Church Security, Puerto Rico, & Migrant Poverty

Churches are taking another look at their security plans after 10 people died in a shooting at a Buffalo, N.Y., grocery store and one other person was killed the next day at a California church.

While variables can exist from church to church in establishing or modifying those plans, the concerns and preparation are largely consistent, one expert said.

“Just having a concealed carry permit doesn’t prepare you for what to do in a congregation setting. It’s about the type and quality of training, not just the number of hours.”

An intrusion doesn’t have to involve a gun. Recently, pro-abortion protestors disrupted the services of a Catholic church in Colorado over the leaked Supreme Court opinion pointing to the possible overturn of Roe vs. Wade.

“Your circumstances are going to dictate your tactics [in that situation],” Everett said. “Be careful that a group or individual isn’t trying to create the ‘video moment’ that can be passed around on social media. The reports will be based on your reaction, not their action that led to it.”

Students at Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR) have not only a space to study, but also a safe place to ask spiritual questions, thanks to a Send Network church plant.

What started with campus visits and casual conversations with students turned into a desire to offer students a physical space away from the darkness and sin that often surround secular college life.
Tables, chairs and coffee as strong as the Wi-Fi signal invite students to long, productive study sessions. There are comfortable couches alongside shelves stocked with books for reading breaks. Tucked away in the back of the house is a kitchen where students can heat up their meals and take hot food back to their dorms.

Good News for Today is sponsored by The Voice of the Martyrs

Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.

Though each migrant’s journey to the U.S. looks different, many face some of the same tragedies and hardships on their journey. Hannah Daniel, a policy analyst with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission says, “Horrific violence, extortion from cartels, emotional trauma, rape and sexual assault, and lack of basic necessities are commonplace for migrants on their journey to the U.S., especially for women and children. As we once again see headlines around immigration in the news, it is essential for us to stop and consider why so many still choose to come, given the difficulty of the journey and the uncertain futures that migrants face upon reaching the U.S.”

Daniel says violence, corruption and poverty are the three primary reasons people leave their homeland.

Understanding why people migrate is essential to addressing our broken immigration system wisely. While there are sharp disagreements on how exactly our system should be fixed, few would say it currently works effectively. Addressing the root causes of migration must be an integral part of our national strategy to reform our immigration system.