Cuba - God is Not Dead

 I must finishing unpacking this trip today!.   I am finishing it while sitting Lusaka, Zambia, as  another adventure unfolds tomorrow.  My mind cannot handle too many unpacked adventures.

It is impossible to do justice to this trip in words.  Emotions, smells, tastes and feelings are things that one sometimes has to experience on their own to grasp.  But to get something in writing will be good for me. 

The highlight for me on this trip to Cuba was visiting the churches!  Not a denomination but the church, being defined as a group of people who worship Jesus Christ.  As a follower of Jesus Christ my view of life is, it is very short here on earth and eternity is where I live forever.  I know that Jesus Christ, being a Christian, is not a popular subject these days (it never has been).  I know that my desire to follow Him is counter cultural here and many places in our world. However, He will not be ignored.  When humans are desperate they always reach out to something, someone greater than themselves.  If we are honest with our thoughts, each human knows deep down that we are not in control of anything in our lives, though we try desperately to do so.

Cubans  have lived in a communist country for 50 years.  At least two generations have been brainwashed into the teaching that there is no God.  Their parents, pastors and leaders have been persecuted because they remained true to Christ’s teachings.  But man cannot erase God or His work. No government can erase God.  It never works, He wins.

Oh, the old cars were and are fun and most definitely a highlight.  They are preserved because these were the ‘new’ cars when communism took over.  The cars at the time would be 'it' for many years. They were and still are in most cases,  all that they could have or obtain.   They were cared for, repaired, engines replaced and what was done out of necessity has made a trip to Cuba unique for the world.   The once magnificent architecture that has been neglected might one day get a restoration and I hope they do!  For now seeing these buildings is like an end of world movie.  It is sad and fascinating at the same time.  The tenacity of a group of people who live on the edge of poverty who still create beautiful music and art is also special.

But when all is said and done seeing the Church, alive, excited about their Lord was the pinnacle of the trip.   These Christ followers  are depending upon Him for their daily needs and not caring what the government thinks or does about shutting down the 'church'. This faith humbled and excited me beyond  words.
   

This young man was healed of life long epilepsy!

They danced unto the Lord.

I leave with this scripture and mandate for me and others, 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...

Romans (Bible) 1:16

Cuba - The Culture

This post will be a shorter one tonight.  I have one more post after this and I will conclude my Cuba Blogs for this trip.  I do so hope I will do another this next year, there is so much to learn, to see and hopefully to give back to these beautiful people.

The Cuban people are highly educated.  Education is free.

 University is free but there are not the jobs or enticements to do more with what is learned.

English is the second language to know, then French. I saw two campuses for the University of Havana.  There may be more but one was  a beautiful building, well maintained and it appears it one time was a mansion.   Another is a beautiful structure that is centered in the middle of the city. (I think is the middle.)  So unlike 3rd world countries where poverty levels are high, and the people need to learn to get out their poverty, the Cuban's have knowledge but no way to utilize it.

Music, is amazing. There are street musicians that are magnificent.  They were many of these talented entertainers.

We attended a wonderful concert in Ceinfuegos.  The city in the main square has been restored to a magnificent city.  We were taken to a restored theater.  It reminded me of something from the early 1900's.  The wooden seats, the balcony's, the architecture and the art on the inside took us back to a time that is no more.  We were provided with a concert.  20 singers, acapella,  theater about 80+ degrees, the stage warmer and the performance outstanding.   I hope you can enjoy this very brief taste of our concert.


Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us. Martin Luther

Cubal (8) or Cuba vs the United States

I am in a time crunch to finish my Cuba blogs.  I leave for a different adventure on Saturday.  I must finish unpacking before I can repack for my next journey.  Today's blog is political. One cannot have come from Cuba, observe our holiday and not be affected.  I was!  I am!

It is the 4th of July.  In the US this is our Independence Day celebration.  We celebrate that we are the land of the Free and the Brave.  At one time that was true.  Today, I wonder if next year at this time if we will still be that country.  Because, it is our day for remembering our past I am going to take a different approach on my unpacking.  Our freedoms are at great risk and we have to just look at Cuba to see where we are heading. 

At one time the Cuban Flag stood for: The Blue Stripes, the three districts of colonial Cuba.
The White Stripes,  the purity of the patriotic cause.  The White Star, Cuba's Independence and Freedom.  The Red Triangle, equality, strength and constancy.  The flag remains, the original sentiments do not.  May 20, 1849.

Communism/Socialism a grand ideological structure has ruined a beautiful country.  The people are poor and looking for something more.  The promises that the Government will care for you, 'just let us think for you', 'let us tell you what you can grow and where you can sell it', has gone bust, big time.   Cubans want our freedoms! 

The cities reminded me of the end of the world movies we have all seen.  The once magnificent buildings are shells that are run down and rotting. The Cubans have free health care, a cry many Americans scream for.  It sounds great but the Cubans have no medicine.  Everyone is given food vouchers and food is 'equally' distributed but they are hungry.  Everyone has free education and their education is good but there is no place to use it.  The Cubans desire freedom to work and to choose what they do with their lives.  Their is no equality.  The leaders remain rich and the people have nothing. 
 
I watch our political rhetoric, the citizens want free...., the politicians tell us they will give it to us.  Someone (government should take care of me/us).  Along with demands of entitlements, we are choosing to reject a moral code determined by God. That code that kept life in balance  is now being mocked and scorned.  With out a moral code evil reigns.  Corruption and evil has always been a part of any government but we as a country agreed on a moral code that helped to reign in that evil.  It wasn't perfect, but it provided hope and justice based on truth.

My visit to Cuba opened my eyes anew that apart from a group of people who fear and love God, revere His commandments and honor them there will be no peace.  Evil men and women will jockey for power in the name of helping people or controlling people.  They join an elite club that benefits them for the moment.  Money and power becomes their God.  It matters not the philosophy. 

I am grateful for the 10's of thousands of Cubans who have learned that when there is no money, no jobs, no medicine, no hope there is hope in knowing Jesus.  They have risked a great deal to shift to this thinking.  But to see their joy, their peace and hope tells me again that this world is not my home, their  home but eternity with God, the Lord Jesus Christ will become the residence to be desired.

Some who read this will not like my sentiments.  This I know for certain that apart from God neither country has any hope.   Apart from knowing God evil will continue to wreak havoc in our lives.  The freedoms I grew up will disappear and I might even have to die for my faith.  

Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lord Acton
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Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lord Acton
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/corrupts.html

Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lord Acton
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/corrupts.html

 "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." 

Lord Acton - 1894

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

Mark 8:36 (Bible)  

Power is always dangerous. Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best. Edward Abbey
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