Tuesday 20 March 2012

The first pictures from our trip to Cuba!

Our March 2012 Trip to Cuba

A common Electrical site in the homes (this was in a living room) - before.

And after - did the best we could when the closest building supply store is a 5 hour plane ride back to Canada!

Laying bricks for a third floor suite.

What we left with - completing the walls on the suite at the back - and laying the final bricks for the open air meeting room at the front of the third story.

The 'roof' crew for the Bejucal project.

Pastora Yaneixy and her son Samuel - amazing story and family!

The Church at La Julia.

La Julia church during the mid-week 'marriage teaching'.

2nd view of the church at La Julia

The La Julia project - final pictures - the side walk was completed to the pastors house on the left - and the side walk on the right was started - this will proceed to the church and then beyond into the community.  This is a roadway which gets very muddy when it rains, the sidewalk is a blessing to the church and especially the community!

Hard at work measuring cement.

And mixing for the side walks.

At La Julia on a slow side walk day they started playing in the dirt.  Ok - they began digging a hole for the septic system of the future classrooms.

This was the hole when we left - it's about 5 feet in diameter and 5 feet deep.

Ronaldo - an amazing story, just ask someone :)

Devotions on evening at the Methodist Guest house.

Everything is a work in progress - the old and new in Havana.

President Frank - a little 'Saskatchewan gift' to remember us (and the best CFL team).

The entire crew - and some dear new friends on the last night.

The "Brethren in Christ" church at Santa Amelia

The Santa Amelia church, we are standing where they meet - on the pastors back porch.

Pastor Darlis and his wife Tania on the right side - they pastor Santa Amelia.

Santa Amelia during a evening service - they will have around 100 people on a sunday morning.

The City of Bejucal - this is where Pastora Yaneixy lives and where we worked on her third floor roof.

The church at Bejucal.

A Saturday morning marriage teaching service, at Bejucal.

The roof - before picture.

Our amazing electrician doing his best to make the pastors home safe for her little four year old son Samuel.

Wednesday 7 March 2012

2nd Update!

Well it is Wendseday evening just before supper.  We are sitting at the Cuban BIC Presidents home in Cotorro, La Habana.  It feels like a home, the people have been so welcoming, sharing of both their lives and resources.
 
Last night we had the amazing opportunity to worship with a country church pastored by Darelis (spelt how it sounds, not the actually spelling) and his wife Tania.  They worship on the back porch of his home every Sunday morning and Tuesday evening.  It was a great experience for everyone!  That church trains 30-40 people each week in the faith, making disciples who follow God in Word and Deed.  The worship service started at about 7:30 until about 9:00, when they finished it was like a party broke out.  Dancing, singing and just celebrating with all present!
 
The team has been split into two work groups so we can work on two different work sites. The first being a third story roof top, builinding a new 'apartment' for visiting pastors.  The other group has been working on building new sidewalks to a pastors home, and church meeting site.  Progress is visible at both locations!  We were also able today to teach on marriage, to a group of about 65 people.  It was a great opportunity that we get to repeat on Saturday morning.
 
We thank you for your prayers, they have been felt as we have been working, traveling and serving God with little trouble here in Cuba.
 
Thank you, and Dios Les Bendiga!  (God Bless You)
 
Curtis
 

Monday 5 March 2012

We have arrived in Cuba!

Just a quick update to let you know that we have all arivved safely in Cuba, the trip was fantastic and customs was also great.  The prayers of the faithful were definately answered on this trip.
 
We are just finishing up our first day, having toured 3 different churches south of Havana, taking stock of our work for the rest of the week.  We will get to mix and pour 50+ meters of concrete side walks (by hand), help a local team of masons build a third story onto a Pastors house and even get some great experiences teaching, worshiping and sharing our 'God stories' and testimonies with our Cuban Brothers and sisters.
 
We thank you for your prayers - and look forward to the week ahead!
 
Curtis