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A CONTAINER FOR CUBA
This summer, as we did last summer, Northminster is again leading about a dozen Alliance of Baptists congregations in shipping a container filled with humanitarian items to our partner churches in Cuba. As you know Cuba is currently in a critical and unprecedented humanitarian crisis. We are hoping that Northminster folks can give about $20,000 to fulfill the requests we have received from the folks at our partner church, Iglesia Bautista Enmanuel, in Ciego de Avila. Whether you can give $10 or $20, or $100, or $1,000, every gift helps and counts! Or if all you can do is pray for our sisters and brothers there, that helps and counts too!
Enmanuel’s main request is for a solar panel system to completely electrify their church building. Currently the country’s electrical grid supplies only one to two hours of electricity each day. The requested solar system will allow Enmanuel to be completely independent of the country’s electrical grid. The system will be powerful enough to satisfy all of the church’s needs for electricity. This system will replace the current smaller system that will be moved to the church’s community center in another part of the city. When added to the community center’s current small solar system it will also supply enough power for all the center’s electricity needs.
We will also be sending electric powered commercial grade induction cook tops for the church and community center. This will allow church and community members to come to those locations to cook. Most Cubans cook tops are powered by propane, but currently there is no propane in Cuba. So, to cook meals people are cooking over charcoal or whatever they can find to burn. Can you imagine? And without electricity there is no refrigeration so almost no fresh food.
We have also been requested to send soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Also, sheets and towels. When available in Cuban stores the cost for these items is too much for most people to afford. We will be purchasing these items in bulk to be shipped directly to the collection site in Miami. We will not be accepting items at the church as shipping would be prohibitive.
We are aiming for the end of June to have purchased items shipped to Miami. Also, Eduardo Gonzalez, pastor of our partner church, and his wife Queen will be coming to Miami in June to purchase the solar panel system. The cut-off date for churches to send their items for the container is July 10, so the container will be loaded then for shipment to Cuba.
If you can give to our effort at Northminster please write a check or access our PayPal account. In the memo line please put “mission container”. DO NOT put the word “Cuba”!
Thank you so much for anything you can do to help our sisters and brothers in Ciego de Avila. Our gifts to them say that we care and are in solidarity with them during these difficult days there. They will also do a lot of good. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to DH Clark or me.
Cuba si!
Craig Henry
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