I love Cuba. There is something about that place that I yearn for, something about Cuba that takes my breath away. I truly deeply love Cuba.
It is not the 'all inclusive' aspect, the beach, the tourists, nor the resort that attract me.. I love the streets of Cuba, the homes, the people.
It was strange to return in a completely different head space than I was less than a year ago. I planted seeds where I had left only weeds.
I had the opportunity to visit a church on Easter and it was a beautiful, overwhelming experience. This little church in the middle of Varadero was jam packed, Cubans at the front and tourists at the back, some simply peering through the windows.. A man saw me easing my way through the tourists at the entrance and flagged me to a pew in the front. I have never seen, nor sensed, such HOPE as I worshipped amonst them.. It was beautiful.
I also had an amazing encounter with an old woman in... of all places... the bathroom of a club. You see, when you go out in Cuba, there is no toilet paper.. a woman sits before the entrance and hands you a square in exchange for a peso or two. This woman pointed at the cross around my neck.. so I crouched down next to her and asked if she believed. She showed me her 'fingerless' right hand and said.. " I tell my five children every day that I would not have made it through my accident and through this life had it not been for God." We agreed that this life is temporary and that we would meet again in heaven.
The people in Cuba amaze me. I will always always cherish the moments I have spent simply talking with them.. some for hours on end....They have nothing.. nothing.. yet they have hope and contentment. On this side of the world, we live our lives from day to day.. stressed about tomorrow, stressed about next week, next month, next year. We think we 'need'... a new car.. a new phone.. new shoes.. We strive to be on top.. strive to achieve great things..
It is not the 'all inclusive' aspect, the beach, the tourists, nor the resort that attract me.. I love the streets of Cuba, the homes, the people.
It was strange to return in a completely different head space than I was less than a year ago. I planted seeds where I had left only weeds.
I had the opportunity to visit a church on Easter and it was a beautiful, overwhelming experience. This little church in the middle of Varadero was jam packed, Cubans at the front and tourists at the back, some simply peering through the windows.. A man saw me easing my way through the tourists at the entrance and flagged me to a pew in the front. I have never seen, nor sensed, such HOPE as I worshipped amonst them.. It was beautiful.
I also had an amazing encounter with an old woman in... of all places... the bathroom of a club. You see, when you go out in Cuba, there is no toilet paper.. a woman sits before the entrance and hands you a square in exchange for a peso or two. This woman pointed at the cross around my neck.. so I crouched down next to her and asked if she believed. She showed me her 'fingerless' right hand and said.. " I tell my five children every day that I would not have made it through my accident and through this life had it not been for God." We agreed that this life is temporary and that we would meet again in heaven.
The people in Cuba amaze me. I will always always cherish the moments I have spent simply talking with them.. some for hours on end....They have nothing.. nothing.. yet they have hope and contentment. On this side of the world, we live our lives from day to day.. stressed about tomorrow, stressed about next week, next month, next year. We think we 'need'... a new car.. a new phone.. new shoes.. We strive to be on top.. strive to achieve great things..
We don't have the slightest clue what 'need' truly means.
They work to eat.
That is to need.
They work to eat.
That is to need.
They strive to survive.
That is success.
No comments:
Post a Comment