August 1999

Shalom Queridos Amigos en Yeshua!
Our Cuban Adventure

  The Lord opened the door and we went to Cuba in June, leaving Miami on June 18 and returning June 25th. We'd like to share this spiritual adventure with you, our family in the Lord. We were able to go because you sent us. The journey, though short, was very intense. We pray that we can communicate the heart of God to you this month.

A Miracle Departure
  It is complicated to leave the U.S. and go to Cuba. Even though there was a special opening in June for evangelicals to go to Cuba, we still needed a special religious visa and a letter from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Two days before we left, things were still up in the air. We believed that God wanted us in Havana on June 20th, Father's Day, but Neil was having a hard time justifying the expense of a trip. Before going to sleep on June 15, Neil prayed and said, "Lord, if you want us to go to Cuba, give us a sign. Have someone send us money for the trip, even if it's only $100." The next day Neil went to our home mailbox and there was a letter from Green Acres, Florida - in Spanish - with a check for $104.00 to help with the expenses for our trip to Cuba. At that point we stopped questioning. Within the next fifteen minutes we received two phone calls, one from a Spanish pastor in Miami who was helping put together our papers, and the other from a dear friend of the ministry who said that the Lord had spoken to her also to send us money for the Cuba trip.
  The next day the Lord miraculously provided two seats on a "sold out" direct flight to Cuba and gave us 18 hours to prepare to leave the country (and our home, children, pets, ministry office, etc.).

At the Miami Airport
   We arrived at the Miami airport at 8:00 AM as instructed. Two hours later we were told that our names were on the list for the 8:00 A.M. flight which had already left. We prayed and knew that if God wanted us in Cuba on the 20th He would get us there.
   At 12:30, after all the passengers had boarded the aircraft, they signaled to us that there were two seats left. We took our suitcases and carryons through the security doors where they were all weighed.  We paid $2 per pound for everything over 44 pounds each. Next we paid $50 each to leave the U.S. and boarded the plane for a 40 minute flight to a country so close yet so far away.

In Havana
   As the plane landed on Cuban soil passengers all around us began to cheer. It was similar to our landings in Tel Aviv. Poignant. One man, a pastor from Miami, would be seeing his brother for the first time in forty years. Another man had not seen his family in twenty years. Cubans are allowed one visit per year to see family. Some can make it. Some can't.
   Our contact in Havana, Ana Maria, met us at the airport with her cousin Fernando who drove us to our hotel. The car windows were open (no AC) and the car exhausts mixed with the intense heat gave us a somber first impression of Cuba.
   Ana Maria told us of the tremendous success  of the Evangelical Celebration and the anticipation of the final celebration on Father's Day. Castro reportedly was very impressed with what the evangelical churches had done on a very limited budget and without help from the government. He would appear in person on Sunday the 20th.

At the Hotel  
   Our hotel faced the ocean and the historic light house of Havana. While the hotel was in pretty good shape, buildings all around us were crumbling. Literally. One afternoon a building crumbled within hours of our having seen it standing. Our hotel also was "home" to Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn and his traveling ministry team. We were delighted to hear their impressions of Cuba and the celebrations they had attended during the past three weeks. It was a great report and we were encouraged.
   Jamie called relatives of our Cuban friends from the States and arranged to have them pick up the packages we brought them. We then called home and found that Jesse, our 10 year old, had an accident on his skateboard.  God came to Jesse's rescue once again.

The Orthodox Synagogue
   We awoke on Saturday at 8:00 AM to find the address of the Orthodox Synagogue under our door. Jonathan had left us a note saying that they would be glad to receive the gifts we had brought them from the States. We showered quickly, took a juice box and power bar with us and caught a cab to Adath Israel in Havana Viejo (Old Havana).
   A little after 9:00 AM, we entered the building and saw the men on one side of a barrier and the women on the other. Neil was escorted to the men's side where he identified himself as a Levite and was given a siddur (prayer book) in Hebrew and Spanish. At one point in the service,  Neil was called up to recite the blessings at the reading of the Torah. Jamie took her place with fifteen other women and was handed a siddur (prayer book) in Hebrew and Spanish.
   After a two hour service, we were invited to stay for lunch. Jamie sat on the women's side. Neil sat next to the visiting rabbi (the congregation itself has no rabbi.) The lunch was very tasty. (Uneaten rolls were passed to an older lady at the end of the table. Chicken bones were passed to the lady at Jamie's left.) This meal plus Friday night meals and a daily breakfast are provided for these Orthodox Jews by a benefactor from Panama.
   Neil chatted with the visiting rabbi who was born in England but now lived in Israel. Eventually he asked what Neil did, and Neil replied that he teaches the Bible and believes that Yeshua is the Messiah. The rabbi was silent for a minute, and then quickly left since the meal had already ended.
   The ladies at Jamie's table wanted to know all about us. Jamie told them about our family, our trips to Israel and her love for things Jewish. She gave each woman a postcard with a picture of a palm tree in Jerusalem. Berta, a lady in her sixties, looked at Jamie and from out of nowhere asked: "Qui‚n es el Mes¡as?" (Who is the Messiah?) Jamie told them. They were all ears. Then Berta explained how desperately she and her son wanted to make aliyah (go to live in Israel)but they wouldn't let her go. Jamie told her that God could still do a miracle. She held Berta's hand and prayed for an open door to Israel. Jamie slipped David Chernoff's book on Messianic Judaism (in Spanish) into Berta's purse. We presented the synagogue with a small shofar, mezuza, dreidels, hanukkiah and candles before leaving. The ladies asked if we had any more mezuzahs. They so wanted them for their homes. How we wished we had a dozen mezuzahs at the moment!

Plaza de la Revolucion
   When we returned to the hotel we found out that we had to be at the Plaza at 2:00 PM to meet Pastor Samuel Ramos and receive our special invitation to Sunday's Evangelical Celebration to be held in the very plaza where all the major communist rallies have been held. Without this card, one could not enter the Plaza. It was impressive to see a huge portrait of Che Guevara, the leading communist ideologist, on one side of the plaza, and a huge poster that said "Jesucristo por todas y para todas!" on the other. ["Jesus Christ for (the sake of) everyone and for (available to) everyone."]
   We met with a dear friend's brother at 4:00 P.M. and spent time with the Lord until what we thought was bedtime. However, Neil was called downstairs to meet with the Pastor. Neil discovered that the people planning the celebration hadn't eaten all day so he invited them to dinner and called  Jamie to the dining room. Over dinner Neil led Fernando, the driver, to Yeshua. It was so precious. Fernando didn't accept at once. He sat there thinking about what Neil had said while he ate. Then he spoke and said: "I've thought about what you said, and I'm ready to accept the Lord." Ripe fruit!

Father's Day
   We left the hotel at 6:30 A.M. for the Plaza. The celebration was scheduled to begin at 9:00 A.M.  and the roads were to be closed at 7:00 A.M. We piled twelve people into a van (we huddled on the floor in the luggage space), and after an exciting ride, arrived at the Plaza. Thousands of local believers were already there, praising the Lord, waving signs and banners and chanting "Cristo Vive" (Messiah lives). It was extremely hot, but these precious brothers and sisters were filled with the Spirit and didn't seem to notice. We walked among them (they were behind a barricade) greeting and blessing them in the name of Yeshua. Just before 9:00 A.M.  we saw Castro arrive and Neil got some video. What he heard that morning must have made an impression on him. First of all, it was the first time that any Scripture has been quoted or read in that Plaza in forty years. Bibles were burned 40 years ago at the time of the Revolution. Now a crowd of between 150,000 and 300,000 heard most of Isaiah Chapter 55, Romans Chapter 8 and John Chapter 3. It was electric!
   A little girl about six  years old recited John 3 from memory. It was very anointed. The sound system functioned well and you could hear the Word of God booming throughout the Plaza. Worship was beautiful, especially "How Great Thou Art" in Spanish! Imagine all the Evangelicals of one country getting together in unity to sing that hymn!! This was a first, not only in Cuba, but probably in all the Americas. It may have been that moment that God began to reveal His Fatherhood to the Nation of Cuba. We felt something powerful happen in the Spirit. It was a great victory for the gospel and a major breakthrough for the nation of Cuba.
   Sixteen of us had lunch after the celebration at a local home-restaurant. (The fresh pineapple juice was wonderful.) Two men inquired about our group and before we left someone said: "Doesn't anyone want to tell them?" Jamie jumped up and while everyone waited in the van, she led them both to the Lord. So open. So ripe. Very tender.

Adventure by car
   We left Havana on Monday afternoon for the city of Holgu¡n at the other end of the island. We traveled with Bishop and Mrs. Samuel Ramos. Samuel was exhausted from having coordinated the month of celebrations, so Neil drove our rental car. We passed men cutting the grass on the side of the road with a machete-like tool and were told that they earn about $5.00 per month.  Families with children seven years of age or under can buy milk every other day (1 liter). Cubans are not allowed to purchase electrical appliances of any kind due to the shortage of electricity. (However, they do receive them as gifts.) Most homes have one appliance: an old refrigerator. We passed cars from the 1950's (a collector's dream). En route to Holguin we stopped to purchase special treats from people selling them along the highway: pineapples, cheese, mangos, and calabazas (squash).

In Holguin
   Just before arriving in Holguin we stopped to take a picture of two yoked  oxen. The scene was like something from another era. Curious people came out of a big building as Jamie tried to explain why she wanted a photo of oxen. (It has to do with Deut. 25:4 and 1Cor. 9:10-11.)
   Once in Holgu¡n we went to the Bishop's home to rest and get ready for the 7:00 P.M. service. We ate dinner at the church (They graciously served us lamb instead of the usual pork) and the service began at 8:00 P.M.  The praise and worship was alive and vibrant. People stood in the back because there weren't enough seats. Others peered through the louvered windows. Neil ministered and Jamie translated (not as easy as translating testimonies) but God was faithful and His people were blessed. We handed out candies to everyone afterwards and were very blessed to have witnessed such passion for the Lord. That night we understood James 2:5: "Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom He promised them...?"
   The next morning we had a unique experience. We showered with water which had been heated on the stove. We dipped it out of a bucket and poured it over our bodies.
   Marcos, a member of the praise and worship team, arrived and expressed a desire to play the shofar. We anointed him with oil and prayed. He then played Neil's shofar effortlessly!  After sharing some Jewish roots teachings with Samuel, we went to the church for lunch and met with the Pastor.
   A dear friend in the States gave us a number of beautiful dolls to give to little girls who have none. We brought one of them to Cuba believing that God had a special child there for it. Barbara took us to the home of four year old Lazarita whose father had been killed in an accident two months before she was born. Lazarita, her mother, and her aunt and cousin all live in the home of Lazarita's grandmother. It is a very "gray" home - no color anywhere - very poor - very typical of much of Cuba. However, the residents here are all believers. Lazarita was very happy to receive the doll and her 13 year old cousin sang a song for us that she had written about the Lord. It was a moving experience. Praise God we had a few dollars with us to give to this family. 

The Blackout
   The rain began to fall in sheets Wednesday night and the lights in the house went out. We dressed for service using a lantern and then drove to another little church about thirteen miles from Holgu¡n. The pastor and his wife had invited us to dinner before the service. It was difficult to eat the generous quantities of food we were served, knowing that we were taking it off their plates! We ate by the light of a small candle on top of the refrigerator.
 We wondered what would happen to the service. Would people come? After all, it was pouring, pitch black out, and there was thunder and lightning. The majority of the believers walk to church, some for as much as an hour.
   After dinner we entered the sanctuary and the pastor put the little candle on the podium. We saw thirty people already there, on their knees praying. We were humbled at the sight.
   We worshipped in the dark, and began our message in the dark. Jamie prayed for mercy since she couldn't see her Bible and doesn't have Scripture memorized in Spanish. After five or ten minutes the lights came back on. We continued teaching about Yeshua coming to earth for a bride and after the message we prayed for all the congregation under Neil's talit.

Return to Havana
   We arose at 3:15 A.M. dressed and met our "chauffeur" Tito, a member of the church, who was to drive us back to Havana.  The Pastor prayed for us then Tito took the wheel and drove like a professional race car driver  at speeds up to 140 kilometers/hour  while we slept (Thank God we were sleeping!). We stopped for breakfast at 8:00 A.M. and arrived in Havana at 1:00 P.M. (3 hours earlier than expected) Fernando met us at the rental car place and Neil treated everyone to ice cream. Fernando took us to a lovely private home where we got a room for the night (with hot water and air conditioning) and from 4:30 - 10:30 P.M.  we toured Havana with our new brother in Messiah.

Home Again
   Our hostess got up to see us off at 5:30 A.M. She fixed us tea and we left her some ministry materials (i.e. Jamie's  "Un Beso Cada Dia"). She asked for our help in getting insulin into Cuba for her daughter who has been a diabetic since childhood. She also asked us to bring clothing when we return. Myda is not yet a believer. Jamie took her hand and prayed for her before we left. She had tears in her eyes as the car pulled away.
   At the Havana airport we sat next to two Cuban businessmen from Miami. They were wearing bathing suits, shirts and shoes with no socks. We thought this a bit strange until they mentioned that they had left all their clothes in Cuba. We felt bad that we had any clothes in our suitcases.
   We take so much for granted in this country! Pray for Cuba, especially the precious dedicated believers there and the tiny struggling Jewish Community.

 Pray for Cuba.
 Pray for Fidel Castro and the country's future.
 Pray for the precious dedicated believers there and for the tiny Jewish Community.

Where Do We Go From Here?
   God is moving throughout the Spanish speaking countries of South and Central America. Many of the people in these countries have Jewish roots that can be traced back to the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. Our hearts are drawn to the unique people who are a combination of Spanish/Jewish. There is a warmth and a passion for God that is delightful. We call it "Kosher Salsa." You will get a chance to "taste it" when you come to visit the congregation we attend in Ft Lauderdale.
   We have been invited back to Cuba to teach the churches about their "Jewish roots" and plan to return as the Lord leads. We are considering a ministry trip to an orphanage in Guatemala with our children at the end of June 2000 and plan to go to Argentina in November of 2000. Our "Millennial Jewels" seminar in Israel is scheduled for April 2000. Would you like to join us? Write to us and we will tell you how you can be a part of these exciting outreaches.
   Our schedule for the next few months is an ambitious one. Besides the travel outside the US listed above, we will be in Gainesville, Fl [(352)485-1710] on Aug 6-7, in Griffin, GA[(770)228-2307] on Aug 8, Greenville, SC [(864)859-6896] on Sept 10-11, Tallahassee, FL [(850)562-3156] on Sept 22 and Kansas City, KS [(913)677-1229] on Nov 10-12.  God willing, October will be the month in which we produce three new Jewish Jewels television programs.

© Copyright 1999 Jewish Jewels