CONTAINERS, CHURCHES, AND CHRIST

By Don Noble

For many years, Cuba has been an island country of uniqueness and mystery to those of us in the United States. When I ask people in the United States what they first think of when I say “Cuba,” I usually get three answers. The first is Castro, the second is communism, and the third is cigars. I would like to suggest a different grouping of three responses that also start with the letter “C.” First, containers. Second, churches. Third, Christ.

Why containers? Cuba is currently in a very difficult economic time, and the impact on citizens is drastic and immediate. Since the media in the United States rarely covers Cuba, we have been a bit surprised at how desperate the situation is there. Simply feeding their families is extremely challenging. Electricity is intermittent and unpredictable. The result is large numbers of people are finding ways to depart the country. However, most people are unable to leave.

For the Seventh-day Adventist Church, many members are also leaving, and this includes pastors and church leaders. With the desperate challenges of simply finding food, it is hard to blame them. The seminary that

Maranatha built–the seminary that has educated most of the current pastors in Cuba–has found it so challenging to feed the students that enrollment is down about fifty percent.

So Maranatha decided to ask caring people, like many of you, to help us send food and medical supplies to Cuba. The Cuban government is allowing us to import these containers from Panama with no duty, and we hope to send five containers. The second container recently arrived. As we helped to distribute the food, it was so impactful to see the grateful responses of the people. There were both tears and laughter.

Maranatha has been working in Cuba for 29 years, during which time we have built more than 200 churches. We knew about the need for churches in the 1990s, and we are learning that the need is very great now. Despite many people leaving Cuba, the Church is growing with much of the growth taking place among the youth. More than 40,000 people are now Adventists with many visitors that attend.

The Church has received permission from the government to build five major churches at various locations, and we have governmental permission to import steel and cement; these construction items are nearly impossible to find in Cuba. We want to respond to the request positively. Will you help us?

High on a bluff, overlooking the port of Havana, is a large statue of Christ. It seems a bit out of place in a country like Cuba, but it is there for all to see. Despite the lack of Christian training and influence in the country, it is very clear that He is absolutely making His presence known among the people. Despite all that is happening in the lives of the people, they are responding to Christ in large numbers. What a wonderful blessing!

So, when someone asks you about Cuba, tell them about the containers, the Church and how Christ is working in the lives of the Cuban people. And please pray that Christ will continue to lead Maranatha as we seek to work for His kingdom in the beautiful island of Cuba.

—Don Noble, president of Maranatha