer for Juárez is an event dedicated to uplift and raise awareness about violence against humanity around the world, beginning in Juárez.
The main approach is to no longer come from a place of anger, hate or protest, but from a place of love and prayer towards this city and its people. Anyone is invited to come pray as they do for the sole purpose of casting a light on Juárez: the city and the women there.
When police, guns, armies, militias, government and money have not made an impact in saving the lives of the residents in Juárez living amongst violence, hate towards women, and drug wars every day, A Prayer for Juárez acknowledges that the tragedies in Juárez are a spiritual battle, and it will make a stand to tackle this war with the biggest army we as humans have behind us….the power of love and prayer.
The official campaign ends March 27, 2010 — but until the violence ends in Juarez and women and girls no longer serve as prey for creatures who have been stripped of their humanity, it’s obvious that prayers are continuously needed.
