Philippians 4: 6 & 7, Do not worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. 7. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace.
I have just returned from two weeks in Cuba with discussions with three new District Superintendents. The verse echoed through my mind as the District Superintendents talks about covid and the after effects. Plus the losing of leadership personnel with the migration to the United States. These are two new issues in my three years lapse I have not heard before. A long time friend and new District Superintendent “Pepe” in Holguin Norte start with his comprehensive list of concerns. Many are old time gremlins;
Ø Lack of food
Ø Absolutely no medicines
Ø Need of cell phones
Ø Computers
We travel from Antilla in Holguin Norte on to Ciego de Aliva church in the district of the same name. Talks with another new District Superintendent we are sitting in front of a parsonage damaged by a hurricane seven years ago. Yes, you read that correctly. We have damaged parsonages and churches here in the Southwest District. What if I told you that’s the way it was going to be for the next six year? Trust me there would be a mutiny from within. But this is Cuba and that is just another “elephant” they deal with everyday. This was the initial time the word “elephant” entered our conversion. We walked through the catastrophic remains of this once home of girls nine and ten years old. Seven years of rubble, weeds cover what was once a home filled with love. Further in the back yard was the shed that has been their home during this time. So we add another gremlin or elephant to this list:
Ø Parsonage and church repair
We traveled from there to Patria, I had visited with Hector and his family a few years ago. This time my heart was broken when I heard the news that his twenty year old daughter, three months earlier had die with dengue because of no medicines. A disease spread by mosquitoes totally treatable with common over the counter medicines. How could this happen in 2022? The answer is it’s Cuba, there is no medicines. As much as we do “we need to do better”.
On to the Sancti Spíritus district and another new District Superintendent. He had asked me, “what I wanted to see?” I told him, “I love the little church where no one would ever want to visit.” Well he did not disappoint me. We traveled for forty five minutes on a “Cuba path”, I can not even call it a road. I do not have much experience on a horse but trust me it could not have been worse. When we finally reached our destination standing on the street to greet us were a young pastor and his wife with one little girl in their arms and another by their hip. No his church was not the grandeur cathedral you see in Havana. Yet the pride on his face told me in his eyes this little church (La Sierpe) with dirt floor, split bamboo poles defining the walls, canvas roof with many holes lacked nothing. His heart over flowed with the love of Jesus Christ and was wanting to share it with others. What more do you need?
In conversation with the District Superintendent the list continues to grow.
Ø Travel cost for seminary students
Ø Lack of Bibles
Ø We need more water purification systems
After fourteen days in Cuba, much of it sounds familiar. So many elephants. So tell me, How do you eat an elephant?
We all know the answer but how do I tell Hector and his wife this.
Dan Christopherson
Southwest District Mission Program
Direct Line: 941-468-7209