Patience, Tolerance, Prayers
You can never learn that Jesus Christ is all you need, until Jesus Christ is all you have.
We have just experience almost three years of the most difficult times in twenty five years of Cuba sister church program. The one factor that stands out through these tumultuous years. Is the strong bond between individuals in the United States and Cuba. Churches yes, but nothing compared to Jesus love between long time friends.
Patience, Tolerance, Prayers were personality traits needed to survive the first eighteen months of our changing life’s. I am not good with being patience. Waiting and not being able or capable of sending money or packages to our friends, churches in Cuba was extremely difficult. Everyday, stories were coming out of Cuba telling; no food and food lines, lengthy blackouts, absolutely no medicines, the absent of fuel to travel for any reason.
Our tolerance levels were stretched to the maxi, we could not travel, there were no flights, there were no human options. My answer to lack of both was Prayer. I had no other answer, I did not understand the rational for such pain and not being able to solve the problem.
Eventually we were beginning to experience openings of getting funds into Cuba, sending medicines into Cuba. Plus personal travel to reunite old relationships. We may not be all the way back, but we have options!
By the time you read this I will be in the Holguin Norte district for the first time since February 2020. I will see old friends, renew relationships, strengthen the bonds that were formed years ago. This is what makes our program strong! It’s through God’s love for a brother or sister in Christ that our hearts yearn for.
Covid has proven that we need a friend, a sister, a brother, a cohort to survive through difficult times. God only knows we have gone through very difficult times separated. My patience have been frazzled. I totally failed being tolerant. Now we get to reap the harvest of our prayers.
The program will look different and it will be different. No matter what, rest assured the reconnection of friendships guarantees us, “The Best Is Yet Come!
In Christ,
Dan Christopherson
Southwest District Mission Program, Inc.
Direct Line: 941-468-7209