Why I Minister In Cuba

Tomorrow I will lead a team of eleven Canadian Pastors and their wives in a week of ministry to the communist country of Cuba. Cuba is an island nation of 11 million people and is perhaps the poorest country in the western hemisphere. We will be hosting the first ever Cuban Pastor’s Conference held in one of the famous all inclusive resorts. More than 50 pastoral couples will gather for one week of rest, relaxation and refreshment. There will be time for the beach, eating and relaxing as well as spiritual refreshment in our Monday to Thursday morning and evening sessions and workshop.

This Conference/Retreat is a culmination of almost 10 years of work in Cuba building relationships and helping the Cuban church. Through the Calvary Road Gospel Association (an organization I founded in 1980) we have been helping Pastors and churches in the hard to reach places of Cuba. The core of our ministry is evangelism and discipleship but you can’t do that without caring for the many physical needs you see every day. So, we’re involved in farms, supporting church planters and missionaries and other humanitarian means.

If you know me at all personally, you know I’m pretty passionate about this ministry and could talk about it all day long. Sometimes I’m asked, "Why Cuba?" For today’s Friday Five, let me give you 5 good reasons why I’m passionately involved in ministry to Cuba.

1. God Is At Work In Cuba Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence— 2 as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence! (Isaiah 64:1-2)
In the midst of poverty and oppression, the church in Cuba is coming alive in revival.   Especially in the eastern part of Cuba where we are working.   God is at work in incredible ways as scores of young people are coming to faith in Jesus Christ.  Churches that once were stale and dry are coming alive and catching a vision for reaching their island nation with the gospel.  It is absolutely exciting to be part of something that God is doing.  If you ever experience it you will get caught up in it and it will stir your soul.   Nothing stirs your soul and makes you feel so alive as to see God at work in the renewal of the church and the spread of the gospel in spiritual awakening.

I believe that every Christian should look around them, see where God is at work and join God in the work of the Kingdom there.

2. God Cares About Poor And Oppressed PeopleThe Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour, (Isaiah 61:1-2)
I believe God has a special place in His heart for the poor.  Cuba is one of the poorest and most oppressed places on earth.  For example, food rationing means each family member can have 4oz of chicken per month (yes, per month), 5lbs of rice, ½ liter of cooking oil, 8 eggs etc.  The average wage is about $ 15 per month.

I minister in Cuba because God cares about the poor, the oppressed, and the brokenhearted.   These people who have so little are so generous of heart and so thankful and grateful for every little thing you can do to help them.   They are encouraged just by your presence and shower you with so much love.

Everyone is not called to work among the poor.   Rich people have to be reached with the gospel too and it is just as legitimate to work among the middle-class and the rich as it is among the poor. However, because God cares about the poor we should not turn a blind eye to they difficulties   There are poor people right in your neighbourhood and perhaps God is calling you to come along side them to encourage, to love and to share the Good News about Jesus.

3. God Is Please To Work Through My WeaknessFor the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
God loves to take the weak things of this world and use them for His glory so that He gets all the credit and glory which is rightfully His.  I never cease to be amazed at how God is using me in Cuba. That’s not a backhanded way of giving credit to myself.   I am genuinely amazed at how God chooses to use me just because I make myself available to Him.    I am no one special but am allowed, by God's good pleasure, to be involved in some pretty incredible things that are taking place in Cuba that frankly are way out of my league, way out of my ability.

How could a guy like me come up with the resources to be helping farmers produce more crops so they can feed hungry people?    How can a guy like me go places where not outsider has gone and bring blessing and help to people?    How could a guy like me convince scores of people to give him  loads of money to distribute in ministry?    I’ll tell you how. The sovereign hand of God.   As someone once said, "God’s not after your ability. He’s after your availability." Are you making yourself available to God?

　

4.  God Has Opened Incredible Door For MinistryI know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)
I didn’t go to Cuba the first time looking to develop any kind of significant ministry.    I went at the invitation of a friend simply to teach and preach at a Church Workers Conference.   The incredible thing is that this is all of God.   I have simply tried to walk in obedience and it is an incredible journey that continues to bless my soul and build my faith.    Our job is not to push doors open but to walk through them when God opens them.   If God is in it, it cannot fail.   He will complete what He Himself has begun.

I wonder how many times God has been willing to work and move but we weren’t willing to move with Him.     This ministry in Cuba is all of God. He calls the shots. He gives the direction and all we have to do is follow. I love it.

5.   God Energizes My SpiritI know this sounds unbelievably selfish but being where God is at work and seeing Him take a weak vessel like myself and do some pretty incredible things is totally energizing.    When I am in Cuba (2-3 times a year) we go and work hard.   It’s not a Cuba resort vacation but rather long hard days of travel and ministry.    It’s physically demanding because we are on the go all the time, travelling, preaching, and meeting with people and the temperature is 100F.    Yet, it totally energizes my spirit and strengthens me for the ministry back in Canada.    As tired as I am when I come home;  if my church were to ever tell me I could no longer make these ministry trips it would kill me emotionally and spiritually.

When you are in God’s presence, seeing God at work and know that He has given you the incredible blessing to be part of something great He is doing, it will energize you like nothing else.

It’s not without difficulties.    We just received word a few hours ago that the Resort (Cuban government owned and controlled) has decided not to allow us to use the meeting room we had booked months ago for our worship and workshop sessions.    Cuba is a very difficult country in which to work.    Yet, there is no place I’d rather be this next week.    Working along side my brothers and sisters in Christ to bring them hope and encouragement in the great work of the Kingdom.

Keep us in your prayers this week¹. We’ll surely need them.

　
　

1. Pray especially that the authorities would change their mind and allow us to use the meeting room at the Resort for our worship and workshop sessions.