Cuba

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We buckled up our seatbelts ready to take off on the Mexican airline Aerocaribe with destination to Havana, Cuba. It was amazing; in fifty minutes we would land at the Jose Marti Airport in Havana. Paula Shilling, a member of my Advisory Board and Ginny Meier, my Ministry Coordinator were accompanying me on this journey. We could not hide our exhilaration and awe. Just the day before our departure, the license to travel to Cuba had arrived as if God waited for the last minute to show Himself faithful, leaving no doubt that the credit and the praise for the trip was His alone.

As we approached the island, right before our eyes, an explosion of green occurred. It was as if God, greater than a Renaissance master painter, performed a study in green on the landscape. We landed on time. As we taxi to the terminal my heart was beating with excitement. After clearing immigration and customs we were finally face to face with our dear friend and brother in the Lord Pastor Humberto. We hugged, kissed and pretty soon we were talking as if we were never apart. Just a few months ago Pastor Humberto had visited us in Tacoma, Washington and now as if in a dream we were reunited again, but this time instead of spending a few days together we would spend three weeks. Paula, Ginny and I were looking forward to the days ahead of us.

His Russian car, a 1983 Lada, did not have enough room for our luggage and the three of us, so we used a taxicab to help us go to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center where we would meet Rev. Raul Suarez, Director of the center. For several months we have been communicating by fax and I was looking forward to meeting him. A personal friend of Pastor Humberto, Rev. Suarez invitation to visit Cuba made our trip possible in part.

When we arrived at the Center, Rev. Suarez was not there, so we had to wait for a little while. When he finally arrived from a meeting he was attending, Pastor Humberto was not even aware when he walked close by us. After being alerted of his presence in the building, Pastor Humberto rushed inside and brought him to introduce us. Of short stature, soft spoken and of a gentle smile, I soon discovered that Rev. Suarez was a man of great stature: a true devoted and passionate lover of his country and his people.

I had the privilege of being able to meet in private with him. We sat on a pew inside the church that he pastors which stands next to the Center in Marianao, La Havana.. During our brief interview I discovered that because of his busy schedule he thought we were to arrive in two days. Also, I found out that he had been waiting for the approval of a visa to travel to Africa and that it was not certain that he could stay with us. He expressed his desire to guide us through the northwestern region of Cuba and experience for ourselves the existing need to bring the gospel to that region. I realized that this was something that would have to be postponed for the future because of the unforeseen circumstances he was facing. He instructed Pastor Humberto to take us to Puerto Esperanza. He assured me that he would come and join us if his visa was not approved. I was hoping to spend more time together, but if this short visit was what God wanted and planned for the present time, then it was good enough for me. In spite of the brief encounter, I experienced a deep satisfaction and a strong sense that this was only the beginning of a God appointed relationship that in due time would prove its fruitfulness.

The largest pieces of luggage were loaded on top of the Lada and the rest of it was fitted in the back. Pastor Humberto's wife, Eva, who was waiting at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center when we arrived, was now leaving with us to Puerto Esperanza, located in the most western province of Cuba, Pinar Del Rio.

No es Facil
(It is not easy) Part II

The Mogotes at the Vinales Valley: From Havana to Puerto Esperanza

We left behind Havana's sighing facades, the vintage cars and the people whose faces reminded me of the portraits of the Spanish master painter El Greco whose works I once saw at the museum El Prado in Madrid, Spain. As I was then, I was now, filled with awe as the living portraitures stared back at me with like wonder as we strolled through the city headed west to Puerto Esperanza in the province of Pinar del Río.

Pastor Humberto took highway A4 west and then north on road 241. The landscape is captivating. As the old Lada climbed the mountains through their serpentine road, we felt like in a dream and when we reached the top to start descending toward the valley before our eyes there was the most beautiful sight we have ever seen in a long time. Like a Shangri-La or a "Lost World" the Viales Valley exuberance exploded before our eyes. Monumental rock formations called mogotes dominate the landscape like guardians of a precious treasure. The royal palm, Cuba's national tree, sprinkles the land with its majestic presence.

The karstic valley is one of Cuba's main tourist attractions and chosen by many, as I found out, as a place ideal for outdoor activities and especially as a place for solace. The Viales Valley covers 132 kilometers in extension and is part of the Sierra de los Organos, incorporated to the Guaniguanico Mountains. Pastor Humberto told us about the limestone caves found in the valley, like Indio's Cave, crossed by the San Vicente River. There was no doubt in our hearts that this paradisiacal place has God's fingerprints all over it.

As he drove, pastor Humberto gave us inspiring testimonies of his walk and fellowship with the Lord and if God's trademark was evident in the Cuban soil it was even more real and indelible in this man of God’s heart. We called his Russian car, the Lada, the Faith-mobile after some of the amazing stories he related to us of how God has come to his rescue in the middle of nowhere with no gas or no replacement parts and how he always made it to his destination through His divine intervention. I did not know this but in the near future Paula, Ginny and I would be eyewitnesses of what he had experienced so many times.

We passed through San Cayetano and after almost four hours since we left the Cuban capital we arrived to Three Percent (3%), in Puerto Esperanza, where Pastor Humberto lives. I was puzzled by the Three Percent allusion to the neighborhood. When I inquired about the oddity of the name I was told that a railroad used to pass by a while ago and when the train would approach the vicinity, because it is a slope, the machinist would point to the man in charge of the furnace to add an extra three percent of fuel to negotiate it. Eventually, the demand for extra fuel at that junction was used by association to name the locality signifying that that was the place where 3% of supplementary fuel was necessary to make it through.

Pastor Humbertois property contains the church building, Iglesia Pentecostal El Pesebre 3%-Pentescostal Church The Manger 3%-, two buildings filled with home made bunk beds to host national and foreign delegations-religious and non religious- that visit Cuba for study, research, etc., another building houses the small kitchen and mess-hall, and another structure a little separated from the others but as humble as the rest is Pastor Humberto's house. These are all roofed with "guano" the branches of a variety of palm tree whose leaves are intertwined in an impermeable barrier.

To acquire property, the Lord made a way for doña Eva and don Humberto to buy the piece of land where they live now. As I discovered, the land was covered with a thorny bush called "aroma." So tight and thick this plant grows that the people say that if a pig gets into it there is no way to retrieve the animal except, if at all, he finds his own way out because no one will be capable of helping him. With a little aid they were able to clear the land machete on hand. One day the Lord opened pastor Humberto's eyes and he saw along with other eye -witnesses seven angels helping them cultivate the field. When I heard this story my inward witness bore witness with the miraculous account. This was nothing compared with the things that we would hear in the following weeks during our stay in Cuba. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our Lord and Savior Jesus, our God is alive in the hearts of those that put their trust in Him. Yes! Even in Cuba.

No es Facil
(It is not easy) Part III

Puerto Esperanza: Port Hope

No es facil means, "It is not easy." I often heard this phrase in Cuba followed by another similar expression of stronger connotation: es muy dificil (it's very difficult). I heard these phrases everywhere and applied to people, different things and circumstances. If applied to a person it would imply that the individual is hard to reason or get along with, it could refer to a funeral in which political and religious views collide and seem impossible to reconcile, it may speak of a well that refuses to keep yielding its precious fluid in drought, but it can allude to something as opposite as a funny person or a serious one. The masked meaning is naked to the keen listener or observer.

There is another language in Cuba composed of short phrases, unfinished sentences, gestures and facial expressions that speak volumes of whatever is under scrutiny. To be sharp, accurate and understood does not require great eloquence but grace, ingenuity and audacity. It is as if the speaker is traveling on a familiar road and takes you along, with him but suddenly the road ends and you are left alone to cross a gorge ahead of you. The other side is far away and yet you, the listener, are expected to build the bridge over the gap. It took me a while to catch on with some conversations but as I lent my whole being to know and understand the winding roads of my own language pretty soon the cryptical language that seemed so puzzling at the beginning became as clear as the noonday and enjoyable as well.

This is not the language of pessimism. It is the language dictated by the times, by the drums of life. As a witness of this living language and following the thread of its course, I found at the end of this collage of communication the tenacity and determination of a people that exudes hope all over. It is the hope that says, "It's not easy, as a matter of fact it's very difficult, but not impossible."

When I met Asuncion I was fascinated, intrigued and provoked by this gentleman, tall and sweet as the sugar cane. It was a pleasure to get acquainted with the ninety year old. He was a talker in all the good sense of the word. Like a hummingbird in a flower patch filled with nectar so was he around people. His love for Jesus was written all over his jovial personality. I loved listening to his stories about his family, his country and some of the bold statements of faith that he had made in his life. He would go and proclaim the gospel in places that others would faint even at the thought of even mentioning the name of Jesus. An Evel Knievel of the Faith I should say, but no stunts thank you, just burning love for the Master.

"Tres veces, tres veces al dia, Victor." "Three times, three times a day, Victor," he would say showing me three fingers of his right hand, calling my attention. Then he would explained, "Three times a day just like Daniel I pray, worship and give thanks to my God. I pray for everybody, for the whole world because we must be ready for His coming and He is coming soon." I saw no pride in his standout, only the cry of a sentinel on his post sounding the alarm.

Asuncion always carried with him a blue cardboard handheld fan. When at church he would sit in the corner that was always waiting for him with his pair of pop cans maracas filled with pebbles. He was always ready with a prayer, a song or a testimony, as a witness that in his life there were no compromises. Jesus and the souls of people in need of Him were all that mattered to him.

I also met a young boy about five years old that used to sit in church across the aisle from where I was one pew ahead. He too had in his hands a set of homemade instruments; a pair of rhythm sticks or claves as they are also known. He would beat one against the other at the sound of songs and hymns offered to the Lord. One night he went forward to sing a special song to the Lord.

I remember Asuncion telling me, "Victor, I am just beginning." At ninety he was telling me he was just beginning to live for the Lord. I was challenged and provoked by the life of my elder brother and friend to continue to offer everything to our Lord for I "have not seen anything yet."

The people of a small town in Cuba named Puerto Esperanza- Port Hope-, was changing my life forever and the lives of those that came with me. Things can be and will be very difficult but in Jesus there is always a safe haven on a not so far away shore called Hope.

"Christ in you, the Hope of glory." Col. 1:27

Next Issue: "A GOD AT HAND AND A GOD AFAR OFF"

No es Facil
(It is not easy) Part IV

God at Hand and God Afar Off

I recall my first mission trip to Guatemala in 1973 as a milestone in my life as well as an eye opener. In my thinking I had rationalized that because of the spiritual establishment, the technology saturated society and the fast pace of life in the United States somehow God was being hindered to manifest Himself as the mighty revolutionary of the book of Acts. I thought that once on foreign soil I would see God sovereignty and loosely performing all kinds of awesome miracles he wanted to perform in America but could not. I was quite convinced, although I did not tell anybody, that my obedience and willingness to go into the mission field would surely help God be free to be Himself. I was ready to be in the place where Jesus was not going to be limited anymore: blind eyes would be open, the lame would walk, deaf ears would hear, demons would flee, the dead would be risen and the glory of the Lord would be shown.

My naive attitude was soon to be shaken. It did not take very long while on Guatemalan soil for me to realize that many of my expectations were flawed by the fact that I did not take into account many passages of scripture that clearly defined God's interaction with man concerning the claiming of His promises and the answer to our prayers. Seven years later, when I arrived in Cuba, I had already learned quite a few valuable lessons on these subjects. Lessons learned in my communion with the Holy Spirit as he opened the Scriptures to my understanding.

In the book of Jeremiah chapter 23 and verse 23 the Lord posed the following question to His people, "Am I God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?" Also, in the book of I Kings 20: 28 it says, "And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Most certainly God is God everywhere and His ability to be who He is and do what He says He can do are not limited by geographical boundaries but by heart boundaries.

The God that required faith in biblical times to intervene in some human affairs is the same God that requires faith in America, in Guatemala, in Cuba and anywhere that His name is called upon. In the book of Hebrews 11 and verse 6 the Bible declares, " But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Pastor Humberto and I spent many hours in fellowship and as we did he shared with me many wonderful personal testimonies, testimonies that Ginny Meier patiently recorded for me. His experiences made my team and I fall deeper in love with our Lord. During one of those treasured moments he shared with me the following testimony.

Damasa's testimony: The power of God

" In the decade of the sixties, by 1968, 1969, I arrived at a humble house of two black elders. They loved me dearly and they always wanted me to visit their home to share their bread with us: my wife, my two children- already three for Elizabeth was there- and I. And when we arrived there she killed a chicken, a small chicken, she prepared it, and she made a little soup, a meal, humble according to their means. But when we were there and almost ready to eat the little food that was prepared for the two of them and for us, for my children and my wife and I, there arrived 18 persons from the church of Israel Linares, the Church of the Prophecy, very well identified. They arrived there and my sister in the Lord, Damasa, said to me, "Brother Argud’n, what are we going to do now?" And I told her, " Now we are going to put to the test the power of God. You tell me when the food is ready and I am going to stand by the kitchen's door and you are going to start serving the plates and I am going to hand them to them in the name of the Lord. There was a little pot, round, with a little soup, with the spoon, and a little rice pot. I don't remember what else was there. And she began to hand me the plates of food and I gave them to the guests. When the little pot was half way full she was on her way crying, shedding tears and praying. I said that the people were even eating their food mixed with her tears.Every one finished picking up their portions and the little rice pot was still half way full. This is a testimony that I have of the power of God."

This and many other testimonies Pastor Humberto shared with us. I look forward to see him again and record the many other accounts of the miracle working power of God that he has experienced in his lifetime serving the Master. It was a very sad day when we left Puerto Esperanza. We made a lot of good friends and were taking with us lots of fond memories. As we traced our way back to Havana, time seemed to slow down as if even the old faithful Russian car, the Lada, struggled with our departure.

At the Jose Marti International Airport, Pastor Humberto, Eva his dear wife and their grandson Jaliersky said good-bye to us. Crying, Pastor Humberto rushed into his car not wanting to prolong his sorrow of seeing us depart. I did not look back twice. I was in tears too. They left like in a dream. After three fruitful weeks the trip came to an end. But I knew in my heart that our visit to Cuba was just the beginning of what the Lord has prepared for us to do in that beautiful land remembered of God.

God is truly God at hand and God afar off!


	Cuba Mission Trip!