As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have recently returned from our Cuba mission trip, and I want to share a little of the outcome of our most recent trip. I was in Cuba back in February, and the connections made on that trip led to this one and will continue to work with these incredible people.
Alexander and Vladamir are affiliated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and we work with FCA here in Virginia. It has been an excited time seeing God work in the lives athletes and coaches. The same is happening in Cuba in big ways.
Our team was able to serve several teams with shoes and by washing their feet. We also interacted with a teen group at a new church plant and some soccer teams at a tournament. It was an incredible experience. Alex and Vladamir are making a huge difference in the lives of student athletes by becoming mentors and ministering to each one. Our 6 member team was impacted by seeing the commitment of these leaders and the changed lives of the students.
This is a long-term partnership that has recently begun. I would like to invite others to join us on future trips. Cuba has grabbed my heart for many reasons. It is a beautiful country, but the people are even more beautiful and loved by God. This country is similar to ours and others where people have great needs, many live in poverty. So far we have not seen what we encountered in countries like Honduras and Nicaragua, but there is poverty and need. In fact the community where Vladamir’s church is working is one of poverty.
The need for the Gospel is real, and the people we have met in Cuba are open to hear about Christ. We encountered one of the African religions first hand. This was hard and very eye opening. We also encountered people from several different denominations who are committed to sharing Christ and serving others. Using the medium of sports opens many doors for coaches and mentors to serve athletes.
Why go on a mission trip? It might seem easier to simply send money rather than to go yourself. We can pray here and listen to the stories of those doing the work of the church. Well, both those things are correct, yet the experience of a person who has been there and experienced this work will have a longer connection to making a difference.
Our commitment is to help people come to know Christ is incredible. Our commitment is not to be the savior but to introduce them to Christ. To often Americans see themselves, or ourselves, as having the resources or money to fix situations. That is not what we should do. We should share with others what we have been blessed with, but the best thing we can do is help Christians from the country where we go serve to be best equipped to serve and to share. Further, our prayers are much different after we have visited another country.
Those are just a few things about this trip. There are a couple takeaways. Relationships matter. Choose to make a difference.
Relationships matter as we connect ourselves to the FCA work and people in Cuba. These men have become friends that I can encourage and talk with and even work with on trips like this. It is awesome to be able to share about this work with others who might want to be involved. Maybe you’d like to hear more or get involved.
Choose to make a difference by giving, praying and going. Where our heart goes, our life will follow. Our passion will grow. God will use who we are and what we have as we choose to invest in eternity.
Matthew 6:20 NLT
Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
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