Cuba
Luke 10 Journey
Our time in Mexico has come to an end and we’re waiting for our flight from Cancun Airport to Cuba. We’re sitting at a table playing cards. Geoff’s telling us that the pastor in Cuba did not come back to him and that the Lord has leaded him to that we do a Luke 10 Journey instead. I’m to team up with Vilandre and Geoff with Quinton.
We arrive in Cuba 3pm the morning and to save some money we slept on the airport and took a taxi to a guest house at 7pm. We waited for 2 days before starting our Luke 10, to get our washing done and to find a place to store our bags. In that 2 days we were getting to know Cuba and its people... different wont describe them, they’re friendly but afraid, careful.
After a breakfast of hot dogs on the 3’rd day said our goodbyes, Vilandre felt we should go to the harbour so we started walking. We walked for quite a while taking frequent rests and at about noon we saw G and Q walking towards us, we all just started laughing and then talked about how we had no idée where to go or what to do. After chatting for a while we went our own way’s again.
It was about 10am the night and tired of walking, we found a nice park bench and made our “beds”. At around 1pm we woke up and looked at each other and decided to walk some more... We went down to the beach and to our surprise found a lot of people still awake chatting and drinking. We found a spot on the beach wall and after a while 3 people approached us. They were musicians performing for people on the beach. After playing a few songs for us they asked if e would like to join them as they performed for people. As we made conversation we told them what we were doing and found out that they are Christians as well. they then blessed us with $1CUC and we said goodbye. We then found a quiet park and slept there till about 7pm.
When we got up we found a bakery and bought some bread to eat. Walking around until about 12am, a man approached us and started making conversation asking a few questions then he started to realize we slept on the street and had no place to stay or any money. After having a good laugh and saying we we’re crazy he told us he is the bar manager of the business behind him and that we could sleep behind the counter of the bar. For the next 9 days we used carton boxes as our bed, we had a lot of why’s to ask of God, but at day 6 we started seeing why we were there. At the Bar there is a man name “Ellpachino”, he is the cleaner and he also sleeps at the bar. He took us in and gave us food to eat and water to drink.
For the duration of our Luke 10 we were given lessons on humility and how to be content in all situations. Ellpachino is a hard man, hard is about all you can be if you have been living on the streets for more than 20 years. He’s a born Cuban and 65 years old, talks like a sailor and says things straight as they are. But he has one of the most beautiful hearts I have ever seen. He is living the life he has been given and is totally content. Not asking of God why he is living like this, but being totally content. And in it all still thanking God for the food before him and giving to others the little he has.
During the Luke 10, learning what God was showing me, I became aware how at peace I had become. First I didn’t notice the personality change I had undergone from our stay in Guatemala travelling up to Cuba. God has changed my whole perspective on life and the way I look at my “brothers” and “sisters”. I’m not the same person I was when I started Global Challenge in January. Maybe if I was a better writer I could explain better... but this will have to do. I’m on fire with the Love Christ is inside of me and this Flame won’t be contained!! I will ignite this world, or at least some of it. Depending where I go...