Cuba Partnership Trip Update
By Ken Lasseter, Co-Chair, Cuba Partnership Team
In June, a group of 9 people from 3 churches went to Cuba. Each group of 3 people visited churches with whom they had previously formed a relationship. Each group took items that they knew their church needed. We also took parts to rebuild the El Centro Presbytery bus’s engine. This is for the same bus that we helped to supply to them in 2015.
Thank you so much for your heartfelt response again this year to assist El Centro Presbytery with their transportation needs. Our goal was to raise $10,000 for the parts needed to rebuild their bus engine. The nine of us on the trip divided the parts purchased between our 18 checked bags and carried them into Cuba. The revised cost of the engine rebuild is almost $12,000. You provided $8,000. Along with the contributions you made in the second half of 2021, we had enough funds to fully pay for the parts needed for the engine rebuild.
We spent time meeting people in the churches, attending meetings and socials, and making some in home visits. A few church members were invited to join us for meals. Some gatherings included activities for children. One of the activities at the church in Remedios was making decorative items that would be used when they reopen their sanctuary. They are working hard to complete the remodeling before the first week in August when they will celebrate their 120th anniversary. We also attended Sunday Worship Services with our partner churches.
We found many hardships on our visit. In Remedios, the town I visited, we were told of electrical blackouts that lasted 4 to 6 hours. Food was scarce and very expensive. Pork and chicken are their primary meats, yet, I was told that pork had not been available since last November and chicken was not always available. On the day after I arrived someone came to my room and asked if I had an aspirin. He said a he had a headache and they had not had any painkillers available for 3 or 4 months. Later, on a walk through the town, I passed the pharmacy and saw that the shelves were almost completely empty. I also witnessed long lines at their ”gas stations”. The group from Deland reported the roof on the church that they visit is so bad that it is about to collapse. Building materials are very hard to find and have gotten very expense. They reported there was very low water pressure at that church.
Despite these things, the people we worked with were happy, upbeat, and smiled a lot.
Churches in the Central Florida Presbytery have formed partnerships with 9 of the 12 Churches in the Central Presbytery of Cuba. Their Council expressed their desire for the remaining 3 churches to have a partnership with a church from our Presbytery. They also want to review our Presbytery to Presbytery partnership agreement.
Our group from Deland had 4 people from the New York area join them at their partner church. Two in that group tested positive for COVID while in Cuba. After returning home, an additional person from New York and the 3 from Deland tested positive. This incident did interrupt their visit. There was some isolation and some activities were canceled. A planned VBS was postponed.
All in all, we had a good trip. They were glad to see us and we were glad to see them again. We took them some much needed items and believe that we gave them encouragement and boosted their spirits. I always find it encouraging when I visit, to see that the church has endured through so many years of hardships.
Thank you again for your support, both financial and through prayers.
Thank you so much for your heartfelt response again this year to assist El Centro Presbytery with their transportation needs. Our goal was to raise $10,000 for the parts needed to rebuild their bus engine. The nine of us on the trip divided the parts purchased between our 18 checked bags and carried them into Cuba. The revised cost of the engine rebuild is almost $12,000. You provided $8,000. Along with the contributions you made in the second half of 2021, we had enough funds to fully pay for the parts needed for the engine rebuild.
We spent time meeting people in the churches, attending meetings and socials, and making some in home visits. A few church members were invited to join us for meals. Some gatherings included activities for children. One of the activities at the church in Remedios was making decorative items that would be used when they reopen their sanctuary. They are working hard to complete the remodeling before the first week in August when they will celebrate their 120th anniversary. We also attended Sunday Worship Services with our partner churches.
We found many hardships on our visit. In Remedios, the town I visited, we were told of electrical blackouts that lasted 4 to 6 hours. Food was scarce and very expensive. Pork and chicken are their primary meats, yet, I was told that pork had not been available since last November and chicken was not always available. On the day after I arrived someone came to my room and asked if I had an aspirin. He said a he had a headache and they had not had any painkillers available for 3 or 4 months. Later, on a walk through the town, I passed the pharmacy and saw that the shelves were almost completely empty. I also witnessed long lines at their ”gas stations”. The group from Deland reported the roof on the church that they visit is so bad that it is about to collapse. Building materials are very hard to find and have gotten very expense. They reported there was very low water pressure at that church.
Despite these things, the people we worked with were happy, upbeat, and smiled a lot.
Churches in the Central Florida Presbytery have formed partnerships with 9 of the 12 Churches in the Central Presbytery of Cuba. Their Council expressed their desire for the remaining 3 churches to have a partnership with a church from our Presbytery. They also want to review our Presbytery to Presbytery partnership agreement.
Our group from Deland had 4 people from the New York area join them at their partner church. Two in that group tested positive for COVID while in Cuba. After returning home, an additional person from New York and the 3 from Deland tested positive. This incident did interrupt their visit. There was some isolation and some activities were canceled. A planned VBS was postponed.
All in all, we had a good trip. They were glad to see us and we were glad to see them again. We took them some much needed items and believe that we gave them encouragement and boosted their spirits. I always find it encouraging when I visit, to see that the church has endured through so many years of hardships.
Thank you again for your support, both financial and through prayers.