Peace River Presbytery in Cuba

     Fifteen travelers representing five Florida churches went to Cuba from Peace River Presbytery to renew our Presbytery-to-Presbytery partnership with the Matanzas Presbytery of Cuba.

     We flew to Havana with thirty suitcases, some very close to Southwest Airlines’ 50 pound per bag limit! Church songbooks, medications, vitamins, Sunday School supplies, hygiene items, food, coffee, and solar lamps were just some of the items we were able to take to our partner congregations.

     After an overnight stay in Havana and a tour of the city, we drove to the city of Matanzas, where we split off to visit our five respective Cuba partner congregations.

     While in our individual locations, church-to-church partnerships were renewed and signed. We each experienced the sights and sounds of the towns our churches are located in, as well as being able to see some of the ministries and community outreach our Cuban brothers and sisters are engaged in. We worshipped, observed, met with elders and deacons, participated in church school classes, and experienced heartfelt and lavish hospitality, in spite of the severe food and supply shortages the Cubans face every day.

     On our last night together, we gathered back in the city of Matanzas for an overnight stay at the Seminary there. We debriefed with the Matanzas Presbytery officers and pastors, and then with our own group of fifteen, in anticipation of future trips.

     We returned to Florida with empty suitcases but with very full hearts – filled with respect and admiration for our partners and all they accomplish with limited resources, for their depth of faith, for their strength, their resourcefulness, their kindness, and the ways they live into their beliefs and sense of call.

     There are still three churches in the Matanzas Presbytery who are deeply desirous of partnerships with Peace River churches. If you are interested in more information about what partnership involves, please feel free to reach out to Kevin Morris pastoresterocommunitychurch.com or Pat Nordbrock patnordbrock@gmail.com .

     If you would like to support this ministry of Peace River but are not able to be in a church-to-church partnership, financial
donations via Peace River Presbytery earmarked for Cuba are greatly appreciated. Contributions help to support efforts to bring Cuban pastors here to visit, as well as funding the needs of our partner Presbytery of Matanzas and their program needs and expenses.