Reflections

2006 Reflection: Peter Nord, Exec. Presbyter, Baltimore Presbytery

Written by Administrator Thursday, 19 June 2008 18:33

A Cuban Retrospective

Descending into Cuba was to travel backwards in time. In some ways it was as if society had stopped somewhere in the fifties. In other ways, it provided a living museum of life in a communist state.

While I am not prepared to move to this Island any time soon, I found much of it beguiling. There was the dusty beauty of its architecture. There were the apparently wholesome values that many Cubans lived and which we abandoned in the sixties. There was an equality of opportunity (and lack thereof) for men and women that far surpassed what we have in the United States. There was a constant reminder that the latest technology and new buildings do not translate into better medical care and are in fact not required for such. An honest reading of the facts would tell us that we have much to learn from what is a superior medical system to ours. And it was a joy to feel safe walking about in our small city at night and alone. 

There was also an immediate sense of connectedness to our Presbyterian sisters and brothers. It continues to amaze me to discover the ethos of Presbyterians shining through so many different cultures - including this one. The approach to worship and Christian education, the sense of questioning and yearning for God's 'Kingdom to come' reflect our own experience of faith. And their tenacity in tending to the Body of Christ challenges our own despair at decline in '-Is country.

Of course, there was another side to Cuba that was less than winsome. The lightly disguised and almost innocent racism was troubling. So was the lack of opportunity or choice. The enforced isolation is painful. The sense that one had to be careful with one's thoughts and words reminds us what we Americans take a bit too lightly and need to protect - especially in the face of an avaricious government that seeks their demise. And it would be nice if there were things to buy, to read, to do or the possibility of a move - things not much available in the places we visited.

I suppose I shall end with an image - driving back to Cabaiguan after a visit to Trinidad. We drove down the empty road for a couple hours, breathing in the diesel exhaust from the car in front of us. The collective farms were devoid of people. No one stood at bus or train stop shelters. Street lights on this highway were an exception. But whether we were driving through small hamlets or passing the occasional house along the road - the image was the same: The house was brightly lit, the front door flung wide, and the inhabitants sitting on their Cuban mahogany chairs and settees watching TV. These folk seemed at peace with and safe among their neighbors and surroundings, seemly open to whoever might happen by. What a contrast to Chimaltenango, Guatemala or the Oliver neighborhood in NE Baltimore. In these communities, when the night arrives, the doors are closed and double locked and the windows shut tight with bars standing guard. And while the Cuban yards are open to all, in Guatemala they are protected by walls and doors, closed to all except those who are known and trusted.

I end with no desire to glorify a culture whose surface I have barely scratched. Rather I end by saying Cuba is neither better nor worse than Guatemala or the US, it's different - with its own charms and challenges. Anyone who is fortunate to go there should drink deeply of the privilege that will be theirs.

Peter Nord, the Presbytery Executive of the Presbytery of Baltimore, visited El Centro Presbytery in Cuba in December of 2006.