The Third Sunday of Easter (Luke 24:36-48)  4/22/2012

Listen to an audio recording <select here>

Several months ago the Global Missions Committee began planning a trip to visit our companion church in Cuba. As the planning continued over the course of several weeks we learned more about the travel arrangements, the needs of the church in Santa Cruz del Norte, and we learned more about the Cuban people of our companion parish. Two weeks ago today, on Easter Sunday, we packed our cars full of eight bags of needed supplies and readied ourselves for an early Monday morning, arriving at the airport before sunrise. Our journey continued and with each moment we moved closer and closer to the community of Santa Cruz: we navigated through security lines, encountered long bag check lines, we lost our luggage, we found our luggage, and we finally arrived in Havana. We soon met Father Frank, members of the Cathedral staff, and when we arrived in Santa Cruz del Norte on Wednesday we met the eagerly waiting members of our companion church – all in the flesh. We can learn many important pieces of information via email and over the phone, but experiencing people up close and in the flesh is an experience that cannot be matched by any form of long distance communication. Throughout our week long visit to Cuba, our personal interactions with our Cuban friends profoundly shaped our experience and were the source of our lasting impression of their hospitality and grace. Continue reading →