Projects

Cuba Otra Vez, Cuba Again

Written by John Walter Friday, 28 March 2008 20:08

Thursday / Friday, June 3 and 4

No one is ever quite sure these days what is in store as one enters an airport. This is particularly true if the destination is Cuba and you're leaving from Miami, reported to have the most intensive security controls since 9/11. Knowing this, I was relieved when our entire group passed through the security checks without a problem.

So it was off to Cienfuegos on the Caribbean side of the island. I might add that this itinerary is another in the growing collection of "my bright ideas" whose intent is to save both time and money. The fact that neither happened is not a complete surprise to me.

The charter company changed the second leg of the trip after we had already committed to the program and that meant a stay over in Miami and other unanticipated expenses. But for our host it worked out just fine; it meant driving only a third as much as they had in the past. Not bad, we're batting 500, not bad for Cuba travel.

The arrival in Cienfuegos was almost normal. There is always a delay at immigration while the agents locate the correct visas that were sent from Havana. We survived customs and an hour later we were on the way back to Cabaiguán riding in a pair of Russian Ladas, automobiles known primarily for their durability.

If the last moments at the airport had been frustrating, upon reaching the church a seasoned team of dedicated church ladies had prepared a magnificent lunch and swooped down upon the dusty travelers to take care of their every need. While watching all of this I thought to myself how alike our two churches are. The fellowship team directed by Aya and her lieutenants is an exact mirror of APC's fellowship team so ably led by Marcy Kelley. The two church secretaries, JoAnn and Aya, huddled in the corner perhaps comparing notes on copier maintenance. While the weary travelers succumbed to the afternoon heat and took siestas, I wandered around beginning this collection of photos and talking with Loida and Ada who were working on the upcoming dinner. In fact, these ladies rarely stopped cooking the entire time we were there.

Saturday, June 5

Saturday morning was a sunny but cool 60 degrees as we prepared to make "lightning visits" to members or friends of the congregation shut in or having any problems that kept them at home. Lightning visits are roughly defined as "showing up unannounced" Calling ahead is impossible anyway since there are few telephones. Just go and take pot luck. This morning we would visit about six houses in the section of Cabaiguán called Paraíso, (Paradise). In the years I have been coming here I have gotten quite accustomed to seeing (or less shocked by) the apparent poor condition of the streets; the lack of shade trees; the relentless Caribbean sun which leaves one bathed in perspiration even at this reasonable temperature. This morning as I renew my acquaintance with the neighborhood, I find myself picking out interesting architectural details: a welcoming cool green tile ramada floor (patio), a whimsical gate made of concrete rebar; the attention always given to flowers and gardens. A paradise? Maybe not, but neither is it a place abandoned by hope, humor, and personality.

On Saturday afternoon the group was split, Brett and I stayed at the church rectory translating tomorrow's sermon into Spanish while the others left for a visit to the Mission Church located about a mile from the main church in another neighborhood of Cabaiguán This neighborhood is poorer than Paraíso but the families always receive us with great hospitality. The main church provides financial support for the mission church and Session members teach Sunday School there. Later, Wendy and I returned to document some of the structural problems the building has had in recent years. In next year's budget money will be allocated to repair the problems and keep this small mission open for the ten families who cannot typically attend the main church.

Sunday, June 6

Sunday worship in Cabaiguán is very similar to ours. A brief early service precedes Sunday school which in turn leads to the traditional service of the day. When the Ashlanders are in town it's a real melee of activity. Each of us went off to visit with the various classes. JoAnn met Roisbel, son of Valia and very nearly adopted him. Pictured here from left to right are Jorge, Maida,, JoAnn, and Roisbel.

At eleven the regular worship begins. I wish there were some way to convey the real ambiance of this service. All of the large windows are open; birds enter and exit; the smell of cooking food and vehicles chugging or racing along floods the sanctuary competing with the service which continues normally with no raised voices. The Peace this Sunday lasted ten minutes while everyone hugged and kissed the North Americans. Me gusta.

Naturally, the highlight of the day was the opportunity for the Cabaiguán congregation to meet Brett and begin to get a sense of Ashland's new CEO. No one in the congregation except Mairolet knew that Brett would give the sermon in Spanish. It was, to say the least, unexpected and a tremendous hit.

Sunday afternoon

Sometime around two in the afternoon we left Cabaiguán to visit the ecumenical Seminary in Matanzas (SET). In Spanish "matanzas" means slaughter. I had long wondered about the story behind the naming of the town and Esteban explained it to us while sitting on the wall high above the bay. When the Spanish first arrived at the tail end of the fifteenth century, a group headed west along the Gulf coast conquering the indigenous tribes as they went. That is, until they encountered the particular group that lived in this part of Cuba. Overwhelmed by superior numbers the Spaniards were wiped out nearly to a man, thus the name "slaughter" or Matanzas.

Thankfully, our overnight stay was more pleasant than theirs as we walked the grounds and inspected a Cuban pepper capable of being termed a WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction) in the garden. JoAnn attempted the labyrinth with a little help from the gardener and my occasional unsolicited observations. The seminary (SET) has a beautiful campus high atop the hills overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. It serves the Methodist, Episcopal, and Presbyterian churches. This year it will ordain twelve new Presbyterian pastors who will take some of the strain off of the twenty-six who now serve 15,000 IRPC members in 54 parishes across Cuba.

Monday, June 7

The drive to Varadero from Matanzas is a short hop. Approaching this world renowned city, one has the feeling of having left Cuba behind. There is plenty of modernization, conveniences, tourist traps, and for the first time: litter. But what a beach! The crystal clear water must have been 80 degrees. What is the name of that tree? Amazing!

Tuesday, June 8

The four hour ride back from Varadero took its toll; everyone either crashed or remained near the church exploring Cabaiguán on foot. Small groups sallied forth to see what treasures the Dollar Store contained. The Dollar Store is a state run, ten thousand square foot establishment that supplies most all household commodities in Cuba from cosmetics to boom boxes. Basic goods like bath soap, tooth paste, and shampoo are now too costly for many families. This surprising reality is invisible to visitors as in the course of a single week one does not see these issues playing out in the community. But real it is, the Cubans suffer the political fallout of the continuing embargo and widening travel restrictions.

At siesta hour the church campus grows quiet. The ladies briefly leave their chores and return home to rest after a busy morning. The afternoon sun intensifies and demands that one either slow or abandon normal pursuits, the sound of snoring fills the rectory.

In the evening, with the sun declining, a festive dinner was planned for the Session of the church and their family members. We had met nearly all of the Session members either on Sunday or the following day, however this opportunity allowed us to met the missing wives or husbands one final time before the formal signing of the partnership papers the following day.

The objective of the post dinner meeting was for each of us to have the chance to think aloud and begin the process of owning this new partnership in the context of discovery. There was no leader, each successive voice seemed to build upon the one preceding, and at the end everyone was satisfied. Without saying it, together we had just passed another milestone having realized a deeper level of spiritual and material unification that would provide the energy enabling us all to extend outwards into our respective communities, educating and preparing the next steps.

Sueños ~ Dreams

Many new ideas emerged from the meeting but all seemed to be centered on the need for continuing exchange of people between our countries, especially young adults. Youth trips will become part of our future as well as delegations to and from other churches within El Centro. Plans for a new church in Placetas (just south of Santa Clara) are already being sketched by architect, Wendy Kunz, Deacon at APC and certified AAA architect, who used this trip in part to begin understanding what the resourceful Cubans can do with formed concrete. I took this time to begin thinking about what I needed to write to allow a broader North American public to understand this experience. JoAnn talked with everyone, constructing English and Spanish into a single language that delighted all. Brett observed. Emily fearlessly explored the town alone, reporting on her discoveries.

As I sit here now, some time after returning from this reunion in Cabaiguán, I think about my initial encounter with Cuba, the adventure which has literally turned my life upside-down. I think of meeting Dr. David Dent, professor of political science at Towson University, who tossed the match that ignited my formal inquiry into the enigma that is Cuba. And of Dr. Lea Ramsdell, who teaches far more than the required coursework in Latin American literature, both of whom have helped me to identify and place significant pieces of the puzzle on the table while remaining in the question: What is next for us? I want to acknowledge them both for the contribution they are to the world and to the Latin-American world specifically.

Some of the "next" is obvious: create what Julie Helms at Presbytery calls a "dog and pony show" whose goal is to educate our congregations to the realities facing the Cuban population every day. To that end, a Power Point presentation has been prepared which will be available to any of the churches in the Presbytery or other organizations who invite us to speak about the partnership.

Other parts of the "next" are not always as easy. There is no "doing" at this phase of the partnership, no satisfaction from having materially completed a project. It is human to ask, "So why are we here? These people raise the bar on Christian reverence, love, and call to action." To receive the answer, one has to disregard "doingness" and accept oneself as the agent of Christ come to share in the daily lives of our estranged brothers with the express intent of restoring relationship and the trust so woefully missing in our nation's current political climate.

These people, so fully aware of the forces capable of dividing person from person, country from country, choose to make room in their home for the very foreigner whose government has blockaded their material development for nearly a half century. People who welcome the opportunity to talk and compare ideas. People who are still attempting to define and defend the terms of their own sovereignty. When we get that, just these simple things about the Cubans, we are on the road to being able to begin the process of reconciliation: a recognition based on a mutually constructed future, one we can be proud to share. In time, after reflection, this becomes "the why" of continuing.

Wednesday, June 9

Members from El Centro Presbytery begin to arrive for the pre-lunch meeting to review the document they themselves composed in 2001, and to talk with our delegation regarding our vision and expectations. Many of the ideas from the night before were reiterated and approved. I am overwhelmed to finally be sitting here with these people in Cabaiguán, at Mairolet�s church where this all began in 1999. Indeed, we have turned an important milestone in this relationship.

Thursday, June 10

It was unfortunate that Mairolet needed to remain behind as we headed off to visit Trinidad, the third oldest city in Cuba. This place is intact, unchanged by the passing of time. Every once-n-awhile someone paints the buildings. Today was a lark: music, shopping, sightseeing, a fitting completion to a week that will stand in our memories as an extraordinary example of hospitality and relationship building. The music, the colors, the architecture, and the fact that there appears to have been no modernizations made during the last several hundred years completely endear Trinidad to me. Let history stand as it is. The Cubans have it right.

The Cuba Partnership:
The Baltimore Presbytery
and Presbiterio del Centro, IRPC, Cuba
John Walter,
Global Missions Committee
June 2004