Evangelizing Christians in El Salvador Required to Show Gangs ID to Verify They’re Not Police, or Else Risk Being Killed
Christians who evangelize in some of El Salvador’s most dangerous areas pose a threat to gang members who ambush them as soon as they step foot in their neighborhoods to verify that they are a part of a church and not undercover police posing as evangelicals.
“For years, we have evangelized without any problems in the neighborhoods of Soyapango and we have even managed to lead some gangsters in the right path,” said Antonio, a man who did not want to be fully identified for security reasons, according to Noticiacristiana.com. “But in recent months the situation has been complicated and gang members have guaranteed that if we do not have a badge with our name, photo and logos of our church, they will not allow us to enter the area or they can kill us.”
In some cases, territorial gangsters in the city of Soyapango approach Christians who willingly enter the area and ask them to recite at least five Bible verses and sing gospel songs to ensure their true identity or else they run the risk of getting killed.
Although evangelizing Christians are not banned from entering these areas, gangsters keep a close eye on their every move. Pastors from the surrounding neighborhoods have also been warned through written requests from gangsters to equip their members with proper badges.
Antonio says he was once approached by one of four gangsters who were following him while he went from house to house preaching and was asked what his intentions were for being in his territory.
“My answer was blunt, ‘we’re here to talk about the word of God,'” said Antonio. “And he was also clear in his response and said, ‘We don’t mess with the children of God, but you can also be a policeman walking around to see what we are doing.'”
Christians who evangelize in some of El Salvador’s most dangerous areas pose a threat to gang members who ambush them as soon as they step foot in their neighborhoods to verify that they are a part of a church and not undercover police posing as evangelicals.
“For years, we have evangelized without any problems in the neighborhoods of Soyapango and we have even managed to lead some gangsters in the right path,” said Antonio, a man who did not want to be fully identified for security reasons, according to Noticiacristiana.com. “But in recent months the situation has been complicated and gang members have guaranteed that if we do not have a badge with our name, photo and logos of our church, they will not allow us to enter the area or they can kill us.”
In some cases, territorial gangsters in the city of Soyapango approach Christians who willingly enter the area and ask them to recite at least five Bible verses and sing gospel songs to ensure their true identity or else they run the risk of getting killed.
Although evangelizing Christians are not banned from entering these areas, gangsters keep a close eye on their every move. Pastors from the surrounding neighborhoods have also been warned through written requests from gangsters to equip their members with proper badges.
Antonio says he was once approached by one of four gangsters who were following him while he went from house to house preaching and was asked what his intentions were for being in his territory.
“My answer was blunt, ‘we’re here to talk about the word of God,'” said Antonio. “And he was also clear in his response and said, ‘We don’t mess with the children of God, but you can also be a policeman walking around to see what we are doing.'”
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