We have a great God who does great things

Pastor Omar Perez visited with us in California at the end of August.  He has been the pastor of the church in Buenavista since 2006 and spoke about how he has seen God at work in the lives of many people in the area.

Main road into Buenavista

This trip, his first outside Cuba, is an example of God’s hand at work.  The process began  years ago, even before we first met the community of faith in Buenavista.  It continued when three years ago Pastor Omar started the process to become a citizen of Spain in order to travel easily out of Cuba.  Funds to travel, getting on an airplane for the first time and leaving his family and church for two months required he walk each step in faith. 

"This trip is bigger than I am"  Pastor Omar

"I want to make sure I am walking in God's path.  If there is something I am afraid of is not being in the center of God's will in my life and ministry'" Pastor Omar

Pastor Omar met with groups in Gilroy, Hollister, Riverside and Glendale.  In all of them we experienced God moving the hearts of the people who heard him. 

 Here are some of the things Omar said at the meetings:

"With this trip I know God is preparing me for a new stage in my ministry."

At South Valley Community Church in Gilroy, CA with team who went to Buenavista in July.

“God goes ahead of us preparing the way, getting things ready so that when we arrive we can see how he has already made provision for us.”

At El Centro church in Gilroy, CA one of SVCC campus churches.

With El Centro Pastors Juan and Jenny Murillo

“A community of faith needs to come together, get to know each other, share burdens, pray for each other, have fun together and feel like a family…because they are a family united in God’s love.  We need to rely in and love each other.” 

With people from SVCC Hollister Campus

Hollister, CA meeting at Rick and Lisa Davis' home.

“Every resource you have made available has brought people to the knowledge of God.  People have come to know God through transportation, through the medicines, through the youth events, through Vacation Bible School.  Lives have been changed.  Lives have been saved from disaster and those people now lead rewarding lives in Christ.”

Sunday lunch at New Life church in Riverside, CA

With Matt Gibbs, Pastor of New Life church

“We need to wait on God, his timing is perfect.”

In Glendale, CA with Paul Diaz

Group at Paul and Rosangel's home in Glendale, CA

 “We tend to move things closer to see them better, but in my case God brought me far so I could see Cuba better and understand how God is working in Cuba.” 

With wife Zenia and son Jonathan

“I care deeply about people, especially those who do not know Christ.  I dedicate a lot of time to the call I received from God to be a pastor.  Yet, my most important ministry is my family.”

~ - ~

It has been an incredible experience for me to see how God has orchestrated this trip and meetings.  People who I did not know have come together to make it happen.  United in God.  We are not successful when we act as isolated individuals.  As it was in the days of Moses and of Peter, James, and John, being obedient in following God necessarily involves a corporate component.  

There is no doubt that God is preparing Omar to lead his church at a new level, with a renewed vision.  As he returns with plans to construct a larger wing in the church to provide more classroom space we know that God, through us, will provide the resources.

When we truly sense that Christ has already won, we who believe in Him are all winners together. We too become energized, follow the game plan, and sacrifice rather than make up excuses.  We too give generously, encourage rather than criticize, and selflessly assist others.  I have seen this happen.

To follow God is to participate on a winning team. 

Omar is now in Jacksonville, Florida. Once more we see people from the community of faith coming together to participate in God’s plan for Buenavista.  We don’t know the details of God’s plan.  But we are expectant of the awesome things God has already prepared.

~ Rachel