Witnessing the Kingdom

I traveled to Cuba in January with a team of seven women, two of whom were pastors’ wives. We went under the auspices of Missionary Ventures and spent a week with two pastors there. We spoke at three one-day conferences for the women in the area churches; one of these was for the pastors’ wives. The women spent time in worship and listened to our speakers, who were told that they were an encouragement to them. We also visited some of the poor and sick in the community, bringing food and a gift.

By Grace Eisen

I traveled to Cuba in January with a team of seven women, two of whom were pastors’ wives. We went under the auspices of Missionary Ventures and spent a week with two pastors there. We spoke at three one-day conferences for the women in the area churches; one of these was for the pastors’ wives. The women spent time in worship and listened to our speakers, who were told that they were an encouragement to them. We also visited some of the poor and sick in the community, bringing food and a gift.

We saw how pastors work in a restricted country and how God uses these pastors to grow his church. We met one pastor who is now in his 90s, who had been beaten for being a Christian pastor. He was still so full of praise and joy that he was an inspiration to us. We saw how there is still an element of danger for the pastors as they provide for their churches.

One of the churches we visited is planning to build as they don’t have enough room for the congregation. How good God is! We discussed how the church in Cuba is growing as the church in North America has dwindling numbers. We could learn a lesson from our brothers and sisters in Cuba.

On Saturday we went to a Kid’s Klub event. Because of the rainy weather, the numbers were down. There were still about 40 kids there and about a dozen accepted Jesus as Lord then. A number of children received a Bible for reciting a verse from memory, and one man asked for an English Bible so he could study English.

Nine pastors received bicycles while we were there, and they were so excited to be able to travel to the congregations in a more timely manner. Please keep these pastors in your prayers as they travel and minister to their flock.

God is doing an amazing work in the Cuban churches.

Grace Eisen is a member of Riverside Community Reformed Church in Guelph, Ontario.