“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”– Matthew 28:19 (NRSV)
As the new month begins I am in Havana, Cuba, with a small group of Lovely Laners. We are traveling with a group of folks from the Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines. Our group totals eleven in number. We arrive back in the United States on February 6.
The purpose of the trip is threefold. For starters, we are learning what it’s like to have a partner congregation in Cuba. The Plymouth Church has a sister relationship with the Ebenezer Baptist Church. We are witnessing both churches come together and interact. The donations you have graciously brought to the church have been given to members of the Ebenezer Church to distribute as needed. We hope to have our own partner church coming up.
Secondarily, we are learning about the history and culture of Cuba. As many of you know, the United States has a long-storied history with Cuba. Beginning with Christopher Columbus coming to Cuba in 1492, and continuing with the AmericanRevolution in the late 1700’s, the Cuban War of Independence in 1898, the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960’s, as well as the rule of Fidel Castro, Cuba has had an interesting relationship with the United States. We are anxious to learn more about this history.
Finally, in going to Cuba, we hope to have a better understanding of the beauty of diversity. We are experiencing a country that is different than the United States in many ways in regards to politics, language, and the economy. We are also experiencing a church, the Ebenezer Church, which does church differently than we do at Lovely Lane. We are looking to have a better grasp on the beauty of diversity.
I truly believe diversity is a gift from God. We need to listen, learn, and love one another. From what I have seen in my life, nothing else works but accepting diversity. Every other approach ends in injustice and some form of tragedy. Throughout his ministry, Jesus demonstrated the need to embrace folks who were different than he was. We hope to do the same. Our group looks forward to sharing our stories coming up. Please keep us in your prayers.
Blessings, Pastor Scott