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

Blog 5: Construction

The morning after we arrived we saw that construction had progressed quite a bit.  The walls for the first floor were up and so was the wall between the church and its neighbor. 

To lay the concrete ceiling of the first floor, which will serve as the floor of the second floor, the crew had to build load-bearing concrete beams that have a rebar center. 

They built the forms from repurposed wood taken from the building.  You see the wood on the right of this photo.

They also built the rebar structure that goes inside the forms.

They installed these at the top of the walls.  You can see a little bit of the forms on the top right of this photo.  The paint on the wood is green.

The next step was to fill the forms with concrete.  We had the concrete but no water.  Arelis, the church administrator,  found someone with a tank and a tractor that was able to bring water, which we carried in buckets into the church.

Then they were able to mix the concrete and carry it in buckets, up the ladder and into the forms.

A day or so later the crew took the wood off the concrete forms.  In the meantime, they had built the forms for the overhang.  You can see them behind the man.

Then began the task of taking the nails off the wood so they can use both the nails and the wood again.

While three men, out of a crew of 5, took off nails, the other two built the wall for the storage room in the kitchen.  The man wearing the yellow shirt is the construction supervisor.

Next week, they will connect the sewage to the street.  To do this they need to remove two rows of  tiles in the sanctuary from where construction begins to the front door.  They want to preserve the tiles since they are original to this 100-year-old building.  They will use the concrete saw with a guidance cart to do this difficult work.

The crew works very well together.  Pastor Alexis had a task for us, but materials were not available, and it would have slowed down the construction crew to have us work with them in their current tasks.  As Pastor Alexis had warned us, "be prepared for anything."  In this case it was to observe and do something else.  

  

~~~~~

Although Pastor Alexis does a lot of things in the church, it would not run as well without Arelys.

Before becoming the church administrator Arelys had many different jobs. She has a large network of people–connections that are key to obtaining materials the church needs. 

So when the church needs transportation for camp and there is no bus to be found, she knows the person in charge who she can call to find the bus they need.  She’s out and about town a lot and knows when supplies come in and where to find them.  She is persistent.

 Insert Blog 5 Arelis photo here

On Wednesday construction was almost at a stand still because we didn’t have water.  Arelis knew someone who has a water tank and tractor and can bring the water for the construction.  Out she goes to talk to him and a few hours later we are carrying buckets of water in for the construction.

 

The next day, the shortage is the sheet metal for the concrete forms so the concrete is smooth. Construction would stop without it.  She finds alternative material and remembers where it can be found.  Arelis gets it and once again construction is back on schedule.

Not everything comes easily. There is something needed for the walls that is not available anywhere.  But she is sure that it will come at the right time because this is God’s work.

Arelys likes her job at the church even though it takes most of her waking hours. “The jobs I had before prepared me for this job at the church. I am very happy working here. God brought me here after I learned all I needed for this job.  His timing is always perfect.”

~  Rachel 

Blog Four:  Children

Sandra is 8 years old.  She is the third of three children whose parents are divorced. Money is very scarce in her family.  Her life is difficult and many times she’s wondering around town by herself.  Her father takes care of them during the day; at night she sleeps at her mom’s.  Her parents literally divided the house when they divorced, so she actually sleeps “next door”.

She asks Yudit about all the things in the church’s kitchen, wanting to know what they are used for.  A few minutes later Yudit hears her inviting a friend to the church’s kitchen.  “Come see Yudit’s kitchen, she is a multi-millionaire. There is nothing in the kitchen at my house.”

Sandra lives in the house behind Maite’s (the Director of Children’s ministries) and started coming to the children’s small group at Maite’s house.  Eventually Sandra started coming to the Children’s Celebration service on Sundays.  She’s full of questions; piecing the world together by observing  and asking about all she sees. 

“I want to go with the young people to the missions on Saturday.  I want to be a missionary and how can I learn to be one if I don’t go?”

So to a mission she went with the children’s choir.  She had a solo.

“Here, take the microphone back,” she told her teacher, “I don’t want to use it.”

“But what if you became a missionary and have to talk to a lot of people?  They won’t hear you without a microphone”

After some consideration, and looking around and thinking about it she turned to the teacher and said, “Well, in that case, I guess I better start getting used to it.”

~ Rachel

Blog Three: Translation

Blog Three: Translation

Oscar and Rachel have both become ill with digestive problems (please pray for them!) 

So tonight at dinner, Greg and Christine sat with Alexis and his family and used all our creative skills of pantomiming, making chicken noises, and repeating words to get our messages across. It was pretty comical and we all survived.

This morning, our team had the privilege of joining Alexis in a region wide meeting of about a dozen Pastors who have all committed to become coordinators and start small groups in the areas they come from. This is an ecumenical group and Oscar was blown away by how far Cuba has come in the last few years.

 Region-wide Pastors meeting for Small Group Ministry

Talking “small groups” was fun for all of us, but it didn’t take long to realize that the hindrances to small groups in Cuba are the same hindrances we face in California. I didn’t need a translator to recognize the word for “multiply” or to understand that groups don’t like to “divide.” I figured out what these Pastors were saying pretty quickly!

Greg and Christine led the group in a few of our Spanish worship songs and then Christine shared what she does at SVCC while explaining how we use tools like: Vision, Plan, Leaders, Training and Study Materials. Greg gave a Pastoral message of encouragement and many of them asked for his contact information in hopes of keeping in touch.

Oscar translating Scripture

As Rachel was feeling pretty badly by then, Oscar did the translating for us.

~ Christine

 

Greg sharing a message of encouragement for the Pastors.

Although we can survive without a translator when we need to, Greg and Christine want to thank the Serrania’s for their many hours of translation each day. It’s a tough job!

I was very blessed speaking to and encouraging the pastor’s at the Luncheon. In spending time talking with them I was moved at their commitment amidst tremendous adversity. I was also reminded that our cultures may be different, the personal challenges pastor’s experience is universal.

~Pastor Greg

Blog Two: Time

Blog Two: Time

One would think that without the distractions of email, texts, the Internet and entertainment that time would be an abundant commodity in Cuba. Yet, we get up early and go to bed late and only accomplish some of what we hope to each day.  However, there is time for conversation along the way. There is time made for people.

Monday was our first “weekday” here and the morning meant construction for Oscar and Greg and the SVCC blog for Rachel, Christine and Pastor Alexis. As it turned out, formatting the blog took longer than expected and we didn’t finish until after 4:00 pm.

Construction work was then put off as time was made for good conversation around the breakfast table (complete with delicious Cuban coffee) followed by a tour of Remedios’ Historical Museum. This was not just your average tour, however, because two of the construction workers helping at the church are also doing restoration work at the museum and one of them does not know Christ. So, we spent time with him enjoying his handiwork and sharing Christ with him and the other workers in Word and deed.

Construction workers with Oscar & Greg at the Historical Museum.

This afternoon, we made time for a tour of the local Catholic Church and team debriefing at a local café.

Refreshments and team building at a local café.

Monday night we hung out with the Junior High and High School small groups.  Oscar and Greg helped their team to act out the story of Moses with his rod (Greg was a great Moses!) Christine and one of the workers, Sirley, won the limbo dancing game…you had to see it to believe it!  Greg shared his testimony with the youth while Oscar translated.  And Pastor Alexis’ son in law, Pastor Yaisel, taught the youth from Philippians. It was a great evening spent with people sharing God’s love.

Junior High and High School small groups.

I think we can say that our time this particular Monday in Cuba was well spent.  I wonder what tomorrow will bring…?

                                               

~Christine (My first Red Bull in days)!