Mission: Cuba

One week from today (March 21), Capstone's mission team of 17 will be boarding a plane headed to Havana, Cuba. I cannot wait to get there and do the work God has planned for us.

My Cuba experience began in October, 2006. My friend David Strickland invited me to go to Cuba with a mission team he had been traveling there with for many years. It was last minute but I did not hesitate to say "yes." The trip came at a time in my life when I needed it and it was a great blessing to me. I met some amazing people (Cubans and Americans on the team), saw God do some incredible things, and came home with a passion to take our church to Cuba.

Because travel to the island is restricted by the US Government, we had to apply for a special license to go in and do religious work. Surprisingly, we were quickly approved for a two year license. That license expires in January, 2009. We plan to take at least one more group in before that date and also plan to apply for a renewal.

You may ask, "Why Cuba?" The simple reason is that God is at work there and He has called me personally and our church to be a part of it. The house church movement is flourishing there. Large assemblies are basically prohibited and so people meet in homes for worship and ministry. The model looks just like how we do HOME groups in our church. They study God's Word, sing together, share food together, and care for each other. It's incredibly Biblical.

Some of the house churches even go a step further and tear out walls to have larger rooms for church or they set up outside behind their home. It's pretty amazing to go outside in the back of someone's house and see a pulpit, a drum set and chairs all arranged, just waiting on the next time of worship. Then you hear the sounds of the neighbors pigs and chickens (and their smells) coming from behind the wall and you're reminded that this is Cuba.

The vast majority of the people live in a state of perpetual poverty. But amazingly their attitudes do not reflect that. They are filled with joy and smiles and laughter and kisses for their new found American friends. As you walk in to their homes, they give you their best seats and if they have anything to drink in the kitchen that particular day, it is offered to you first. Their hospitality is heartfelt and genuine.

So please pray for our team over the next week. The week before the trip is always busy with final preparations and everyone trying to get their work done before we leave for eight days. We have six high school students on our team and they have exams next week. The enemy also works really hard to throw obstacles in the path of those doing God's work. Pray for protection for health, family and time.

Finally, please pray for our time in Cuba, the people we will be sharing with, and the Cuban pastors as we go to encourage them in their work. Gloria a Dios! (Glory to God!)