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FPC Cuba Mission Trip
This April was marked by First Presbyterian Church's first official mission trip to Cuba. The mission team was lead by Lucille and David Cole and included Nancy and Michael Baron, Clokie and Brian Dixon and Cathy and Mike Sowers. This trip did not require any building skills, only open hearts, curious minds, listening ears and a willingness to participate as honorary members of the Presbyterian Church in Cuba. Our goal was to lay the groundwork for a continued relationship between our church in Nashville and the Dora E Valentin Presbyterian Church in Veradero, Cuba.
While it is illegal for U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba without a special permission, our group was able to travel through licenses obtained by The Outreach Foundation. David and Lucille, who had previously visited the church, attempted to prepare us for the generous hospitality, loving spirit and extraordinary faith of our hosts. None of us imagined what awaited us. The church leadership, it's members and friends embraced us as family. They had prepared a full itinerary that included a bilingual church service, visits to home churches in the surrounding areas, opportunities for each couple to spend an evening in the home of church members, two wonderful dinners in the homes of Cuban families, a trip to Cuba's Presbyterian –Episcopalian-Methodist Seminary and a tour of other area Presbyterian churches. We also visited the Bay of Pigs Museum which provided an opportunity to reflect on history from a uniquely Cuban perspective. A morning snorkeling trip as well as a memorable birthday party for Nancy Baron hosted by our new church family made this a trip which each member of the team will never forget.
Our hosts included ordained ministers, doctors, dentist, civil engineers, bankers, farmers, teachers.
Veradero is located in Mantanzas Province about 75 miles east of Havana. It is located on a long and narrow finger of land which is the center of what has become Cuba's #1 industry – tourism which hosts the many Canadians and Europeans who freely travel to Cuba. With tourism has come additional challenges to a society already weary from a failing economic system. The Cuban family is under siege from high divorce rates, cramped living conditions, chronic supply shortages and separation from sons and daughters who have fled Cuba for political and economic opportunities. In recognition of the church's ability and willingness to respond to these social issues, the government has, in recent years, allowed a greater freedom to the church community. Freedom is, however, a relative term.
During this time when Cuba faces significant challenges and considerable uncertainty about the future, we were deeply touched by the love and sincerity of our hosts who want only to build spiritual bridges with Presbyterians from the U.S. We expect this to be the first of many opportunities for FPC members to experience the blessings of such an exchange.
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