. . .to be Christ in the community: teaching, caring, growing
St. Timothy's United Methodist Church
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. . .to be Christ in the community: teaching, caring, growing
St. Timothy's United Methodist Church
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Cuba Mission Update Thanks St. Timothy's But our work is not over FLASH: E-mail from Havana here
Gwen Smithheart will be going on a mission trip to Cuba in March. St. Timothy’s gathered over 67 pounds of medicines and medical supplies to send along.
On Sunday, March 11th, the Cuba mission team worshipped at Memorial Drive UMC where the team participated in a commissioning service. Afterwards the team ate lunch and packed the donated medical supplies and tools that will be left in Cuba.
Medical supplies consisted of syringes, asthma and allergy medications, aspirin, gauze, surgical kits, dressing kits, cold and cough medicines, anti-diarrhea and more. The tools included extension cords, saws, screwdrivers, pliers, gloves and trash bags, among others. The medical supplies and tools were packed into 11 duffle bags, each weight approximately 40 pounds!!
In addition one duffle bag was filled with items for local women that will be cooking and tending the team, including six layette kits (thanks UMW!!), underwear and toys.
Pictures from the packing party....but we're expecting more directly from Cuba when the team returns.
Our work is not over. Special prayers are requested for Gwen and her fellow missionaries during their trip. We ask that God's will be done
Mission teams of 12 members are allowed into Cuba once a month for a limited period. After landing in Havana, they will travel by bus for four hours to the central Methodist camp. From there, they will travel another 10 hours by bus to their destination.
Gwen's team will be working on PILÓN Methodist Church constructing the temple. They will raise a wall for a fence in back of the sanctuary, helping with part of the sanctuary's roof (of course if St. Timothy's is involved, there is roofing work--previous team members will understand), unloading sand, loading and unloading a truck of blocks (maybe a 1,000 blocks).
The tiny sugar town of PILÓN , 175km west from Santiago de Cuba , is a step back in time, with open-backed carts laden with sugarcane zigzagging across the roads and the smell of boiling molasses enveloping the town. There's little to do, but the two beaches, Playa Media Luna, with beautiful views over the Sierra Maestra and a rocky coastline good for snorkeling, and the narrow white-sand Playa Punta, are refreshingly different from those at the smart resorts. The small but engaging Casa Museo Ceila Sánchez Manduley, erstwhile home of revolutionary Ceila Sánchez, offers a rag-bag of exhibits, from Taíno ceramics to shrapnel from the wars of independence. Methodist
There's nowhere to stay or eat, though the local service station on the Marea de Portillo road sells sweets, snacks and cold drinks. Bus service from Santiago is erratic; if you don't have your own transport, the most dependable way to reach the town is to catch one of the colectivo trucks that leave from the Astro bus terminal on Avenida de los Libertadores.
If you would like to learn more about the United Methodist Church in Cuba, please link here to their bi-lingual web page.
I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer 1 Timothy 2:8
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