September 3, 2001; Updated November 15, 2009
Cali, Colombia
Alomolonga, Guatemala
Kiambu, Kenya
Hemet, California
| Cali, Colombia | ||
| Claim | Reality | Reference |
| Drug Cartels have been defeated | Six of the leaders were put in jail. The drug Cartel re-organized, with two of the original leaders still operating out of Cali, one commanding his operation from prison. Other leaders of the drug Cartel have set up operation just outside Cali and in other parts of Colombia, and due to this de-centralization, the organization is more resilient. The rebels (who protect the drug trade) have been attacking churches in Cali, shutting down many. The church recently wanted to hold pastors meeting in the local auditorium, but the police initially resisted because the risk of guerilla attack was too high. A quote from Ekklesia newsletter "FARC guerrillas also may view evangelicals as allies of the United States. The rebel group has closed churches, imposed a 6 p.m. curfew on services where it allows churches to meet, and banned public religious activity in a territory under its control, Esquivia said. The ELN, another rebel group, invaded a Catholic church in Cali and kidnapped 140 members two months ago, he said" | New reports continue through to today. This can be verified on www.cnn.com, search for Cali, Colombia. http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/traffickers/Colombia.htm http://www.emergency.com/calipres.htm |
| For years Colombia was the world's largest Cocaine exporter (unstated implication is that this has changed) | Quotes from the US Drug Enforcement Agency: "Colombia-based drug traffickers are responsible for most of the world's cocaine production and wholesale cocaine distribution, although traffickers from Mexico have assumed a much larger role in the transportation and distribution of cocaine. Colombia's strategic location makes it a logical hub for cocaine trafficking. " "Traffickers from Colombia have been able to solidify and expand their position in the U.S. heroin market by distributing high-quality heroin and by initially undercutting the price of their competitors. They also use marketing strategies, such as including free samples of heroin in cocaine shipments, in order to build a clientele. Trafficking groups operating in New York and Philadelphia even market their drug using brand names - like No Way Out and Death Wish - as a way to instill customer recognition and loyalty. These marketing techniques have allowed the traffickers from Colombia to expand and ultimately dominate the heroin market. In fact, the DEA's Heroin Signature Program, which determines the origin of the heroin sold on the street, found that 65 percent (356 kilograms) of the heroin seized in the United States in 1998 was produced in Colombia. " | http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/traffickers/Colombia.htm |
| Cults have decreased | Satanists are invading churches to shut them down. A quote from the newsletter of Ekklesia says: ".Satanic groups are attacking churches and Christians, especially in Cali. Some churches have suffered repeated attacks, said Consuelo Zuluaga, a social worker of Justapaz. " | http://www.bijbelnet.org/landen/colombia.html |
| Cali is a "safe" city, where a significant percentage of the population is now safe and revival flourishes. Instead of a city where people lived in fear, people now safely walk the streets. | According to the newsletters of Ruth Ruibal, the widow of the assassinated pastor Julio Ruibal (who is mentioned on the film), the situation in Cali is "a gross darkness", a city where her church must hire armed guards and where the church must be protected by barbed wired (soon to be replaced by a 10-12 foot wall if permission is granted). Recently at another church in the city, a church body guard was killed when the church was attacked by guerillas protecting the drug trade. A quote from the October 1999 newsletter from Ruth Ruibal "The church in Cali confirms the news that we receive through the media in the USA. Naturally speaking the political and economical situations seem to be going from bad to worse. In fact, the Sunday before I left for this trip, there was guerrilla infiltration in our church service.". The newsletter of Ekklesia, the denomination for Ruibal's church also confirms how bad the situation is.The assassin of Julio is free, and is openly claiming to have killed Julio, owns the land next to the church and is threatening to kill the other family members. Here is a quote from the Dec 1999 newsletter written by Ruth Ruibal: "On the other hand, some days ago the man who continues to threaten us (and boasts in the street about killing Julio) started a new construction right next to our property. In the past he has tried to take over our land. Our simple barbed wire fencing had been knocked down, so we began to replace it. Immediately, the man began threatening the workers and several of our church men, shouting that he would “give us problems” with 50 hit men that he claims to have. He asked if we wanted there to be another death, and added that he will get the property (the entrance to our church) and block it. We have had to hire guards just to get the work done! " | http://www.Ruibal.org/1999oct.htm http://www.ruibal.org/1999nov.htm http://www.ruibal.org/1999dec.htm http://www.bijbelnet.org/landen/colombia.html |
| Almolonga, Guatemala | ||
| Claim | Reality | Reference |
| 92% percent of the people are Christian. | According to an article written by Stephen Sywulka (in Guatemala City) for Christianity Today, the figure is exaggerated, and is likely more like 65%, and in many cases the change is only "skin deep", with former witchdoctors now calling themselves "prophets" but they are doing much the same thing as before. | http://www.christianity.net/vt/9T4/9T423c.html |
| Large Vegetables, increased production 1000% over past 20 years. Researchers from all over the world are coming to study the produce (but the film doesn't speak about why or the findings) | The war in Guatemala brought agriculture to a near standstill with fields being burned, people disappearing, farmers being killed. the war, which went on for 36 years, ended only in the early to mid-1990s, thus would have been at its peak 20 years ago. Though we cannot say that this happened specifically to the Almolomga fields, the information that we have was that agriculture across all of Guatemala was impacted by the war. It is thus no wonder that if we compared the agriculture production over that length of time, it would have significantly increased. Secondly, the crops in Almolonga are notable in the health community, not for their size, but for the health problems that have come from excessive use of pesticides. This would have the effect of increasing the quantity and size of the produce, but with side effects. Third, the size of the produce depends upon many things, including the variety of seed used, and improved agriculture practices over the years. The film itself states that the agricultural output improved as the people worked harder. None of what they showed required anything supernatural. As one can see just from a quick search on internet, researchers around the world are coming to Almolonga to study the health problems which have resulted from the abuse of pesticides used to create bumper crops. | http://134.197.49.132/GR/issues/GR%20Vol%2088/GR-Jan1998/Jan98-Arbona.html |
| Kiambu, Kenya | ||
| Claim | Reality | Reference |
| People are flocking from Nairobi to live in Kiambu | A missionary with African Inland Missions (AIM) who returned to Canada in March says that she has not heard of anyone flocking to Kiambu because they want to live there. | |
| Revival of Christianity has broken out across the city from "The Prayer Cave" | The Prayer Cave is a "Word of Faith" church. They do not teach Biblical Christian doctrine, but rather teach Word-Faith doctrine. As can be seen in the film, they do support "drunkenness in the spirit" as shown by a sign which speaks of "Intoxication in Jesus". | http://www.godsglory.org/main/frames.html http://www.godsglory.org/prayercave/index.html |
| Hemet, California | ||
| Claim | Reality | Reference |
| Once 9 metaphetamine labs operated out of the area and most have been shut down. | In 1998, 20 of the 52 labs in the region were large-scale operations that could cook more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine in a day or two, according to state drug-lab statistics. Some labs make more than 100 pounds at a time.As the Central Valley methamphetamine problem grows, agents use new techniques to catch traffickers who change their operations to avoid detection, Pennal said. Investigators follow trails from the clues left behind when meth makers dump lab waste.Now, Pennal is organizing an expanded team funded with federal money received when the region was designated a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.The money will add six agents to fight meth in the Central Valley.Agents will have resources to do more than just react to labs, Pennal said. "We're going to be able to conduct a lot of follow-up to dismantle these organizations," he said.(Published 1/23/2000) | http://www.inlandempireonline.com/meth/meth5.shtml |
| Decreased Drug Trade (75%). | Neither the churches contacted nor the authors of an article on the drug trade in S. California were aware of any such drop. Quote from one of the authors of the series on the drug trade in this area when he replied to my email" . I have not heard of the group or anyone in that area, including the police, talking about such a mind-boggling drop in drug use." Quote from an email from a church in Hemet ". I do know there are many methamphetamine labs throughout our two-county area -- newspaper stories on that situation can be found at http://www.inlandempireonline.com/meth" (See article "Inland Drug Empire"). A police contact in Hemet said "I don't know how they can measure a drop in the drug trade when the criteria for the measurement is not familiar to us. This is a new claim to me." | http://www.inlandempireonline.com/meth/ |
| Unity amongst the churches; Most cults have left town; decrease in crime, church attendance increase to 14% of the population/ (double in 10 years). | I checked with a couple of churches in Hemet. One had not heard of any of the claims nor could they support the truth of any of the claims (including increased church attendance, drug use down, 1st street gang members saved, etc). they referred me to a newspaper article on the drug production and use in their area of S. California. The second church said that they had not seen the film but that God had promised to bring revival to the San Jacinto Valley. They did not confirm any of the claims and that wording appears to suggest that they are not aware of any "revival" in Hemet. | http://www.antioch.com.sg/events/hei/ |
| Crime rate is significantly lower. | Police comment - "Like most cities in our nation, yes, the crime rate is measurably down." | |
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