Written by: Rebecca Heft
In March, our team of 32 experienced the breathtaking beauty of Cuban culture–by submersing ourselves in it. Amidst the vibrant colors and warm hospitality, we encountered the unmistakable presence of God moving among his people.
Even in such a beautiful country, experiencing the culture quickly included being introduced to the brokenness and pain throughout the city of Havana. Within the churches and community of Havana, homes and apartments stood worn down, electrical power flickered on and off unpredictably, and what we often take for granted–simple necessities–were rare luxuries for many.
Among this poverty, we heard testimony of a frequent pattern of alcoholism and substance abuse, persistent among the men. As a result of this, many women are single mothers and women are left alone or vulnerable. Because of these conditions, healthy family units were not standard, and very few include healthy father-figures. Our team noticed very soon into our trip that the Cuban churches lacked male leadership, something we know is very important in the church. There are also many people who practice idol worshipping religions, voodooism, Santería, and animal sacrifice. Just as anywhere in the world, money, sex, idols, drugs, and alcohol always fail to provide any hope.
While it’s easy to be discouraged by the suffering we face on this earth, we can be encouraged by the true hope we have been promised. The two simple words “Pero Dios” translate to mean “But God.” This short phrase is beautiful and reveals the Lord’s faithfulness, love, and dependability over and over. We see in Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” We see the words “But God” again in the ultimate provision, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God, in his glory and power, chooses to love us steadfastly and he chose to sacrifice Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins, enduring the ultimate suffering and dying the death we deserve.
Knowing this truth in our minds and understanding it in our hearts changes our perspective of every situation. When looking for the light, we may discover it is easier to find among the darkness. In Psalm 27:1, David praises, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” While our ministry groups were visiting the homes of church members, we were encouraged by the strength of our fellow believers, specifically those who seemed to defy every reason to be discouraged or stray from the Lord.
As my ministry group entered the homes of many older ladies throughout the week, we were blessed by their testimonies and humbly rejoiced, cried, and prayed with them. One of the women we visited lived alone on the fifth story of her apartment complex. Despite her emotional challenges and physical needs, this woman deeply desired the Lord and was determined to be present in her church. Each Sunday, this 82-year-old woman and her 88-year-old friend would walk down many flights of stairs and a long, uneven path to church. Nothing could prevent them from their dedication to the church or keep them from worshipping as part of the Body of Christ, trusting the Lord as their stronghold. The pastor of her small house church encouraged us all, telling us she was even stronger than him and informing us that their church services waited to begin each week until these two women had arrived.
We sat with more women, few of whom requested prayer for themselves, apart from growing in their faith. All of them, however, requested prayer for their families and the rest of Cuba. In particular, one of them was joyful to request prayer for those struggling in her country. However, she was not asking the Lord to provide for their physical needs, rather that he would feed their hungry souls. Amidst a very family and community-focused culture, the beauty of the body of Christ and adoption as a child of God remained frequent in the prayers and desires of the church.
In addition to house visits, our ministry groups explored the streets of Cuba, having Christ-centered conversations, evangelizing throughout the community, and encouraging others to attend church and experience the true love of God. While we were distributed amongst different churches, Matt Heft and Chad Hermiller led teams of men to teach more than 50 church leaders across Havana. These teams walked their attendees through the story of Elisha, introducing Old Testament stories that were new to many, connecting them to the Gospel, and using this to teach about the unchanging attributes of God. In the evenings, our teams went to spend time with the children in the communities and churches they had served in the morning. Each team led a slightly different VBS, adjusting to their kids, their building, and the weather. We read stories of the Bible, played a variety of games, worshiped, and connected with children, many who had never heard about Jesus before. Most importantly, we shared the Gospel with these children, specifically using the wordless book colors and the “God’s Plan For Me” model (yes, this is the same model we use to teach our own kids in Kidway each week, just in Spanish).
“Yo quisiera entregarme al Señor, quiero ser su hija.” A young Cuban woman ended her week with these words, having spent each evening being encouraged at a VBS with her young baby, listening to the Gospel being shared. After hearing the Gospel and the stories of Jesus at VBS and experiencing the love of the church, she excitedly told me, “I want to give myself to the Lord, I want to be his daughter.” She was no longer fearful, as she had been the week before. Rather, she found herself eager and excited to go to church. She was seeking deeper conversation, desiring to be baptized. She had confidently expressed that she wanted to raise her baby in a way that glorified God, allowing her sweet little one to experience the beautiful love of his Heavenly Father, just as she had begun to understand herself.
The Lord is near to all who call on him. It is our call as members of the Body of Christ to expand this family of faith across the earth. As we reflect on our recent trip to Cuba, I want to ask you to praise the Lord alongside us. Rejoice with us for the souls he has saved. Worship the Lord for his beautiful work in Cuba and in the hearts of our team members.
Consider your personal call to serve the Cuban people. How can you give? Can you give your time and go? Can you donate clothing, finances, or supplies to our next trips and to our family in Cuba? Can you set aside intentional time in prayer for the hearts of those in Cuba?
Ways you can pray for our Cuba family:
Stories, news, and resources for things happening at Gateway Church.
