OUR CUBA JOURNAL
Our flight from Orange County to Cancun, Mexico, where we were to meet the team coming into Cuba with us was uneventful enough—the way we like it. We cleared customs and were on our way to our hotel to meet the rest of our group—Brian Stewart, director of ACTION Int’l Ministries for Mexico and Cuba and our team leader, his wife Celia, Rex and Donna Carlaw, USA director of ACTION, Dr. Ron Carlson, author and expert on the cults, and Dave Waters, a pastor who served as the translator for Franklin Graham’s crusades in Latin America.
The following day we flew to Havana. Although cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice prior to the trip, our Cuban visas can only be obtained within the country. A messenger was sent to a friend waiting outside the airport entrance—who returned about 30 minutes later—holding our Cuban visas. After leaving the airport an hour-and-a half later, we began a four-hour ride to a Methodist Conference Center. We arrived about midnight, where some 400 pastors and their wives were coming to meet for the next four days.
MONDAY
Today the delegates arrived from all over the country. Some have come as far away as 360 miles, many riding flat-bed trucks. January and February are their coldest months of the year, but this year the weather is even colder than usual. And the people who came by truck, some traveling through the night, were very cold. As the conference began there were smiles and warm hugs from everyone. The people here have read books written by Darlene and me, and many heard me minister in Bayamo three years ago.
TUESDAY
Today Darlene and I start our first session together, then an hour separately with men and women, respectively. In the afternoon will be counseling. A teaching session is also scheduled in the evening as well. This will be our agenda each day until our departure.
WEDNESDAY
At 4:00 AM this morning we awakened to the noise of a prayer meeting as their voices carried the short distance from the open air auditorium to our bedroom. It was reminiscent of my first 5:00 AM prayer meeting in Korea years ago. The kitchen crew rises early so they can have this time praying together.
THURSDAY
Today was the last full day of the conference. I brought a message on “Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness” and had couples turn to each other and ask forgiveness for neglect and failing to recognize the importance of being a team. There were tears and hugs. I will long remember one couple we counseled with. The husband asked his wife for forgiveness for using harsh words, embraced her and wept. That’s the pay-off!
In the afternoon we distributed our three books along with books from other authors to all of the delegates. The final service with vibrant Christian Cuban music was packed as a local church joined the delegates. Though we didn’t understand most of the dialogue, we embraced their love and thanks.
FRIDAY MORNING
We began the four-hour ride back to Havana, where we were overnight before starting home. We thank the Lord for this opportunity to partner with our Cuban Christian brothers, and for your partnership in prayer and giving that make it possible.
