EBM MASA Community, Hilfe für Lateinamerika, Pastor Carlos Waldow
Mission Journey to Cuba - Part 1
This syster and her family received a roof for your house
Even this can be a mission car
this syster and his family also received a roof for your house
The boy was so happy, that now he and his family could sleep without rain inside of the house
Service at the Youth Isle
Pastor Carell, his wife Raquel and their sons David and Josué
Baptism at the Youth Isle
Isle of Youth
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Dear MASA-Friends,
I would like to share with you my experiences and give you the most important information concerning my mission trip to Cuba through the MASA Community, as announced earlier. Our MASA-Representative for the Spanish speaking countries in Latin America, Arturo Köbernick, and Elimar Brandt, member of the Executive Committee and treasurer of the EBM-MASA, came along with me from the 19th to the 29th of March on this trip.
The connections from Berlin to Paris and to Havana were very successful. The customs clearance at the immigration authorities was exhausting, which is quite normal here. After that, we were glad to be welcomed by Daniel González (MASA Missionary) and Arturo Köbernick, who arrived some hours earlier from Argentina.
On Saturday, the 20th of March, after having the first important dialogue with Daniel and his wife Ana Isabel, we flew to the Isle of Youth (Spanish: Isla de la Juventud). A small old Russian propeller-driven airplane brought us there. Mission and adventure often go hand in hand.
We were also cordially received by the members of staff and by Pastor Karell Lescaille Matos. Three years ago he took over the responsibility of the missionary work at the Isle of Youth, as Daniel moved to Havana in order to assume new tasks there.
At the evening, we had a meeting with almost half of nearly one hundred members of staff and house fellowship leaders. Elimar preached an encouraging and motivating message about John 15:16. Making use of a PP-Presentation, Arturo and I report on MASA-Projects in other countries. The kindness of the brothers and sisters, their love to Jesus and their passion for evangelisation always touch my heart every time when I meet them here.
MASA began the missionary work at the Isle of Youth 11 years ago together with Daniel González. We started from scratch. From the beginning, this work has been developed like house fellowships, as the political system does not bear big gatherings of people and new churches can not be built. Today, we count 85 house fellowships, which are organised by five churches with 450 members. However, 1500 persons participate at the house fellowships and services. Many of them have already given their lives to Jesus. Every three months they have a common service together with all the churches and mission stations in order to enhance unity. Baptisms also take place during these services. The number of the candidates for every baptism averages 20 persons.
It was a privilege for us to take part in one of these kinds of services. About 450 people got together in Nueva Gerona, the capital of the Isle of Youth, under simple ribbed roofs. A great joy ruled the gathering. After a touching time of adoration and worship 15 people were baptised. Elimar preached and exhorted the participants to seek after an engagingly and salutary relationship with Jesus, which life’s goal is, at the same time, to invite others to follow Jesus. The entire service was a spiritual celebration.
We visited very poor families in the afternoon, who still not have adequate roofs over their heads after the hurricane last year. Now, they will benefit from the ribbed roofs which were sent by MASA. A group of men help the families cover their homes (most of them are barracks). What strongly caught my attention is the fact that even though our brothers and sisters live in extremely poverty, they radiate with happiness and hope. It is perhaps embarrassing for many of us to witness.
Before we returned to Havana in the afternoon, we visited further mission stations and families.
As we visited one of the mission churches on Sunday, a collaborator of one of the mission stations was thrilled about the new „mission car“: a trap with horse. Before that, he mostly attended the house fellowships by foot, which are about 40 km away.
During the two days we spent on the Isle of Youth, we had much time for prayers, exchange and assistance with our missionary Karell and Ivan, the man in charge. It is very important for us to listen to them, to perceive their needs and to build a pastoral relationship. This is essential for positive and successful team work. We are glad about the spiritual depth in our partnership that the Lord Jesus gives us.
I also would like Arturo and Elimar to give you their short impressions:
Arturo: We are astonished how creative the leaders are. They develop new possibilities and ideas, which they put into practice in the evangelisation and church planting work.
Elimar: We encounter in every respect an all-around external poverty, but through the brother’s and sister’s faith, their hope and unshakable trust in God and the establishment of his Kingdom, this poverty turns to be an amazing richness! During these days we have come to experience signs of Jesus’ Kingdom, putting the strong impression on us: “The Kingdom of God is among you!”
Best regards from all three of us; please keep on praying for our ministry during this journey.
Co-labouring with you in Christ
Carlos Waldow, Arturo Köbernick and Elimar Brandt