Flores Family Update

I just sent an email to most of you with this information, but incase I missed you on the email list, here is what I sent.

Maybe you've heard in the news recently that Monterrey is getting very dangerous....or maybe you haven't heard anything. If you want to read an article about it, here are two links:
http://www.thenation.com/article/160945/monster-and-monterrey-politics-and-cartels-mexicos-drug-war?page=0,2

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/01/us-mexico-drugs-monterrey-idUSTRE7502VG20110601

They are both rather long articles, but they will give you a good picture of what's going on.
The gang presence and violence in Monterrey has been getting progressively worse, and in the last couple months, it has been really bad. Checo and I had always talked about how we would return to the U.S. to protect our family if it ever gets "too dangerous". Recently we had been asking ourselves, "When will we consider it 'too dangerous'? Is it 'too dangerous' now?" In the last few months, we've had several acquaintances (friends of Checo's mom, my friends' brother, etc) that have been held at gunpoint and told to hand over thousands of dollars, cars, wallets, etc. These are things that happen on a daily basis. There have been shootings between the military and the "Zetas" very close to our church and also not too far from our home. The list goes on.....
So in order to protect Samuel, Emma, and me, Checo decided that it would be best for the kids and me to return to Seattle for now. We had tickets to come for a visit on July 18th, and I was able to change those tickets and we arrived here on Saturday night (June 18th). This has all happened very fast, but we have peace about the decision we have made to get us out of Monterrey. We don't have any long term plans right now. Please pray for us....that God would give us wisdom about what to do next.

This has been a very difficult situation for us. We love the people in Monterrey and especially the people that go to our church. It was hard to leave, but Checo and I felt an urgency in getting us out of Monterrey. If this email seems kind of vague to you about what our plan is, that's because we aren't sure. We are totally relying on God to direct our path as we seek Him daily.

I'm sure most of you are shocked by this news. You probably haven't heard me talking about the dangerousness of Monterrey. I never mentioned it to friends and family because I didn't want anyone to worry about us. For the most part, we have felt safe in our neighborhood, but in the last few months, as I said, it's been getting worse and we no longer felt safe.

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Thank you for praying for us.