My Where and What

For the past several years this beautiful island nation is where God has called my husband, Kevin, and I to serve. Now, don't get me wrong, it is not the only place to we are called to serve. We are a pastoral family and serve a congregation that we love very much in a community that has become very dear to us.But that is another entry.

We have been on several mission trips to Cub@. (Before you ask, I use the @ instead of the letter a in Cub@ so that it does not come up in searches. While we go in and out of the country legally, we don't want to cause any issues for our friends and family south of the border.)

Mission trips to Cub@ tend to be different than to other places.  We don't go in and build things. We spend our time encouraging the Christians there. Letting them know that they are not forgotten. They don't get support from the communist government and it is easy to get discouraged. We encourage. We pray. We preach. We bring in medicines that they cannot get in their country. We bring in what we can to equip their ministry.

Kevin and I partner with two pastors who have become our family, Jose and Yamile Santiago.

We, along with our former church,  outfitted their church with electric drums, electric bass, dvd player, percussion instruments, projection system, sound system, Sunday school supplies. And then their denomination pulled them from their church and they had to leave all of these thing behind.

Since then, they have started a new church.  Actually they began this new church in January.  They started with 6 people in what used to be a pig shelter. Now they have over 70 people attending worship and Sunday school, mid week worship and Saturday morning prayer and fasting. They have no sound system. Their only instruments are few handheld percussion instruments. And yet their sacrifice of praise is so genuine." But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
   will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
   I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’” Jonah 2:9  They sacrifice so much to proclaim the name of Jesus.  More than we here in the United States can even imagine. They really are secluded from the rest of the community. Ridiculed by their peers at school. And yet there is such joy.

So, our calling is to these people.  To help to outfit this church. To help them to reach out to their community for Jesus.  Jovellanos, the city in central Cub@ where they live is the center of a religion called Santaria.  Santaria is a mixture of Catholicism and voodoo. It shrouds the city in darkness. And, being as awesome as God is, He has decided to shine his light in this darkness and create revival where the enemy would have none.

Please be in prayer for us and for these beautiful people.  If you have questions, leave them in the comments.
God Bless You!