Cuba…Today

Today, Cubans live a “hand-to-mouth” existence.

Today, in Cuba, the average monthly salary is $15.00.

Today, if you live in Cuba, the foods “easiest” to obtain are rice and plantains…period.

Today, a blackout will occur in a Cuban province, if not nationwide.

Today, cars wait in line for the “possibility” that fuel will arrive at the gas station.

Today, someone’s procedure will require acquiring and bringing their own medical supplies to the hospital.

This is life in today’s Cuba.

But last week, our US team (Joe Edwards, Drew Moore, Nathan Reynerson, Alan Phillips, Randy Godfrey, and Randy Riggins), joined with our leaders in Varadero to experience a respite amid the most trying times in their country since the mid-90s.

4 Days of Retreat.

50 Leaders from all over the island nation.

We ate, played, sang, and prayed together. 

We were encouraged, challenged, and inspired.

We planned for the future and created action plans for both personal and ministry life.

And we listened…we listened to the stories.

Stories of perseverance…lives on mission…and a consuming passion for the Lord. 

As you read these stories, I encourage you to pray for the people of Cuba. Pray for our Country Leader, Elio Martiz and his wife, Leydis. Elio does a phenomenal job leading our JFYM network of leaders nationwide. Pray for our regional leaders: 

Jose Carlos

Juan Carlos

Genier

Joandris

These leaders oversee the initial leader training events and continuing implementation of JFYM in churches across all 15 provinces of Cuba. God continues to use this core team to lead hundreds of trained Eagle Leaders and other youth leaders, parents, and pastors to reach the young people of Cuba!

Six Churches in One City…with Students who are On Mission!

Evis and Lazara are two of our Eagle Leaders who live in Camaguey. Each month, they oversee a gathering of six JFYM trained local churches in their city. These churches come together for a night of outreach and fellowship. Each student ministry prepares something for the night (a drama, a dance, a worship set, etc.), and the students of each church invite their friends (lost and saved) to attend. At some point during the night, the gospel is presented, and students are given the opportunity to follow Jesus. Many students in their communities have been saved through these monthly gatherings! 

Will you take a minute to thank God for the changed lives of students these ministries are discipling today in Cuba? Will you also praise God for how these churches display His glory through their unity? And will you pray for these leaders, as well as the entire team in Camaguey, who are committed to reaching the next generation there with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Blackouts and Church Plants…

Ovi is a ROYS Regional Leader and is the Pastor of Fountain of Fullness Church. Since the church’s launch 13 years ago, Ovi has led them to live out the six essential characteristics taught in Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry. One of those characteristics is penetrating the culture. This involves prayerfully following God into opportunities where the church can shine His light and love into the darkness. 

During one of the country’s blackouts (when everyone was in LITERAL DARKNESS), Ovi led his church to purchase yucca and chicken and then delivered the food to families in the poorest community in their province. The message was simple. God sees you…and He loves you. Ovi’s church continued to invest relationally in the community. Flash forward several months. Today, in that community, there is a new church that is FILLED WITH NEW BELIEVERS! This new church is reaching men, women, and young people with the gospel! Will you pray for this new church? 

They Came! 

Another of our Regional Leaders, Juan Carlos, shared with me what God is doing in the hearts of those in his church in Manzanillo. One of their church members was so burdened for their family members who were not Christians that he invited ALL OF THEM to his home, where they could hear the gospel. The result…THEY CAME! The house was filled! And many young people, men, and women, were saved that day…all from the same family! 

Our theme passage for this year’s leader gathering was Psalm 34.

A few highlights from this passage…

(1) …his praise will always be on my lips. 

(3) Glorify the Lord with me…

(8) Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the

one who takes refuge in him. 

(10) …those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

What a joy to be partnered on mission with these leaders, who exemplify these verses with their lives and testimonies. I want to invite you to partner with these believers by praying for them regularly and by becoming a monthly financial contributor to Reach Out so that we can continue to provide them, as well as leaders in over 30 other countries, the training and resources to reach the next generation!

Blessings!