Back in April Cindy Jacobs issued a “prophetic directive” that was known as “The Cinco de Mayo Initiative,” and which consisted of “a highly strategic 21-day prayer and fasting initiative to contend for righteous trade, peace and security at our nation’s southern border.”
In her latest Generals International news update, Jacobs reveals that, as part of the effort, she and her husband were invited to Mexico to meet with several high-ranking members of the Mexican government, including President Felipe Calderon and the First Lady:
We joined 29 other leaders who had converged from all across America for a briefing from Transform, Mexico. We were delighted to also have received an invitation from President Calderon and his gracious first lady, Margarita. The list of American leaders looked like a who’s who of evangelical leaders. We were blessed to be there with them.
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After going through the security checkpoint, we entered a lovely, brightly colored conference room. We were to be hosted at this juncture by the First Lady, Margarita, and Dr. Poire’, a Harvard grad and teacher who has a cabinet position that similar to that of a U.S. Secretary of State … Another cabinet secretary came in and sat at my right hand. He explained that he is the equivalent to our Homeland Secretary. He was most kind to be there in our midst. To his right was President Calderon and the First Lady, Margarita …
After we dined, we were briefed by Alex Orozco, who is in charge of programs for the well being of the nation’s elderly population.
Then President Calderon, a graduate of Harvard University, greeted us in flawless English. What a great man he is! I thought to myself, “We are in the presence of a living legend who is risking his life every day to serve his nation!” He shared a number of excellent points with us but as I didn’t have note cards at this point I wasn’t able to write them down. He shared that the unemployment rate for Mexico is lower than that of the United States; which surprised me. He also expressed how the murder rate was lower than many places in the U.S. and gave some statistics.
After a time, we were able to ask him questions as well. At one point, I was able to voice what many of us had expressed privately to one another, “Mr. President, I believe I can say that many of us have felt both embarrassment and sorrow at some of the things we have heard today about how our nation has caused so many problems for your nation.“ I went on to ask his forgiveness for our greed for money, drugs and lust. Many leaders shook their heads in agreement. It was a snapshot in time that I will personally never forget. I don’t think it was just my imagination, but there was a tangible change in the atmosphere at that point. At the very least, I was greatly relieved to have had a moment to share the heaviest of heart I had felt after hearing the Mexican side of our border problems. We, as Americans, cannot point fingers at “them” without taking a hard look at ourselves.
The crux of the matter is that the Bible commands us to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” Mexico is our neighbor. We made a covenant with them through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to be friends and have reciprocity in our relationships. That day the covenant was repaired—in our hearts and beyond.
