Dear Friends of Cuba,
Wow...what a week! On this trip we had opportunities to go to churches and house churches we had never visited before. We thank God that friends, here in the USA, successfully orchestrated sending a container of food and other items into Cuba, in December. God provided chances for us to go and distribute food to churches outside of Havana during our week on mission. As a result of our travels, we are now partnering with three more churches! From the beginning of our January mission trip, when we were seated in first class, until the last night of our trip, when we visited with friends and families who prepared supper for us, we saw evidence of God's provision.
Bryan Garner drove us to MIA in record time. We and our luggage passed through US and Cuban customs without any problems. Our friends met us at Jose Marti Airport and we had help loading everything in the vans. We stayed in the apartment at the Seminary and had many opportunities to interact with the students and professors.
On Thursday, we worked with leaders and children at two local Havana churches. We visited two house churches and saw their programs in action. During the week, we had chances to travel and visit Seminary 'branches' where students can earn their biblical/pastoral degrees. We spent one day traveling to another city outside of Havana to reconnect with a church partner we had not seen for more than a year. On this same trip, we were introduced to two new churches and participated in children's events complete with a clown and us up on stage doing the 'Chi-Chi-Wa-Wa' dance!
Thanks to your monetary gifts and donations of food, medicines, office supplies, clothing, arts and craft supplies, we filled 30 backpacks that were distributed to churches, house churches and other organizations across the island.
The director of the Seminary, Pastor Hermes Soto, and his wife, Alicia, gave us a tour of El Morro, a fort in Havana that looks much like St. Augustine's fort. We thank God that Pastor Soto has recovered so well.
During the week, we met with pastors and lay volunteers in churches south of Havana. It was wonderful to see a 'mentoring program' where young pastors are partnered with older, experienced pastors.
One of our church partners has a sport ministry baseball team and we were invited to an early Saturday morning game. This particular church utilizes the baseball team as an outreach ministry. About half of the team members are not believers, yet. The game was very serious and exciting. Our friends won in overtime and told us that we had to extend our stay in order to attend next week's game to insure another win! After the game, we boarded the van and again Pastor Hermes and Alicia took us to several churches. For the first time in all of our travels in Cuba, we had a flat tire! Rene, Steve, and Andrew changed the tire quickly. We visited a church that houses a 'branch' of the Seminary where young people are studying to become pastors.
On Sunday, we attended services at two churches in Havana. It was wonderful to participate with the children and student ministries at each church. Music is stressed in every service. We are happy to report that one of our church partners has experienced tremendous growth and has three worship services and two opportunities for Bible study groups each Sunday! Praise the Lord!
As we traveled away from Havana to visit other churches, God protected us once again. A rear tire tread blew apart and we had another flat tire! There was no place to fix the tire. Our wonderful God continued protecting us for the entire trip!
We are so blessed to have been in Cuba for a week with our Christian brothers and sisters. Lord willing, we will return again in April. Thanks for your prayers and support.
