Cuba 6

Havana 2nd day packed with so much emotion!  We went to church(s).  Now for many of you that would seem like the last thing you would do on a vacation.  Church, vacation the two just don't mesh for most folks.  We went to a home for seniors.  Oh my, another place not on your average vacation spot to see, list.  Can I tell you right now, these visits were the highlight of my trip!

A block or two off the main Old Havana, show place, by the port, by the beautiful old cars, by the stately square and the fort lies the heart of the city.  We come upon once beautiful old buildings that are now slums.  Clothes and bedding hang from balcony's after they have been hand washed. They are rags for the most part by our standards.   People standing around with nothing to do but watch the world go by.  There appears to be no purpose other than to get through another day.

So why come into this part of town?

Why church?  We could have taken different tours to see what cultural things are still available to the Cuban people, if you can afford to pay for them.   I could have repeated the previous day and peaked into alleys and doorways and slowly savored a little better quality of life.   So again, why church?  

 "Cuban's won't really worship that imaginary God rather, than the real god of Govt. ....". Castro   

For 50+ years he has stood by this mantra.  He has and does marginalize religion.  Persecution is focused on those who want to worship.    The degree of persecution varies but it is an ever present cloud over the people. It remains pervasive.

Guess what?  He was wrong.  Wrong in a big way!  The real God, the creator of life, our Savior Jesus Christ, is so alive among the Cuban's it is forceful and compelling. 

The church was hated and a threat, as it is in all Communist governments.  Persecution was horrible for those who defied the government.  However, he allowed the buildings to remain.   Within those buildings an incredible movement has taken over Cuba.  Not a religion but a true relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   No shame, no fear just a grateful awe in whom the only hope of man kind is to be found.   Church. Most are small house churches (next blog story) where, space is tight, no frills abound but where they long to be.    Church going has its price but it is not a deterrent, it a driving force for these people. 

We experienced church too.  I have never come to a worship time so quickly as I did here.  Immediately, I knew that God was here among us.  We came as guests and left as friends.  We sang together, prayed together and felt what the true family of Christ followers was going to be like in heaven.