Frances'
Missionary Trip to Cuba
(Update
by Don Jíbaro)
When
my daughter Frances told me that she was going to be part of a
Missionary Trip to Cuba, I though of the sinister dangers and urban
legends that has turned Cuba into the "don't go there" place. The case
of the Cuban people is a most impacting one... as we have all seen and
read what goes on there... how the arrogant pride of the affluent
Executive leadership keep the populace virtually in squalor poverty. Enter
Frances' Team from the Light and Life church of Downey,
California...
Frances went as a Missionary in a large group to help the poor and teach
children about hope and love towards one another.
This billboard was
not put up by Castro's fan, but by the government itself as an
encouragement to the people that Castro was well-welcomed as a
leader
Classic cars in the
pre-Castro era are abundant. To be there is like a trip back in
time.
From: Frances C. Vázquez
"Hola... After a major favorable turning point in Cuba, our team started
to begin our days with the reading of some texts of Paul's letter to the
Ephesians..."
The Whole Armor of God
"Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to
resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will
still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of
truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on
the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully
prepared."
"In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop
the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and
take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the
Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be
persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere." —Ephesians
6:11-18
"Of course, we also
had prayer time and strategy. We went out, but if we were to enter an
extra "spiritually hostile" area, we would read the text it and
pray it over ourselves. We became a team of prayer.
We prayed over everything we did. Lost passports had us praying. Angry
horse & buggy drivers had us praying as well. A team member sharing the
gospel or praying for a person had the rest of us praying, just like the
Secret Service watches the President when he's on tour.
If we had no food to eat, we prayed for God to sustain or suppress our
hunger. When I fell and scraped my arm and leg, I prayed that my minor
injury would not distract me from God's mission in Cuba. We learned to
become absolutely dependent on God for everything. The biggest and
smallest of details were covered in prayer.
That's how we survived in Cuba; in a land where we had virtually no
resources... no 24hr drive-thru anything! Our time in Cuba was spent
waiting on the Lord for our every move... making sure we were "covered".
Prayer is remarkable... we would have been completely lost without His
day-to-day, moment-by-moment guidance.
We were saddened when it was time to return to the US, because we had
developed a profound love for the many people that we were able to
touch... We want to go back... in God's time, for sure."
Panchis a.k.a. Frances
One
picture is worth a thousand words, no doubt. Here are some of the ones
Frances was able to take to give you an idea of how life is in Cuba...
Lucky that these are not Pan Am DC-10s...
Most of the people drive the old "pre-revolution" cars. They also make
their own parts.
(Country or Death)
This just gives you a creepy sense of security. Period.
"El Malecón" (Waterfront) used to be the spot to hang out.
Frances takes a minute to smell the flora...
Children were so curious about the visitors from USA, that they left
their shirts home.
As they pray on the street, the missionaries bring hope to the troubled
minds.
The woman in blue said she was a Voodoo priestess. The missionary
tells her that there is a bigger God that loves her nonetheless...
Frances tries to lure the peacocks. I wonder if she has something in her
hand.
In the bus, ready for the next town, they pose in a relaxed mood.
Of utmost important was the prayer for the sick.
Not forgetting the assembly of the saints, they share prayer and praise.
The children were mostly impacted by participating in something just
made for them.
The family that prays together, stays together.
Cuba is the home for some of the most curious vehicles in the world.
The horse in the background certainly agrees.
Horse drawn cars are a typical sight throughout Cuba.
Look on the bicycle... three pairs of legs.
Lourdes is determined to explain God's love to the coach driver.
The team took bags of hygiene products (soaps, brushes, etc.) to give
away.
How can you look at someone like this and not feel compassion?
The time was good for one last team pic before coming home.
"And the seeds sown in the good soil stand for those who hear the message
and understand it: they bear fruit, some as much as one hundred,
others sixty, and others thirty." —Matthew 13:23
donjibaro@gmail.com
“Live in such a way that no one blames the rest
of
us
nor finds fault with our work.” —(2 Corinthians
6:3)
