Earlier this year it was announced that our church was sending a team to Cuba in November with Forward Edge International, a Christian relief and development organization.
Team at San Pedro de la Roca Castle.*
Our team of 7 from Thrive Church in Santa Rosa, California and 4 from Meridian, Idaho landed on the southeast coast of Cuba on Friday, November 11th, 2016. Here are some things I learned:
The churches are surprisingly strong.
Pastor Alex*
I say “surprisingly” because sturdy denominational ties have helped maintain stability. We found mature, passionate, Bible-grounded believers. The church where we were based during our 10 days on the island is led by energetic, forward-thinking Pastor Alex.
He and his wife and three daughters live in a parsonage in the compound where the church, Valle de Benedicion (Valley of Blessing), is located. Knowing a permit would likely not be issued, he had built the open air sanctuary without one. An official showed up and said, “We’ll just have to tear it down.” This pastor responded, “I’ll stand in the middle of the building with my wife and daughters and you’ll have to tear it down around us.” It remains.
Valle de Benedicion at sunset*
We had been asked to provide several days of ministry to kids. We brought lessons on the life of Jesus and a large amount of art supplies. Team members spent hours decorating classrooms and preparing materials for each lesson. We were greeted with a great deal of excitement by 60 – 100 children every session.
Pastor Alfonso*
One afternoon while having lunch in the home of a pastor in a neighboring town, we were astonished to hear him express his pro-life passion. “Cuba has a 70% abortion rate. Women use abortion, which is paid for by the government, for birth control.” Consequently, Cuba has a negative birth rate – 1.7 births per couple.He plans a pregnancy counseling center as part of his church’s ministry. As lunch was ending, a pastor from another denomination came by to pick up a pro-life DVD from Pastor Alfonso to share with his congregation. From small seeds powerful ministries grow.
Cubans are lovely.
Friendly, patient, cheerful. Few speak English, but that doesn’t get in the way of a warm and loving spirit. We were lavished with kindness and generosity. I had a cluster of migraines during our stay. One afternoon while sitting in the courtyard of the theological seminary where we were housed, I felt one coming on. Esmeralda, one of the housekeeping staff, passed by as she was leaving for home. She walked over, laid her hands on me and, in a loud voice, began to call on the name of the Jesus. She then gave me a hug and continued on her way. I was able to attend service that evening.
Several times members of our team, accompanied by our interpreter, went door-to-door to share the gospel. A number of people invited them in and accepted the Lord. These were some of the most profoundly moving experiences of the trip.
Heading out to share the gospel.*
Kids are kids everywhere. Sort of.
Two young men from our church played countless games of basketball with local boys in the unpaved street by the church.
Our boys, Jose, arms raised, and Angel, running under hoop.*
One of them shared on the Sunday after our return: “Here at home, if the hoop doesn’t have a net, I’ll go somewhere else. There, they’ve woven a hoop out of wire. Here at home, if I don’t have the right shoes on, I don’t want to play. There, some guys showed up with no shoes.” These young men also spent hours with the other men on our team painting buildings on the church property in smothering heat.
Cuba is a marxist paradise.
This is best illustrated by the ration book.
If you are a Cuban citizen, it is the one thing you do not want to lose since your average income is $20.00 per month. On the first page appears your name, the number of adults and children in your household, your address, and the administrative district in which you live. With this book you are able to purchase staples at a very low price in government-run stores, if they have enough. You are paid in pesos and purchase your staples in pesos. Following are some examples of what is allowed per person per month:
- 1/4 liter of oil
- 10 oz beans
- 4 oz coffee
- 5 eggs
- 1 lb sweet potatoes
- 11 oz chicken
Each child under the age of 13 is allowed 8 oz of beef per month, which is not always available. If a person is ill, the government provides fish. Boats are strictly monitored and the average citizen is not allowed to fish from boats – only from shore. You can raise chickens, but then you must buy feed from someone who steals from the feed factory. If they are caught, you are implicated.
Obviously, these rations do not get your family through the month. You can buy extra food from government-run non-ration stores for 3-4 times what you pay at the ration stores. These stores also use a different currency – CUCs – for which you must exchange your pesos, losing precious cash with each transaction.
In 1959, a prospering democracy was replaced by a brutal marxist dictatorship. This island perfectly illustrates the end result of that system.
God will match your willingness with a need.
While traveling in Cuba as a foreigner, a visa must be obtained to travel to another state. Only 5 visas were issued for the eastern part of the island where the damage from Hurricane Matthew, which struck on October 4, 2016, was severe. My husband, along with the Pastor Alex, our 2 FEI coordinators, and an interpreter made the 4-hour trip. They met with 15 pastors whose homes are now without roofs.
FEI coordinators Wendell Robinson (back row, far left). Jeff Thompson (back row, third from left), and my husband, Sam Celovsky (back row, far right) with pastors whose homes were damaged.
We are now making arrangements to provide materials to replace the former metal roofs with concrete ones.
Prayer Changes Things
I sat in those church services listening to a wonderful pianist on the keyboard, an exuberant self-taught drummer, singing and clapping to rocking praise songs, and was reminded how vigorously the Church has always flourished in persecution.
Shortly after we left, Fidel Castro died. It is being speculated that conditions on the island may become more severe as his brother consolidates power. When you pray remember these brothers and sisters in the Lord. Prayer needs neither a visa nor permission. It is not threatened by authoritarianism. Indeed, it is the forward edge of bringing the power of God to earth. Including in Cuba.
Will you pray for Cuba?
*Photos by team member and photographer, Mike Lux