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FIEL International is a non-profit organization that seeks to empower Christian leaders with the resources they need to build sustainable, discipleship-centered ministries in Cuba.
Dear friends of FIEL,
We are so grateful for how you prayed for us and checked in on us before, during, and after our January 14th-17th trip to Alamar, Cuba!
It was a quick but fruitful trip. We could go one by one through the prayer requests we shared to recap how God faithfully answered your prayers (such as providing a Covid test last minute when we didn't think we were going to make our return flight from Havana). Feel free to follow-up if you want to learn more about anything specific, but below are a few updates from the trip:
Reunited in person! As we have all experienced in our own ways during the pandemic, nothing can replace physical presence with one another. It was such a joy to be together again with our dear friends in Alamar, sharing meals, Cuban coffee, and dreams about what God might be calling us to do as a ministry in 2022 and beyond. As mentioned in our pre-trip email, the nation of Cuba and our friends in Alamar have been through so much, and so much has changed. In such circumstances, nothing can replace hugs and tears shared—these communicate the love we share in Christ more than words ever could. Being physically present and focusing on listening intentionally allowed us to have a deeper understanding of what effective discipleship ministry could look like going forward.
CVC relaunches! Because of the pandemic, many of the ways that Arturo lived out discipleship in his daily life were no longer possible. For example, groups of young people were not able to gather on the soccer field, or in his home, in the way that had so deeply become the rhythm of his life and means of discipleship before the pandemic. As we announced in November, Arturo's ministry, CVC, finally was able to return to “la cancha” (the soccer field), and Arturo is entering into Christ-centered relationships with a new group of teenagers, kids, and families, expectant of what God will do in 2022 and beyond. While we were in Alamar, we were able to reconnect with Yankarlo and Yordanis, two of the young men (now adults in their mid-twenties) who were part of the original discipleship group Arturo started in 2016. They both shared that the entire group still sees each other as brothers for life because of what they experienced together with Arturo in CVC.
CVC HQ Update: Arturo and FIEL agree that a building for CVC to call home is still an integral part of his ministry, and we continue to give God praise for how you all came alongside Arturo so generously in December 2020 to make this a reality. In the midst of soaring inflation (70% in 2021) and a contracting economy (~11% drop each in 2020 and 2021), you can imagine Cuban price increases and resource constraints haven’t been friendly to this construction project. Praise God that the project is actually over ~20% complete, and will most likely continue at its “start-stop” pace until the economy there can stabilize and building materials are accessible at reasonable prices. We will keep you posted as we have updates for you on this project; please keep the HQ in your prayers, praying for God’s will to be fulfilled and our will to align to God’s.
FIEL’s Goals for 2022: During the trip, we found ourselves calling the relaunch of CVC’s ministry “CVC 2.0.” We did this not because CVC before the pandemic was failing in any obvious ways, but as a declaration of hope. Arturo has emerged from a 19-month lockdown with a redesigned approach to discipleship that takes into account his new normal, like increased governmental threats to his ministry and the interruption of student development as a result of 1.5-year school closures. We are so excited to support Arturo as he shares the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge with a new generation of young adults. In addition to supporting Arturo as he launches CVC 2.0, FIEL feels led to spend intentional time learning about others who are leading discipleship ministries in Cuba, and meeting the men and women in the United States who are partnering with them in their work. We want to develop a broader knowledge of the redemptive work God is up to in Cuba, and how He might be inviting all of us to be part of it in the future.
Life in Cuba: We would ask for your continued prayers for our ministry partners in Cuba, for the Cuban people as a whole, and for their country. Life has never been easy in Cuba during the years that FIEL has been working there, but it has been an especially difficult season of struggles and crises over the last couple of years. Basic needs like food and medicine are hard to find and prices are dramatically inflated; additionally, political and social unease reflect Cuban longing for governmental changes. However, they are not sure how to seek these changes or who to trust as the government continues to find ways to perpetuate itself. Through it all, the Christian community exudes an enduring and inspiring sense of trust in God, rooted in specific stories of His provision and faithfulness in the midst of the difficulties. Nonetheless it is painful to hear about the struggles that our friends have had to endure that are so different from our personal experiences Stateside. And so we pray for healing for our Cuban friends, and for stamina for them as they further the Lord’s work on the island amidst so much challenge. Join us, por favor, in these prayers.
There were many moments on our trip last month where we felt God’s presence with us richly during our time in Alamar! Thank you for lifting up this trip in prayer. In response, we commit to praying faithfully for you, our encouragers and supporters!
In Christ,
Chas & Adam
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