Cuba Partnership Update

Did you know that five Peace River congregations are engaged in active relationships with five Matanzas, Cuba Presbytery churches? …and that there are still three unpaired Cuban churches who are seeking partnerships, perhaps with your congregation?

Our Presbytery Cuba Task Force is organizing a trip to Cuba from May 18 – 23, 2023. The purpose is two-fold: to renew existing partnerships, and to offer the opportunity to additional churches to come and explore the possibility of new partnerships. All travel while in Cuba, including lodging, transportation and meals will be planned for you, and you will travel with those who have partnership experience.

The tentative schedule includes:

May 18 – Overnight in Ft. Lauderdale to be ready for a Friday a.m. flight

May 19 – Fly to Havana, tour the city, and spend the night at a quaint convent

May 20 – Travel to Matanzas, have lunch at the seminary, and split up to go to partner churches for two nights to visit and worship

May 22 – return to the seminary in Matanzas for debriefing, dinner, and overnight

May 23 – travel back to Havana for our return flight to Ft. Lauderdale

If you are curious about the “explore a possible partnership” part of this trip, and we truly hope you are, could you let us know of your interest? We are ready to answer any questions you might have about the trip, about the Cuban churches seeking Peace River partners, and about partnerships in general. Those of us who are already paired with Cuban congregations are all returning to renew our partnerships, having developed deep admiration for the faith of our Cuban brothers and sisters, along with deep respect for all they accomplish despite the scarcity and shortages of goods, food and resources that exist in Cuba.

Some things to note for travelers:

• Due to the scarcity mentioned above, all travelers need to be in good health with no mobility issues or special dietary needs.
• The firm deadline to reserve a place on the trip, due to the time it takes to process required visas, is March 2.
• The estimated costs per person of the Cuban portion of the trip are in the $650 – $750 range.
• Airfare and lodging, dinner, and parking in Ft. Lauderdale are NOT included. We will be flying Southwest, which offers a variety of fares averaging around $400 per round trip ticket, and we will likely stay at a park/fly hotel, which would be in the $170-$200 range, the night before our Friday flight to Havana.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for additional information or with questions:

Pat Nordbrock: 708-837-8553 • patnordbrock@gmail.com

Kevin Morris: 239-267-3331 • pastor@esterocommunitychurch.com

Winston Lawson: lawsonjam4577@gmail.com