Purpose of our trip
The origin of this trip came out of the hearts of several Cuban pastors. On a previous visit to Cuba, I was approached by the president of the denomination with which we have worked very closely. I have stayed at his house, know his family and we have become very close friends. He and another pastor approached me concerning a project about which they were very excited. They wanted me to see it first-hand and were willing to take me there. This was a big deal because in Cuba, transportation is expensive and difficult to arrange. The ride from Camaguey to El Naranjo was a couple of hours, so it was not an easy thing to undertake, especially considering the condition of the roads in Cuba. I agreed to go and all the arrangements were made for a specific day. Well, the schedule got complicated and we soon realized that it would be difficult to make the trip since it was late in the day already.
So we sat in one of the pastor’s patio lamenting the fact that we had missed the opportunity. As the conversation drifted, we began looking at each other and saying, “Do you think we can still make it?” Sure enough, on the spare of the moment, we all agreed to just get up and go! It was already 4:00 pm and so it became a race against time to get there before dark so I could take pictures. We took one pastor’s car, a Russian-made Lada the was more than 25 years old and just about falling apart. But Ladas are considered the poor person’s car in Cuba and it is built like a tank, so we trusted that we could make it (not sure if we trusted the car as much as God). I hopped in the back seat and the two pastors went in front. Needless to say it was a very exciting drive through the countryside! Let’s put it this way, I’ve had smoother rides in roller coasters! I was glad when we finally reached our destination.
There was barely enough light to take a few shots, so I got busy walking around the site with my iPhone camera in hand and asking a lot of questions. I was surprised at the size of the building. I estimated the sanctuary to be about 60 feet long by 45 feet wide. There is an additional section that they plan to make into classrooms, kitchen facilities and a parsonage. This was not the typical small congregation building. I came to find out that the outreach of the church had precipitated its growth to the point that the leadership decided to step out in faith and build to fit the growth of the church. I met Pastor Hector Luis and the other men who were helping him laying cinder block at the time of our arrival. He is a soft-spoken leader who loves God and people. It was a real blessing to meet him and his wife.
The site was very well engineered and prepared, and the first courses were already done. It was exciting to see the site and imagine the beauty of the building when finished. I was touched by the humility and faith of the group. The pastor and his wife live in a wooden, cabin-like structure that reminded me more of a camping facility than a regular house. The church is conducted in an open shelter which is basically a roof held up by wooden beams. The new building will be a huge step up. My heart was full as we made our way home thinking of ways in which I could help make this project a reality. A friend wanted to help me by organizing a garage sale to raise funds for the project. The money we raised was sent ahead of our visit to help buy building materials locally.
This was many months ago, and now I find myself planning this trip with my kids who have shown such enthusiasm for this work. We will be on site laying cinder blocks, mixing cement, cutting lumber for forms and bracing and any other work that needs to be done. We will be staying in a casa de renta nearby and traveling to the site on a horse-drawn cart. We will work, pray and worship together with our Cuban brothers and sisters. And God will bless our collaboration.
We are planning to bring many tools with us that we will leave behind. We need help to cover the cost of the tools, the ongoing costs of the building and our travel expenses. If you or your small group or church would be interested in partnering with us, we welcome your involvement through your prayers and finances. Thanks!
So we sat in one of the pastor’s patio lamenting the fact that we had missed the opportunity. As the conversation drifted, we began looking at each other and saying, “Do you think we can still make it?” Sure enough, on the spare of the moment, we all agreed to just get up and go! It was already 4:00 pm and so it became a race against time to get there before dark so I could take pictures. We took one pastor’s car, a Russian-made Lada the was more than 25 years old and just about falling apart. But Ladas are considered the poor person’s car in Cuba and it is built like a tank, so we trusted that we could make it (not sure if we trusted the car as much as God). I hopped in the back seat and the two pastors went in front. Needless to say it was a very exciting drive through the countryside! Let’s put it this way, I’ve had smoother rides in roller coasters! I was glad when we finally reached our destination.
There was barely enough light to take a few shots, so I got busy walking around the site with my iPhone camera in hand and asking a lot of questions. I was surprised at the size of the building. I estimated the sanctuary to be about 60 feet long by 45 feet wide. There is an additional section that they plan to make into classrooms, kitchen facilities and a parsonage. This was not the typical small congregation building. I came to find out that the outreach of the church had precipitated its growth to the point that the leadership decided to step out in faith and build to fit the growth of the church. I met Pastor Hector Luis and the other men who were helping him laying cinder block at the time of our arrival. He is a soft-spoken leader who loves God and people. It was a real blessing to meet him and his wife.
The site was very well engineered and prepared, and the first courses were already done. It was exciting to see the site and imagine the beauty of the building when finished. I was touched by the humility and faith of the group. The pastor and his wife live in a wooden, cabin-like structure that reminded me more of a camping facility than a regular house. The church is conducted in an open shelter which is basically a roof held up by wooden beams. The new building will be a huge step up. My heart was full as we made our way home thinking of ways in which I could help make this project a reality. A friend wanted to help me by organizing a garage sale to raise funds for the project. The money we raised was sent ahead of our visit to help buy building materials locally.
This was many months ago, and now I find myself planning this trip with my kids who have shown such enthusiasm for this work. We will be on site laying cinder blocks, mixing cement, cutting lumber for forms and bracing and any other work that needs to be done. We will be staying in a casa de renta nearby and traveling to the site on a horse-drawn cart. We will work, pray and worship together with our Cuban brothers and sisters. And God will bless our collaboration.
We are planning to bring many tools with us that we will leave behind. We need help to cover the cost of the tools, the ongoing costs of the building and our travel expenses. If you or your small group or church would be interested in partnering with us, we welcome your involvement through your prayers and finances. Thanks!
