When was the last time you were held for interrogation in a Communist country? For me, the experience was all too recent. Last month on a 15 day trip to Cuba, one of the main purposes of my trip was to bring news of the churches, pastors, and ministries is assisting in Cuba. Some-times it gets hard even for a Cuban-born person like me, to remember what it means to be a Christian or help a Christian on a country like Cuba. As I was going through customs on my way back from Cuba to Miami, I was stopped and interrogated for half an hour; the Cuban authorities confiscated all the infor-mation, pictures, and even the personal items I was bringing home for ministry purposes. As I was standing there, fearing that I would be taken to jail, the Lord spoke to my heart in a small still voice and reminded me that “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for HE is with me”(Psalm 23:4)! It’s a beautiful experience when we under-stand and believe that no matter what happens fear has no place in our hearts because our lives are depending on Jesus Christ.

It is always surprise and an encouragement to see how much Cuban Chris-tians can do with so little, it is a truly testimony to the world that the mighty hand of God is upon them. The poverty is devastating, as is the customer service offered in all public places. In spite of this, the Cuban Evangelical Church is growing every day more and more, about 90 percent of the church population is between the age13-30 which is amazing! Praise God! When I attended a Sunday school service I was able to see the thirst, enthusiasm, and desire the Cuban Church had to serve God whole-heartedly, the beau-tiful things they do with little or no resources at all deeply ministered to my spirit. It broke my heart to see all this and realize that churches here in our country are full of people who don’t want to serve God.

Just a few hours away there are people who would give everything they have to serve God. It is ironic, but it’s also an eye opener for all of us who have been sleeping for so long, a call to wake up and start serving God one way or the other. Of all the wonderful experiences on this trip, the most pre-cious was the lesson God taught me in the face of danger.

It is my prayer today that as you read this column and see these pictures you feel the fire of the Holy Spirit inside of you telling you that it is time to start doing something to help the Christian Church in Cuba. The time has come for the children of God to be alert and humble ourselves to our knees in prayer, for Jesus has not revealed the hour of his coming. I want Him to find me awake, and in prayer.

Gretel Rodriguez
Cuba Mission Projects Coordinator