Cuba

"Cuba is a communist country and there is no internet". This is all we knew as we entered the first country on our list for this year. We had no contacts, accommodation or mission that we had to accomplish, except to follow the Holy Spirit.

After 32 hours of travelling from South Africa we arrived at Havanna airport in Cuba at 2 AM. After spending the night on the airport we went into the city the next day to find accommodation in Havanna. After a few days of rest and prayer we felt led to go to Santiago, which was on the other side of the island. After a 13 hour train ride we arrived in Santiago train station, with nowhere to go. By faith our leaders decided to follow a man who offered us transportation on his donkey car to a hostel.  When we arrived we found that there was only enough space for half of the team so the man took the rest of us to the next hostel. There we met a girl named Diana who stayed close by. She was fluent in English and also a Christian. Gerrie, our leader, had a feeling earlier that day that we would meet an English speaking girl who would be a key person in our journey. She invited us to church that night and there we met Pastor Du Pont. We received a prophecy about Cuba earlier this year that we would meet a big black man with a lot of influence. This is exactly who Pastor Du Pont was.  He was the president of more than 600 Baptist churches in the east of Cuba. Through Pastor Du Pont we met many pastors and youth pastors. We exchanged visions and contact details and there are now many ministry opportunities for future Global Challenge teams. We visited many churches and also attended a meeting of 81 churches where we all had the opportunity to share how we experience church and what church should look like. We also visited English classes and shared teachings out of the Bible.

This is our first glimpse of light when we met Pastor Du Pont from the First Baptist Church in Santiago.

We were blessed so much by the lady we stayed at. She gave us free Coffee, fruit punch and meals late in the nights when we arrived very hungry.  Nearing the end of our stay the church’s youth took us on a tour through Santiago. We arrived at a hill’s peak that overlooked the whole of Santiago. Then we all prayed over Santiago. I was amazed at how amazingly God opened doors for us, not only to impact a few people, but to impact the whole of Santiago. The next afternoon when we left Santiago 15 people from the youth came to our house and helped us carry our bags to the train station. There we all prayed for one another. When it was time to go we all waved good bye to the 15 loving brothers and sisters that was so God sent.  We returned to Havana where we rested and debriefed for a few more days before leaving the country. The 3 weeks in Cuba was filled with Gods provision and divine appointments. n

One of our many free meals given to us by the lady we stayed at.

Cuba has beautiful buildings and cars from the 50’s. Food is very cheap when you buy it from the local take aways and restaurants. Refresco (the name for a wide variety of fizzy drinks) costs 30 South African cents, ice cream also costs 30 cents and you can get a hamburger for under 2 Rand. We felt very wealthy in Cuba and we had to realize that although we could buy a lot of food, we should still buy only what we need. The Christians we met was extremely friendly and hospitable. The church of Cuba is growing at a fast pace and the government is allowing more and more publicity to the church these days. This is a great relief for many Cubans but still the burden of communism remains on them. There are many doctors and graduates with specialist degrees who want to leave the country for greener pastures. Many doctors or engineers end up being waiters or taxi drivers, because they can earn more money that way.


In Havana.

I learnt a very important lesson one morning when I had the opportunity of leading our group’s devotions.  I carefully prepared a program up to every finest detail. Devotions started off great, but as it was nearing its end someone asked if we can go on our own at that moment and pray about the country we are in. ‘What about the ending prayer to seal off and revise what I just said?’ I thought. ‘What if the group forgot what I taught them?’... So I told the person that we could do the prayer after we finished off, because this is how I was taught. I obeyed my teaching rather than the feeling in my heart.  I finished off with a forced prayer, but how could prayer feel so wrong? Afterwards, I realized that I had a program with God in it, but I allowed no space for God to move. I learnt that a program is only a skeleton and it is up to God if He wants to bring to life or to use something else.


Swimming in the Caribbean!

One night after we attended the opening of the first old age home in Santiago, I met a school teacher named Yurgen. We were on our way home in a truck filled with people. He passionately testified to me about God’s evident work in His life. His whole testimony echoed in my heart with the same experiences in my life. How great is it not to meet people on the other side of the world, in a country so different from your own, but God works exactly the same in their hearts as He does in ours!
The people of Cuba will remain in my heart and in my prayers. Thanks to God for this experience!


The old cars that is to be seen all over Cuba!

We are at the moment at the YWAM base in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Things are going great in our team and our ministry is starting to flow more freely. We are getting enough rest. Our only complaint is that it is very hot and humid all the time! :-) We feel that this is a time to be really thankful towards God, and not to get used to all His blessings.


Thank you.
God bless you
Albie

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