Baracoa and Gateway's 2020 Mission Trips

by Matt Heft

“This is the most beautiful land that human eyes have ever seen.” Those aren’t my words, those are the words of Christopher Columbus when he landed in Baracoa, Cuba in 1492. And over 500 years later, I would have to say that Columbus got it right. With the ocean to the north, mountains directly to the south, east, and west, along with coves, rivers, palm trees, banana trees, and eye-popping color, it would be easy to overlook the most beautiful aspect of Baracoa…it’s people.

In October 2019, Amberly (my wife) and I had the opportunity to travel to Baracoa, Cuba to scope out what a future mission trip might look like for a larger group from Gateway. The opportunities abound. Unlike some short-term mission trips where the full trip plan is laid out before you sign up, with this trip we will be able to adjust our work to match the skills, personalities, and interests of those we take with us.

Cuba has many house churches and as those churches grow, new leaders are required to keep the attendance below the government required limit of 30 people in attendance. As you might imagine, this leaves new church leaders with only limited biblical training. Part of what Amberly and I did in Baracoa was training for these leaders. We talked to them about how to study their Bibles, how to share the Gospel, and really emphasized a better understanding of the Old Testament books and how they tie to the Gospel. We also took a flannelgraph set (google flannelgraph if you don’t know what that is) of the entire Bible. We taught the people how to use the flannelgraph set with their youth and then left it there for them to continue using.

From March 14-21, 2020 we want to take a much larger group back to Baracoa. When I asked the Cuban leaders what they would like us to do for them when we bring more people back in March, they specifically asked us to work with them to teach their children, so we will plan on an evening VBS. If we have several college students, we will create opportunities for them to connect with Cuban college students. One of the church leaders we worked with runs a sports ministry with the youth of Baracoa, so we could work with him (we will at least be taking him some sport supplies). We will also be doing additional leadership training. If you’re interested in going, please get signed up soon. We need to apply for our religious visas at the first of the year.

If it were appropriate, I would beg you to go on this March trip with me. This will be a trip that you will not soon forget. In fact, if you’re like us, a part of your heart will be left in Baracoa. Come with me and be a part of what God is doing in Cuba.

Note: There is on-going tension between the governments of Cuba and the United States. In my three trips to Cuba, I have never felt any hostility or risk for my personal safety. All of our travel will be within the rules set forth by the United States and Cuban governments.

If you are interested in participating in the Baracoa, Cuba trip in March or in another mission trip, please visit Gateway’s website and fill out a mission trip interest form.

2020 Mission Trips

Cuba - Baracoa
Leader: Matt Heft
Who: Adults or high school students (accompanied by a parent)
When: March 14 - 21
Team Size: 15
What we will do: The team will work with a local church to host a Vacation Bible School, and participate in leadership training and evangelism.
Cost: $1,100 per person - includes airfare, transportation, hotel, and most meals; participants will need to cover meals during travel and the costs of a travel visa and vaccinations

Dominican Republic
Leader: Alyssa Robinson
Who: Adults or high school students (accompanied by a parent)
When: February 29 - March 6
Team Size: 15
What we will do: This will be a medical team, responding to the medical and emotional care needs of the DR. This team’s logistics will be organized by Score International.
Cost: $1,000 per person - includes airfare, transportation, hotel, and most meals; participants will need to cover meals during travel and the costs of a travel visa and vaccinations

Family Trip - Pikeville, KY
Leader: Erin Clegg
Who: Anyone (families are encouraged to go together)
When: July 6-11
Team Size: Not limited.
What we will do: This trip involves a light construction project (no prior experience needed), hosting a Vacation Bible School, and participating in a Shoes of Hope event. Shoes of Hope is an event where mission teams collect brand new tennis shoes for school aged children and bring them to Pikeville. At the end of the week during a special event, we wash the children’s feet while presenting the Gospel to them, and then present them with a new pair of tennis shoes and socks. This trip is organized via Score International.
Cost: $400 per person - includes transportation, hotel, and most meals; participants will need to cover meals during travel.

Lebanon
Leader: Kelly Green
Who: Adults or high school students (accompanied by a parent), 8 people
When: August 25 - September 1
Team Size: 8-10
What we will do: This team will be providing a mini-VBS for Resurrection Church during their annual combined campus conference in the mountains north of Beirut.
Cost: $1400, includes airfare, transportation, housing and meals in-country; participants will also need to cover meals during travel and the costs of a passport, travel visa and vaccinations

Costa Rica
Leader: Gale Jones
Who: Adults or high school students (accompanied by a parent)
When: October 17-24
Team Size: 10
What we will do: Provide a VBS for refugee children, operate a temporary feeding program. This team’s logistics will be organized by Score.
Cost: $1000 - includes airfare, transportation, hotel, and most meals; participants will need to cover meals during travel and the costs of a passport, travel visa and vaccinations