Blog 6: Words Fail Me

I’ve been grappling with all I experienced in Cuba in an attempt to come up with something that will convey the impact this trip had on me.  We participated in many activities and spent a lot of time in conversations with people there. It is difficult to summarize what I experienced in a concise neat package. 

For me, it started at the Senior Adult Celebration when Mario took over the microphone and surprised us (especially me) with a powerful a cappella rendition of an old song based on Jesus’ words: “If you had a mere kernel  of faith, a mustard seed, you would tell this mountain, 'move!' and it would move.” (MSG)

And when Daniel, in whose house one of the new missions of Buenavista meets, said that he has dedicated a part of his plot for building a small chapel to worship God. This is what God has put in his heart.  He believes he can build it within a year.

Then as I listed to Zenia (the wife of Buenavista’s pastor) tell how she took the colectomy bags we brought to a lady who had been her neighbor some years ago.  These neighbors who at that time had good economic standing, belittled Zenia and her family because they were poor.  Zenia with some hesitancy took them the bags, not knowing if they need them. The woman received them with tears in her eyes because she has only one left and they are very expensive.  Zenia used this opportunity to tell her about God’s love and how He was blessing her.

It could have been seeing so many young people joyfully commit to going on Saturdays to small towns around Remedios reaching out to people to tell them about God;

or seeing the 5 to 8 year-olds on Sunday divided into eight groups, each lead by a young person who taught them about God.

Or maybe it was just seeing so many people involved in making a difference for God that touched me the most.  I saw how they care enough about their neighbors to tell them about God; join one of the age-group choirs they just started; attend seminary classes to be ready to serve God; lead small groups; came to help with an activity at the church; or how they demonstrated through their lives that God can change us if we let Him.

Mostly, though, I think that once again I was touched by their unity in spirit and the love that exudes from the people we met at these two churches.  I need to find new words to express this because the words we commonly use sound hollow and worn; unworthy of the spirit I experienced.

~Rachel