Cuba Update 1

What a spectacular trip! I was humbled and inspired by the church in Cuba--their perseverance, their innovation in the face of scarce resources, their heart to reach out to their own people, and their love for Jesus.

In the days to come I will give you some snapshots of my trip. For now, however, I thought I would give you some highlights:

1. My first full day on the island I got to meet up with many of the students who took the Gospel of Mark class I gave in 2005. It was great to see them and to hear that things are going well in their respective ministries.

2. I had the opportunity to preach three times while I was there. It felt so good to worship in Spanish again and to be a part of a lively worship service (quite the contrast from Scotland!). It was especially gratifying to see the firstfruits of my research.

3. I got to meet one of the the first evangelical pastors in Cuba (now 92 years old). We talked for over an hour while he showed pictures and told the history of the church in Cuba before and after the revolution.

4. We were able to visit about ten churches, get to know their circumstances, what they are struggling with and what they are hoping for. We had a rich time of prayer with each church before moving to the next.

5. I spoke with the president of the denomination that we partner with in Cuba about my research on suffering. He felt that my research will be very helpful for the church and said he looks forward to seeing the fruits of my research written in Spanish. Additionally, he asked me to be active over the next two years in writing articles for the church, actually giving me assignments! In fact he seems to think, given the impossibility of living in Cuba, that writing could be my most important ministry to the church in Cuba at this time. More on this in another post.

6. It was a joy spending the week with Forest Hill Church from Charlotte, North Carolina. They are exploring ways in which they can partner with the church in Cuba. I was impressed with how serious they went about the trip. It was a pleasure to be able to translate for them, even if I was exhausted at the end of each day.

7. Every pastor and student I talked to spoke very positively about the theological education they were receiving from ESEPA. They all felt that their studies had a profound impact not only on their ministries, but also on their personal lives. This was a joy to hear. It did become evident in our discussions, however, that we need to add a non-formal component to our formal training. More on that in the months to come.

8. Twice I was confused for Jason Veritek, the catcher for the Boston Red Sox!

9. Finally, it was invigorating to see God alive and active in such tangible ways. The church in Cuba is proof indeed that when we are weak, He is strong!

More to come in the days to come...