Displaced, but Not Defeated: Labour Day Stories of Starting Over

Forced to flee

Lía* built her life around a small shop that sustained her family. Every morning, she opened it, arranged the jars, checked the inventory, and waited for neighbors who stopped by to buy everyday essentials. 

All of that changed the day she had to flee.

On July 20, 2024, she fled with 266 other Christians from Zanelán*, Chiapas, after threats from a criminal group. They refused to join a cartel war. Days earlier, more than 100 people had been kidnapped for nine days as a warning.  

They left with only what they could carry.

  “We lost our house, our crops, and our life,” she says.

The first days were marked by grief and uncertainty. Lía had no money for rent or medicine and cared for her elderly mother, who had also lost everything. She didn’t even have anyone to open up to or vent to.

Prayer became her only source of strength. “I prayed incessantly because I didn’t know what else to do,” she recalls. 

Then, Open Doors learned about her situation and began visiting her weekly, providing support for rent and basic necessities, as well as spiritual encouragement.

Soon after, the owner of the house she rented offered her the opportunity to run a small shop. “I started working, but I kept praying because I missed my shop,” she admits. Later, the owner offered to sell it at a low price. With support from Open Doors, Lía bought the business.  

“I told God I wanted to see a miracle, and He did it,” she says. “I never imagined I would have a shop again, but He made it possible.”


 

A New Beginning

Aranza* still struggles to talk about the day she fled.  

“There was a shootout. I thought we wouldn’t survive.”

The violence caught her while she was in her kitchen. Through the window, she saw bullets flying across the street. “We thought we wouldn’t be able to get out.”

She fled with her children, leaving behind her clothing shop and her coffee crops.  

In the new city, the first months were difficult. They knew no one and faced discrimination. “I wanted to start again, but it was hard” she recalls.  

With support from Open Doors, she was able to develop a small shoe store.

“Now we are much more at peace. At first, we were overwhelmed. Now we are happy.”

Looking ahead, she hopes to grow her business by adding more styles to attract new customers.

  She continues to trust God for the future and for her family, and every Wednesday she attends church to thank Him for His miracles: "Without Him, we could not prosper."

Speaking softly, she shares a simple but heartfelt request: “We know your hearts are with us, and we hope you will continue praying for us.”


 

A New Opportunity

Ricardo* was a coffee farmer. His land was his livelihood and his routine.

When violence forced him to flee, he lost everything.

“I had nothing and no way to support my family.”

The first months were marked by uncertainty and discouragement. Even so, he kept going. The first thing he looked for in the new city was a church. Through his new community, Open Doors learned his story and provided an embroidery machine and training.

“I had never worked as a tailor before, but when the opportunity came, I decided to try. I saw it as a chance to move forward.”

Now, he takes orders from people in the community and supports his family through his work.

He hopes to keep improving his skills and growing his business. But he also hopes the violence will end in his community. “Please keep praying for us,” he adds.
 

An Ongoing Reality

Stories like these are not isolated. Each year, hundreds of Christian families in Mexico are displaced by organized crime.  

Open Doors, together with local partners, is supporting displaced families with basic aid, care, small business opportunities, and spiritual support.  

At least eight income-generating projects have been launched and more than 250 Christians are currently receiving active support.  

But the need continues.

  “The situation of Christians like Lía, Aranza, and Ricardo is common. Hundreds of Christian families are displaced every year because of organized crime,” explains Alma Ávila*, an Open Doors worker.

Let us pray for them and many Christian families in Mexico.

*Names changed for security reasons