Pray for a beautiful land and its beautiful people

I had posted this photo The Future of Cuba on my other blog last spring.  But I thought about printing up some prayer cards for people who are interested.  If you would like one of these, let me know.  I can print them up in any size you like.  Put one up on your fridge, keep one in your wallet or purse or frame it.  I will mail you as many as you like.  If we have more people praying, nothing but good things can come of that!

Link to my previous Cuba trip blog

I didn't think about until now, but I decided it would be a good idea to provide a link to my previous blog of my first trip to Cuba.  Here it is:

Cuba 2014

I will also put a link to this blog on that blog so that you can all have quick access.

The Self and Confidence

My friend Mark invited me to his church yesterday.  It was a great experience: friendly people, good sermon and a prayer time at the end that changed my outlook tremendously.  Check it out at:

Thrive Vineyard Church

At the end of the service, Mark encouraged me to go to the front and ask for prayer.  I didn't know what to expect, but he eased my apprehension by accompanying me with his wife Hiroko.  I met a man by the name of Michael who was very friendly.  He asked how he could pray for me.  I told him about my trip to Cuba and what I was expected to do and that I was a bit unnerved by it all and needed some prayer.  He held my hand and said with a firm tone that I was not going over there to present on my own, but that Christ was going to work through me.  I immediately understood that my ego was getting in the way.  I was selfishly thinking of what a fool I would make of myself because I lacked skill or preparation.  But I was usurping God in the process.  It wasn't about me at all!  It was about Christ doing things through me.  This realization put me at ease instantly.

I know I have to prepare and strive for excellence.  But I don't have to fret about being perfect because Christ will be there communicating through me.  I guess I had forgotten a bible verse I had memorized many years ago in my early years as a Christ follower: 

Philippians 4:6-7New King James Version (NKJV)

 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

How could I forget?  How could I continue through life without applying that incredibly powerful truth? Peace that surpasses all understanding...what a fantastic offer!  I'm all set now!  Let's go!

Going Again

I will be visiting Cuba for the second time in just a few months.  It's hard for me to comprehend that this vision I've had and prayed about is actually becoming reality.  How did this happen?  Is it a recent development?  Or has my entire life been leading up to this?  Maybe it's both.

How does one explain where and when one is born, or even why?  I have not wondered much about that until now.  It seems to be falling into place...my life, I mean.  I was born in Cuba, raised in the US, born again here, and now I'm going back to Cuba.  Everything else is detail.  But it's the details that clarify things.

The first detail is that I have pursued the visual arts as a passion since I was a little boy.  At first, like all children, I was fascinated by the skill I could acquire to reproduce a recognizable object in two dimensions.  This leap in abstract visual thinking seemed to come naturally to me.  But later in life I found a strong connection between my passion for creating physical works like paintings and drawings and the inner life of the spirit.  My work was always a metaphor for that inner life.  I was drawn to artists who saw that connection throughout history, from the time of the cave paintings in Europe thousands of years ago to this day.  Artists seem to be instinctively aware that art and spirit are closely if not intricately linked. I was always drawn to communicate this connection in my art through visual metaphors.  I felt compelled to convey a spiritual message to the viewer.

Secondly, I have been directed to use a gift for communication not only through my art, but through writing as well.  I have used this gift in my livelihood through my work in graphic design and advertising as well as in editorial work.  But most importantly, I have sought to use it in a more intentional manner through personal writings.  I use experiences like travel, personal relationships and most importantly my interaction with God's Word as the content for these communications.  I plan on merging both the literary and visual elements of my work someday in an appropriate medium such as film or video. 

Lastly, I believe strongly that God has planned for me to use my background, experiences and skills to serve Him in a particular way.  I believe this "fit" for me is a global ministry in my home country of Cuba.  I want to help the evangelical church grow in Cuba through the training of pastors.  I have teamed up with Action Ministries International and hope to be of some help to them as they pursue this ministry strategy in Cuba.  They need not only my help, but yours as well.  

Here is a link to their pastor training project: 

Action Bible Training Workshops for Cuban Pastors

Here is another link to contribute to this effort online:

Contribute to Pastor Conferences in Cuba

Does Cuba matter to God?  I have to ask that question, already knowing the answer, because to those who do not know or care about Cuba, the answer is this: God cares about the entire world.  He is that big to care about each individual on this planet, no matter where they are or what language they speak or what they look like or what customs they follow.  He cares about all of us.