Dancing Through Difficult Days

By Jaimie Lancaster

After the first month of Great Britain’s participation in World War II, Winston Churchill analyzed the events and uttered the famous phrase: “It is a riddle wrapped in mystery inside an enigma.” After I made my first visit to Cuba in February of this year, his quote came to mind when asked about my experience.

The Cuban people face many hardships. Ration books tell them how much food they get for each month. The books are specific, even to the number of small pieces of bread one can obtain per day. Milk is not available for people over seven years old. Flour, eggs, and “carne prohibida” (prohibited meat) are scarce. One Cuban said most of the day is consumed with finding something to eat.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba experienced a new wrinkle in this study of shortfall and need. Once, shelves held food, and people didn’t have the money to buy it. Now, people have money, but shelves are empty.

The average Cuban struggles. However, these pressures increase for our Christian brothers and sisters. Many times, they face discrimination due to their beliefs. Excuses range from shortages to policy issues, but at the base is rank prejudice.

Free Will Baptist churches traverse the island. To meet for national associations and times of fellowship, churches must contract a bus service. The government provides this service. A Christian working in a bus agency overheard a person explain government policy is to not rent these buses to Christians. When a church petitioned a bus, the answer was, “We don’t have any to rent.”

While I was in Cuba, during a business meeting, they discussed the prohibition against large gatherings after 6:00 p.m. This conflicted with the opening services of the National Association. The directive was unusual because the government still allowed nightclubs and public events after 6:00 p.m. in the city. The executive committee passed a motion to continue with the service. They resolved if anyone was taken in, the whole group would go.

Another issue facing the Cuban church is relaxed visa regulations in the States, which opened the door for many Cubans to leave the island in search of a better life. Though a blessing to many, this migration also left the leaders of our Free Will Baptist churches with smaller congregations. Some pastors also opted to relocate to the U.S., diminishing the available leadership.

A wonderful Cuban pastor and his wife hosted us. They shared the struggles of being Christian and living in Cuba. Their faith in Christ allowed them to tell their stories with a smile. We saw firsthand the scant amount of food they received for the month. We watched them buy expired rice and come home with items missing from their shopping list. We asked, “How do you make it?”

The pastor’s wife smiled and, with a twinkle in her eye, replied, “We just wake up every morning and pray for a miracle.”

Cuba is a breeding ground for miracles. I spoke with many Cubans, hearing numerous compelling stories. My favorite story is well-known in Cuba. After the revolution, many people were incarcerated. The mother of a young man came to the prison and spoke with the commander, pleading with him to give the box of food she had prepared to her son. When the commander refused, she appealed to the love of God. The commander replied, “Madame, God does not enter this office!” He closed the door, and the lady walked away in sorrow.

The commander’s driver overheard the interaction and approached her. A Christian, he asked for the food and said he would make sure the young man received the box. He put it in the commander’s refrigerator, then took it to the young man the next day. The recipient of this box remarked, “Not only did God enter this man’s office, but He also used his refrigerator and his car to bring it to me.”

I was moved to tears at the opening service of the Cuban National Association of Free Will Baptists. Though packed with people facing scarcity, prejudice, and discrimination, they were not downhearted. Their voices rang out in praise. In unison, they sang about dancing through the difficult days. Joy and hope filled the room—the same joy and hope Christians around the world find in our relationship with Jesus Christ. What Churchill’s quote misses (in a spiritual context) is that our joy is no riddle, mystery, or enigma but rather the blessings of life in Christ Jesus.

Gifts to the Cuba partnership and the WMO help ensure these blessings enjoyed by our Cuban brothers and sisters can be shared through trained believers, strong churches, and community outreach. Please be sure to pray and give so this good news can be theirs.

About the Writer: Jaimie Lancaster serves as the assistant director of field partnerships for IM. Currently, 11 partnerships in nine countries take the gospel to unreached peoples. For more information, search “Global Partners” on iminc.org or read encouraging stories and prayer needs on Facebook: @IMGlobalPartners.