Mexican drug cartels move in ... and more

Gwinnett County, where we live, is considered a major hub of Mexican drug traffic. Cartels use the I-85 corridor to move cocaine and marijuana throughout the United States. The suppliers blend easily into the large Latino population here. So what does this mean for us?Safety is a big issue in our lives. Gangs leave their mark on structures in our apartment complex. Police have warned us that guns and drugs can be found in every building here. We need your prayers -- for us and for the many innocent people we have come to love.

The proliferation of undocumented Latinos here has created an outcry against "illegals." Headlines regularly attest to the attempt to push immigrants out of the United States. Yesterday's newspaper reported that truck drivers can be ticketed if they don't speak English well enough to suit law enforcement officials. Letters to the editor in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reflect growing hostility toward our Latino neighbors. In reference to the headline above, one reader wrote in today's paper: "Yet another problem connected with an overpopulation of illegals in our country." Another wrote: "Our taxes have increased and what do we get? Drug cartels running rampant in Gwinnett! Get them out!"

This kind of boiling animosity makes life here hazardous for Latino citizens as well as the undocumented population. Tension is running high. People are afraid. Children live with fear and uncertainty. Meanwhile, we continue to live here and try to show God's face to everyone.

We are not in favor of ignoring the legal system in the United States. At the same time, the immigrants are here, and they need to know the love of Jesus Christ. The world is a much richer place when people of many races, languages and cultures can blend in peace.

Thank you for your prayers on our behalf!