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Our Canadian partner organization, Samaritan Aid Ministries, has been managing the Cuba project for a year. Every two months, groups from the USA, Canada, and Germany travel there to bring aid to the impoverished island nation of Cuba and provide instruction to the local community. Last November, a group of 13 people from Germany made the journey.
The embassy is going on a journey
On November 9th, the day finally arrived: After much preparation and shopping, and with great anticipation, we met at Frankfurt Airport to begin our mission trip to Cuba. We were full of excitement, as we didn't know what to expect, because with the exception of our group leader, Alex Gruslak, it was the first trip to the Caribbean island for all of us. Our group was a very diverse mix of young people and newlyweds from the congregations of Bremen-Mahndorf, Bremerhaven, Bruchmühlbach, Speyer, and Winnenden. Most of us hadn't known each other before, let alone met.
We already sensed at the airport that God was blessing the trip and our undertaking. What worried us a bit was the fact that a large portion of our luggage was significantly overweight, mainly due to clothing and food intended for donation. Once we had all finally checked in, we were simply amazed that no one had to leave anything behind or pay any extra fees.
After an 11-hour direct flight, we arrived in the capital, Havana. There, our taxi driver, Romel, warmly welcomed us. He had converted during a previous mission trip and accepted Jesus as his Lord. Over the next few days, Romel drove us across the island from Havana to Holguín in a converted ambulance. We visited many churches and fellow believers, shared meals with them, talked about God and the Bible, testified to God's work in our lives, and prayed together to our Lord.
Prayer in Moa
The message reaches its target
I especially remember the visits and prayers in Moa and Holguín because they were a great testimony to me of how God was working in people's hearts.
After Brother Mikhail from Colorado, who accompanied our group, called for prayer in Moa, six souls came forward to be prayed for. Two of them were converted that day. While the service was underway, we spent time with the children, mostly orphans, who live with their grandparents or other relatives. It was clear that many of these children knew very little about Jesus and the Bible. The children's expressions alone often spoke of a difficult past, which deeply touched and moved me. I compared my own childhood to theirs and wondered what I had done to deserve growing up in a sheltered, Christian home and never experiencing want. For this very reason, it is our duty to show these people even more love and to direct their attention to Jesus.
In Holguín, Brother Alex preached the Word, focusing on the passage from John 14:27a: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” He explained to the listeners that God’s gift to humanity is clearly distinct from the gifts of the world. Following this, ten of them were converted, and twenty came forward to pray for their needs.
Church service with children
The message connects
Communication with the locals proved difficult because many Cubans speak only Spanish. Fortunately, some of them were also fluent in Russian, as many have Soviet roots. There were hardly any Cubans who could converse with us in German or English. Therefore, we almost always had an interpreter with us who translated the Spanish into either German or Russian.
Therefore, it was all the more wonderful that, despite the language barrier, we had the feeling and the certainty of belonging to one another, since we can all call ourselves children of one Father. We also comforted ourselves with the thought that there will only be one language in heaven and that this problem will then be solved forever.
What I personally admired most about the people, and what still makes me think, is their outlook on life and the joy with which they approach each day. Looking back, I can't recall a single encounter where any of the locals grumbled or seemed dissatisfied, even though they certainly had more reason to be than we Europeans.
The love and hospitality with which they treated us, even though we were strangers to them, was remarkable. You could see and feel that they gave us their very best and welcomed us with great joy.
During the course of the mission trip, I became increasingly aware that we bore a special task and responsibility. Our motivation and theme was to bear much fruit for God. We pursued this from the very beginning and constantly reminded ourselves of it. We had not embarked on this journey to gain something for ourselves, but to be a blessing.
We served the people of Cuba and supported them financially. But most importantly, we bore witness to Jesus, His love and His nature, and were thereby filled with a special joy ourselves.
Janine Sonnenberg, CDH Stephanus
More information about the aid organization: samaritanaidministries.com
