We are so thankful for all our financial and prayer supporters! This trip would not have been possible without the help of prayers and donations. Our trip leaves June 2 and will return June 9th. This trip will include Frank, Jan and Gabriel Stevens, Richard Stallworth all from Frazer. We also have Jenni Holloran from Panama City Beach, Stephane Cole from Memphis and the Reschke family from Naperville, IN. Please follow our blog; Frank will be writing updates (internet permitting in Haiti) for  our team.

2011 Mission trip to Deaf Camp

On our first Monday inCuba, after the planned activities at church in Guanabacoa, we went to see mission churches. At one church the pastor was out and we didn’t get to “tour the premises”. The other mission church in a small town had undergone a lot of changes since the previous year. There was a new sanctuary with a tile floor of amazing beauty and a nice, brand new pulpit made of honey-color wood. The growth and work of the congregation were very impressive. After drinking some strong Cuban coffee graciously offered by the pastor’s wife, everyone left very happy and joyful.

And then we went into deep countryside. Along the way, our old bus gave a ride home to some schoolchildren waiting for scarce public transportation. Finally we came to a small farm. Looking for a church building, we had a great time looking at a pig with a whole bunch of funny piglets, and a mother goat and her cute babies. We kept walking and looking for the church – but it was nowhere to be seen. Our group leader, Gary, kept saying that the church was “behind the wall”. What wall?!

And finally there it was – a big concrete wall from a ruined building of an old abandoned quarry.  And behind the wall – there was nothing! Just a little tree growing in the shade… And that’s where the church met! Just behind the wall that provided enough shade!  A wall and some shade – and nothing else. Not even a bench, not even a single stone to sit on.  But that’s where a few locals meet, and study God’s word and worship and minister to each other.  Their humble dwellings are barren, but they don’t let visitors leave without sharing some food with them. They have no Bibles, but they are passionate about sharing Christ.

Makes you think… How little they posses and how much they have…

Yesterday was our final day of activities at the Church at Guanabacoa.  The men completed the construction work after pouring a concrete floor and removing the framework.  They also cut through a concrete floor for a new foundation for 3 new offices.  James Messick from Dalraida UMC preached at the Wednesday morning service on living water.  We were surprised to see the church full!

The women hosted the final day of women’s ministry programs.  Two more Bible studies were held; Linda Hines spoke on Rahab and Natasha Chirkova-Holland told the story of Queen Esther.  We had the largest crowd of the week and over the course of three days touched 95 individual women.  We then held a tea for the women that included tablecloths, flowers and candles.  We wanted to serve them and do something special for them.  We gave them small gift bags with crosses on the front that contained items such as shampoo, beads and candy.  This is the first time that anything had been done for the women and God blessed us and them richly.  We hope to be able to continue and grow the relationship between the women of Frazer and Guanabacoa in the future as well as provide another children’s carnival. 

We went back to the church that evening for a traditional Cuban dinner with the pastor and his family and all those who assisted us during the week such as local construction workers, ladies in the kitchen and our interpreters.  It was held on the open terrace on the 3rd floor with the sun setting over the city.  The guest of honor, a whole roasted pig, arrived wearing a straw hat which Gary Cochran quickly took for himself.  There was a wonderful breeze and the temperature very nice.  This was much different than the heat and high humidity of previous trips and we were very grateful for this unusual blessing.  After dinner we presented the pastor with a scrapbook of Frazer and the team members.  We also gave the church two angel paintings done by Jimmy Poole’s wife Susan.    

This morning we visited the Methodist Seminary in Havana.  They graduate approximately 60 pastors each year.  Two previous Frazer teams worked on construction projects at the seminary. 

It has been a great week as the team has built a foundation for our relationship with our sister church in Guanabacoa.  Both church families were truely blessed and look forward to extending this relationship in the years to come.

We spent another wonderful day at the Church in Guanabacoa.  The women’s ministry continued with crafts in the morning.  We made origami boxes from folded square paper.  Candy was put inside and sealed with a ribbon.  The women were extremely excited and caught on very quickly.  The made some to take home as candy is a real treat for them and others to be given at the church.  We also made braclets with a silk cord and guitar pick as a charm.  On the charm was a picture of a cross on one side and the words “Gloria a Dios!” or “Glory to God!”" They were very proud to wear them.  We held another Bible study in the afternoon.  Over 30 women attended yesterday and there were 25 new today for a total of 58.  They listened intently to Cindy Cochran talk about Dorcus and Sherrie Ballard tell the story of Mary and Martha.  We gave them small sewing kits at the end of the day.  Tomorrow is the final program and we are concluding with a tea to do something special for the women.  We had to go to a Cuban grocery this afternoon because we think the crowd will continue to grow.  That was an unique experience.  The men poured concrete on a large portion of the second level to eventually make a larger sanctuary.

On the way back to Havana we visited the Martin Perez Church and saw the new sanctuary.  Only God could have made so much progress in such a short period of time.  They now have 112 members and five years ago they started with 4.  They continue to minister to the community and take their programs out in the streets.

Please forgive any errors; we only have 15 minutes until the internet cafe closes.  We spent Sunday worshiping with the members at the Guanabacoa Methodist Church.  Gary Cochran preached at the early service and Larry Stevenson preached at the noon service.  The Cubans are on fire with the Lord.  Their songs bring a new meaning to praise and worship!  We sang for them and it may have been a little bland but they were kind.  We sang “”God is so Good”" in both Spanish and English and they sang along with us.  The service lasted 2 hours but didn’t seem like it at all.  They fed us a feast afterwards.  Don’t worry that we”re not getting enough food. 

Monday began our first real work day at the church.  The men moved concrete mix from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor in wheelbarrows under the direction of Lynn Ballard.  They removed the roof over the floor where the concrete will be poured tomorrow.  The ladies led a women’s ministry program, the first at the church.  The pastor invited 12 women to make crafts planned by Linda Hines.  We made cross necklaces and little booklets.  They seemed to be thrilled.  Then Betty Smith and Mary Lou Stephenson led studies about women of the Bible.  We were afraid that the women wouldn’t open up and talk to us but that proved to not be a problem at all.  It was so wonderful to share with these Godly women.  We will have crafts the next two mornings followed by afternoon Bible studies.

We also visited a “mission” church about an hour from Guanabacoa in the countryside.  The church “building”" was actually a metal frame without walls and a roof.  But they worship there all the same.  Goats, chickens and piglets were running around us.  We gave the cross necklaces and prayed with the group.  The two missionaries, Gloria and Pedro, are dedicated to bring the word of God to people who have never heard the Gospel.  Please pray for a major need in Cuba – access to Bibles in Spanish.  Our hearts were overflowing with the love these people, who have almost nothing from this world, have in their hearts for God.

The Frazer mission team arrived in Havana April 19, 2012.  The team started out at Frazer at 5:00 AM Thursday morning and arrived in Havana at 8:00 PM.  We sorted materials for this trip until after midnight.  Everyone was very tired, but God protected and helped ever step of the way.  The team met with Pastor Javier Diaz of our our sister church in Cuba, Iglesia Metodista de Guanabacoa, to plan the week on Friday.  Today we experienced an amazing day!  God does equip each one of us with special gifts and praise God, we saw that in action today!  We had our fist ever street carnival for children.  Almost 100 children attended and had a wondrful time.  Cindy Cochran was the coordinator and did a super job of planning the day.  Mary Lou Stevenson and Betty Smith entertained with Christian songs and games while the children awaited their turn at the games.  The pastor of the church finished the day with a very entertaining Bible story on a flannel graph board.  Sherryl Byrd took pictures of the children with a beautiful angel picture in the background painted by Susan Poole.  The day was a spiritual high for all of us!  Starting on Monday the team will start a women’s Bible study and construction for the rest of the week.  The prayers from Frazer have been felt.  Please coninue to support the team’s work for the Lord in Cuba through your prayers.

The Cuba Mission team is almsot ready to go.  Monday evening before our departure on Thursday we had a “packing party.” Our leader, Gary Cochran, has a strange concept of a party.  We have such a wonderful team, even the work of preparing to go is a joy.  It is obvious already, that God has really blessed our team and joined us to do this mission trip. Lynn Ballard spent the entire day purchasing tools and equipment for the construction and repair work that we will do.  We are also taking games and prizes for a children’s street carnival two days after we arrive and all the materials to conduct a ladies Bible study and craft workshop.  Only the Lord could get all the supplies needed for all these activities in two carry-ons per team member.  But we are using every pound we are allotted. 

We are all so excited about the possibilities on this trip.  Jimmy Poole develped a wonderful daily devotion guide for our mission trip.  We started with our first planning meeting and at our “party” we discussed how”one of our major challenges is to reflect the “Image of Christ” each and every day of our lives, especially during this journey to Cuba where we have a unique opportunity to share the love of God.”  We pray that these devotions “create an environment for each of use that is supportive, positive, and spiritually strong, and helpful in developing a personal spirit that is winsome in the eyes of those to whom we witness.”  We pray that Jesus prepares our hearts and the hearts of the people in Cuba.

Mission Team to Cuba 
April 19 through April 27

Gary and Cindy Cochran, Brent and Betty Smith, Larry and Mary Lou Stevenson, Lynn and Sherrie Ballard, Jimmy Poole, Linda Hines, James Messick, Sherryl Byrd, Natasha Holland, and Mike Burgamy.

Mission Purpose:

Fulfill the Great commission.  Build relationship with Frazer’s sister church in Guanabacoa Cuba through a women’s ministry, a children’s carnival, and construction of a sancturary.

Prayer Requests:

Pray that God’s love will shine through each team member and that Frazer’s relationship with Guanabacoa will be strengthened.  Pray for a successful women’s ministry and children’s carnival.  Pray for a hedge of protection around the team and that Satan’s efforts will be thwarted.  Pray for family and friends back home to be cared for by the Lord and to be faithful intercessors.  Pray that God will be glorified and the team will be a witness for Jesus Christ.

Read John 17

Obedience. Love. Mercy.

I am so blessed to have a great team partner with me in ministry in the DR. Carter, Jeremiah, Matt, Tyler, Win, Hannah, Hollan, Paul, Mike, and Karen. These lovers of God have shown so much compassion to the people of the DR and have given me the ability once again to see ministry in action. They are the hands and feet of Jesus.

Sometimes those hands and feet get a little sore and dirty.

And you would think I am talking about our own hands and feet, but I am not. Our Mission Emanuel leader, Jim Sweeney, has been our mediator this week. Not only has he shown us what we need to do and where to go, but he has modeled Christ in his words and actions. Unfortunately, he has also endured physical pain in his legs and feet over the last few months.  It has been his “thorn in his side” and he has grown closer to God because of it. However, that pain has lasted long enough for my brother and last night we laid hands on him and prayed that God would release him from this physical bondage.

Obedience. Love. Mercy.

Only when we are willing to open our eyes to the needs around us do we truly see God at work.

Engaging God and Impacting the World
bryan levangie