Each day we would visit some of the pastors and evangelists on our route to the south east. Often we would find ourselves travelling down a dirt track which seemed to be going nowhere, only to discover a small town or village at the end of the track. There would be a pastor waiting for us, eager to meet and fellowship with us. The generosity of the Cuban believers is amazing and sometimes overwhelming. They have very little, but always want to share with us what they have. We would talk and pray with the pastor, sometimes praying for any sick people who would gather on hearing of our arrival. On one afternoon we ended up at a baptismal service where Trevor joined the Bishop in baptising over twenty new believers.

 

Each evening we would have a meeting in the church of the nearest city or town. On each occasion the buildings were packed out with people well over one and a half hours before the meeting started. Others would be leaning in through the open windows. In one particular meeting place in Guantanamo, people were literally squeezed together like sardines in a tin. Others were sitting on the ledges of the balcony, hovering over the crowds below! It was fantastic to see such hunger for the life and presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s not surprising, then, that in each meeting the sense of the anointing presence of Jesus was tangible. Cubans love to celebrate and praise God: they’ll do it for ages and ages. Trevor and I joined in as long as we had breath!  

 

The people responded to the Word of God each night with f aith and joy. In each meeting we saw people saved, baptised in the Holy Spirit and healed. That is normal Christian life in Cuba. Right at the end of the week, Trevor and I were asked to be involved in a mass baptism in the sea. Hundreds of people gathered together from the local churches and I was asked to preach. We baptised over 150 new believers!

 

I am thrilled to say that the church in Cuba is thriving. We were asked to bring greetings to all the brothers and sisters from the believers in places such as Camagüey, Holguin, Manzanillo, Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba, as well as the Bishop’s own church in Havana.

 

Continue to pray for the believers in Cuba in this crucial time. In recent months, since our visit, they have been allowed more social and economic freedoms. Pray for the wisdom of the government and for the faith of the people. Pray for Bishop Ricardo Pereira, that he will have all the wisdom he needs at this time.