LAST BLOG ABOUT OUR TRIP

In Yumuri, like in Gibara, the retreat was about giving young people tools to live a holy life.  Devotionals, worship music, bible studies,  role models, bible teaching in the evening, presentations by the kids, sports, and team competitions were all part of the busy days focused on getting the message across to them.

The last night of the retreat everyone gathered around a huge bonfire to talk about this retreat has impacted them.  An inch of movement towards holiness?  One "aha"?  I always come away with doubts about the impact we or I or anyone can make in someone's life in such a setting.  How much of an impact can we have in four days?

Then I remember my first vacation bible school at age 7.  I still remember the Psalm we memorized--Psalm 100.  I think about the drops of wisdom from God I’ve learned throughout my life at vacation bible schools, conferences, books I’ve read, retreats, girls’ programs, preparing Bible studies.  And yes, we can start filling the bucket of holiness, one drop at a time.  It’s a process. And God’s Holy Spirit will do the rest.

Our team is ready to go home.  It is hard to say good-bye because it’s been a time of bonding.  Their love has filled us up; and working together we’ve accomplished a lot.  We will bring with us pieces of them that have stuck to us. That makes the good-byes a bit easier. But we already miss them.

~ Rachel and Oscar

Youth Retreat in Yumuri - July 29 - August 2

The beginning of the retreat in Yumuri was not without incidents.  The trip from Remedios was moved up 12 hours so we could arrive in the wee hours of  Monday morning to be ready for registration.  But the bus arrived 1 hour late with clutch problems.  For a while we thought we would have to push the bus to get us there.  But, no worries, God gave us a safe trip and we arrived at 4 AM in time for registration at 10 AM. 

The camp is beautiful.  It sits in a valley of rolling hills where afternoon breezes give us a break from the heat.  There are 5 dorms, a kitchen/dining building, an administrative building, and a church.  

The program was similar to the retreat in Gibara with the difference that here we are face-to-face with 192 teenagers aged 14 and 15 representing 45 churches in Western Cuba.  There were lots of leaders and counselors, which was good because the kids attending were expecting a lot less structure.  But the kids adapted very well and by Tuesday afternoon everything was under control.  Except that and a couple of times we lost electric power, the transformer blew up, and we hobbled without air conditioning for the rest of the retreat.  God sent us breezes and a refreshing rain – and the outages were not too long.

~ Rachel

BUENAVISTA

Saturday morning we headed to Buenavista to visit with the church there.  Usually we go to the three missions houses they have.  This trip the missions got together at Salvador’s house where the mission of Dos Sierras meets.

Over forty people and chairs crowded into a truck that took us on the bouncy road to Dos Sierras.  There we spend time chatting, playing dominoes, drinking fresh coconut water, and eating tasty Cuban food.  We also had a time to hear how God is at work in their lives. 

Salvador shared his struggle as he had to have an emergency eye operation and then, as he was recuperating, he broke his leg in two places.  This was while he was in the midst of a building walls in his house and putting the stucco on the outside.  He shared his frustration at not being able to attend Seminary classes in Remedios and having to depend on others to do the work in his house while he sat in the middle of it all not being able to do anything.

But he also shared that it was an amazing way of God teaching him how he provides through others:  the young man who went to Seminary classes for him and then taught him what he learned; the church community who gladden his days with visits and Bible studies at his house; the crew God provided to work on the house; the sale of his pigs that provided just the right amount of funds to pay the workers.

When he was at the lowest point he mistakenly put a DVD in the player about the apostle Paul while he was in prison.  After watching it he realized that another 30 days in a cast was nothing by comparison.

The truck was 45 minutes late picking us up.  By then it was dark and the bumps on the road seemed to have increase in number and depth.  But it did not deter our Buenavista church from singing a joyful song.

Rachel

It was pitch dark. The only light was the flashlight on the top center.  

You can see the inside of the truck because of the camera flash

Below is a video with the song, but last I tried it was not working.  

Maybe it will work for you.

FROM PASTOR ALEXIS

Last Post about the Remedios' Youth Retreat  -  July 22 - 26

This year we held our Youth Retreat in the town of Gibara in the Eastern part of Cuba.

When you live in the Western Cuba what comes to mind about Eastern Cuba is that it is a provincial and mystical region.

But what was our surprise to find in Gibara a town where history converges. It’s a region that encompasses more than 500 years of passage--of conquerors and conquered, of forts and walls, Indians and their customs. Where we were able to taste the cassava, a typical food of our aborigines. And in addition, found the prices in the cafes and fruit stalls that reminded us we were in Cuba and in the XXI century.

There in Gibara, a group of church members of the Society of Friends were waiting for us to overwhelm us with a fresh and contagious faith. They offered us their services;  their very well maintained facilities; and, of course, a love you don’t often see today.

We arrived with more than 60 young and not so young people.  We arrived with an air of conquerors, and were conquered by the magic of a town and its people. We were conquered by a community of faith that enabled us to have a spiritual retreat that definitely changed our lives. We had Bible studies, missionary stories, preaching, singing, games and recreation worthy of any travel agency tour.

All, undeniably all, was used by our great God and Savior to whom we raise a prayer of gratitude. Yes, our time had come to leave Gibara, but we left with the firm intention of returning.

- Pastor Alexis

HOLINESS. YIKES!

REMEDIOS' YOUTH RETREAT in GIBARA, HOLGUIN  -  JULY 22 - 26

Teenage years should be renamed peer-pressure years.  No doubt it is one of the stages of life most vulnerable to peer pressure.  For the last three years the themes of the retreats have been centered on helping young people stay focused on the kind of life God wants us to live.

This year the Bible study was about living a holy life and I am the Bible Study teacher.  Yikes!   I wonder if I can really tell them something that is new and relevant.  So after a lot of prayer, I share with them about being created in God’s image to be a reflection of God; about God’s holiness; and about the battle for the mind, the will and the heart.  The concepts make sense to them and they can speak to how they can relate them to their lives.

I heard their stories.  They go through a lot of difficult times at school and the military service. It is not easy.   Some of the young people who attended the retreat last year are not here this time. A few because they have fallen by the wayside; others because of work or family obligations.  But the majority  have returned; and there 10 new young people who recently came to know God.  

I see these young people as today’s example of 1 Timothy 4:12.   I can see that they are an example to each other and to others by the way they speak, how they live, and how they strive to apply God’s Word in theirs lives.

They were blessed and they are indeed a blessing.

Rachel

EVERYONE IS A WINNER

REMEDIOS YOUTH RETREAT in GIBARA, HOLGUIN  JULY 22-26

At the retreat the young people are divided in four teams –Red, Blue, Green and Yellow.

They earn points by answering questions about the Bible study and mission study, winning games, being on time, and initiatives.   The competition is fun and they learn to compete in a spirit of gamesmanship, love and respect.

The games are amazing.  My favorite was water-balloon volleyball. Using a rope as a net

it’s played as a doubles game.  Two players hold a small towel by the corners, and toss the water balloon that is placed in the center of the towel to the other team, who is to catch the water balloon on the towel and toss it back. The balloon goes up in the air, the expectators are rooting for their favorite team, and eventually there’s a big splat of water when a team fails to catch the water balloon. The noise is deafening as the game progresses.  At the end, there’s a winner.  But that’s not what is most important.

What is most important is that they bond, they get an opportunity to release energy, and learn to depend on each other. 

God created us to live in relationships—to be interrelated.  Encouraging others, supporting each other, consoling each other in our loses, and reflecting God in doing so.

- Oscar

-  Oscar

CAVES

REMEDIOS' YOUTH RETREAT IN GIBARA, HOLGUIN   JULY 22-26

One afternoon at camp, we went to the local caves for an outing. After breakfast, devotional, worship, and games, we had lunch and set out for our adventure. We were not sure if the caves were one or two kilometers away, and it was the hottest time of day when we began. The Cuban people do not let much stop them, and they are more willing to sacrifice comfort than we Americans.

We began our hike with a steep incline, then meandered through streets of crowded houses and finally reached the jungle. It was literally a jungle! Lush shrubs and green landscape stretched before us, and the entire camp whittled down into single file down the dirt path. We all quieted, hunkering down in the heat. Thankfully, the caves were nearer than expected, and the cool shade was gratefully welcomed.

We splint into two groups of 30 and were taken through the caverns in turns. Our guides showed us the stalactite formations, ancient Chinese writing on the walls, and even turned the lights out for us to feel the full force of the darkness. It was an awesome experience!

Energized, we hiked to the beach to cool off, and then returned to the church where we were staying. It had been an active day and we all slept well that night!

~ Emily

SISTERHOOD

REMEDIOS YOUTH RETREAT - JULY 22 - 26

This week we have been at camp with the Remedios church. Camp here in Cuba is not much different from camp in the US, as far as giggling girls, competitive games, and daily adventures go. A small example of this can be seen in an old staple among girls at camp, whether it be in the US or Cuba: fixing up one another’s hair. On Thursday, trying to tame my hair in this humidity, I coaxed it into a side French braid, beginning by the right ear. The girls really liked this new twist on an old favorite. Throughout the morning, several of them asked me to teach them. Of course! That afternoon, during our free time, I was reading and trying to cool off by a breezy open door, when Gladis Maria softly came up to me and asked me to do her hair. “Like you had it this morning,” she asked. It was good practice for me too! When I was half way through her head of long black hair, another girl spied us and asked if I would do hers too. Certainly. Pretty soon a crowd had gathered, until they began telling girls “Emily’s hands were getting tired!” I was giving lessons in the little Spanish I know: “Empieza aqui” (Begin here) I would say, indicating behind the ear. All the while we were chattering and laughing, some trying their hand at the new style. It reminded me so much of camp in the US, and I felt right at home.

~ Emily

God's Blessings Revealed

Monday morning.  First day of Remedio's Youth Retreat in Gibara, Cuba

For the last 3 years youth retreats have been a focus of our mission-trips to Cuba. I’ve prayed that we find a facility where the youth can all be together in one place rather scattered in different houses.

We arrived at the retreat site and it is nothing like I imagined. I pictured a camp with cabins spread out, lush green vegetation, and a church building. Instead it was church with dorms and kitchen facilities. The two-story dorm is filled with bunk beds. The young women upstairs and the young men downstairs. Yet, the facilities are conducive to a retreat. A dining room for 50 and a meeting room  upstairs with capacity for 60, the sanctuary and most importantly, a staff that cleaned and fixed the meals for the week.

These are the best facilities we’ve had in three years, thanks to the funds and resources our church, South Valley Community Church in Gilroy, CA,  has provided. The love and support is felt as we see these young people praising God for what he has provided for them.

So we look forward to the tonight as we get together and worship him in song and hear God’s word, and prepare out hearts and minds for what God has in store for us during the week.

-       Oscar