S.O.S. Cuba

Submitted by Susan Craig

Christ Episcopal Church, in Monticello, has a long-term relationship with a small church in rural Cuba; they call them their companion church, Cristo Rey. Christ Episcopal Church is also in partnership with St. John's Episcopal, in Tallahassee. The priest for Cristo Rey also serves two other churches forming a circuit and St. John's Episcopal is affiliated with one of the other churches.
Over the years many groups of people from these area churches have gone to Cuba on mission trips and stay in the homes of the "campesinos“ farmers. They watch them drive their team of oxen out into the fields to break the soil and plant food for their families. They farm on property leased from the government. They watch as the “campesinos” ride by on their horses, pulling wagons for transportation. Even the school bus for children is a wagon pulled by a team of horses. The air is filled with the pungent odor of all their animals: chickens, pigs, goats, horses, and cows. They surround their small living space. Due to the problems the entire community had with contaminated water, St. John's and Christ Church installed water purification systems at all three churches. Because of these purification systems, the general health of the community improved tremendously, especially the health of the elderly and the infants.
Throughout the years, all the visits have been greeted with love and appreciation. They are truly a Christian community. The way they love and care for each other, while living in the most primitive conditions, would inspire anyone. These people are far removed from anything happening in the cities or in the government. They are busy trying to feed their families and provide some kind of a Christian life for their children.
It is heart breaking to see what is happening now. The COVID pandemic has pushed the already dysfunctional government over the top. The tourism that the country depends on, especially from Europe and Canada, has dried up due to travel restrictions. The fuel shortage comes and goes. Their electricity is now sporadic but is desperately needed to run the water system. The hospitals are overcrowded and the president has told everyone to now stay home. There is no need to go the hospital. Sick people must be treated at home with no medications to help them. They have only a bowl of tap water to apply with a cloth to lower a fever.
It seems unbelievable that here we are, in Florida, less than 100 miles from people living in such conditions, and I can't figure out what we can do. I tried contacting Samaritan's Purse. I know they have portable hospitals that go all over the world but they are over loaded now with requests. They have no staging area in Cuba. Send money? It's not that helpful with nothing on the island to buy. The stores are practically empty and it's hard to get money into the country. Maybe in Havana there is shopping but not in the rural areas. People must scratch out a living the best they can.
I know some people have been to Cuba and gone to all the special areas reserved for tourists and had a wonderful time. They didn't go very far away from the beaches or protected areas to see how most Cubans actually live. These people deserve a chance at a good life. They need honest work and health care. They need an infrastructure that works.
Please pray for the wonderful Cuban people.