Cuba Update - November 2012

The theme of this years National Conference was, It’s Time to Conquer. The church in Cuba is in a special place, a pivotal moment in it’s history and we are excited to take a leading role in equipping and generating capacity for growth in the Socialist nation.

Over the past five years of ministry in Cuba we have seen the miraculous, the outpouring of God’s spirit, hundreds upon hundreds baptized in Jesus’ name, and many new churches added and converted. Just this past year over 100 people were baptized, more than 30 received the Holy Ghost, and the total number of churches grew to 25 (15 in 2005 when we began working in Cuba). To mark five years of ministry, we had well over a thousand people gathered together for the National Conference this year and 100+ pastors and ministers involved in three days of intense training.

God decided to encourage the church in Cuba even more when we received official papers and permits to begin the Apostolic Institute in Cuba, wrapping up over two years of waiting for permits and permission. With training and systematic instructions such a necessity, we are excited about the possibility of courses beginning as soon as Fall of 2013! We are in the process of acquiring a temporary building for the institute, please consider assisting us with this acquisition! In addition to housing the Institute for a short time, it will be used as a conference space, a local church building, and as a headquarters for Christian Education throughout the nation.

The nature of ministering in Cuba is often difficult to understand. As a family we live and work in the States, taking as many trips throughout each year as we are able. This coming year, 2013, we plan on adjusting our lifestyle so that we can work in Cuba even more frequently. We have already planned a minimum of five trips to Cuba. With your continued support and prayers this will be a reality. All funds and proceeds given to Cuba-Rennard are used directly for the work in Cuba. We work hard on the home front at our respective jobs so that your offerings and contributions can go directly to the mission field. Please seek God and pray for us, the nation of Cuba, and the church in Cuba for the coming year. In addition to planting churches, starting the Institute, and equipping leaders, we know that God is able to pour out His spirit in a way that we have yet to see. It is time to Conquer and Cuba is full of conquerors! To contribute to the work, please e-mail us at info@cubaforchrist.net for more details on how your contribute can be tax-deductible.

Cuba Update - Summer 2011

Greetings to all of you in the awe-inspiring name of Jesus Christ! It’s been a whirlwind of a year and we find ourselves half-way through 2011! Despite the quickening pace of time and a seemingly endless amount of things to do, God always finds a way to do amazing things. We wanted to take a few moments to provide an update regarding the work that the Lord has done in Cuba so far this year.

In late 2010 we were able to raise enough money to acquire and renovate a church for a growing congregation. The old location would seat about 30 people comfortably, but the church was growing and did not accommodate all those that wanted to attend services. Nearby was a building that was available and with your assistance and support we were able to move into the new space, renovate it to more efficiently meet the needs of the congregation, and start holding services. It now will seat close to 100 people comfortably!

In addition to physical growth, the church in Cuba has been growing spiritually under the new leadership of Bishop Barbaro Gonzalez and other newly elected Cuban national officials. The national board is dedicated to the purpose of the Lord and eager to continue their partnership with the ALJC and churches here in the States. We’ve been adding existing congregations from all over the nation of Cuba to the national organization, from the tip of Pinar del Rio to the extremes of Santiago de Cuba. At this moment we estimate that over 20 churches are gathering and working together to spread the truth throughout the nation of Cuba.

Due to visa restrictions and hindrances on both the part of the United States and Cuban governments, we are not able to reside in Cuba. This is a grave disappointment to us, but we are making the most of the circumstance by traveling to Cuba as frequently as possible via short term trips. In the meantime all contributed funds to the ALJC for The Rennard Family – Cuba are funneled directly to travel, works, and mission related needs in the nation of Cuba. If you have any questions regarding our current plans, ministry approach, or projects we are working on, please feel free to contact us via the information on this site.

We will be traveling to Cuba in the Fall of 2011 to meet with the newly added churches, host training seminars, and review ongoing projects. Please be praying for this trip!

We greatly appreciate your support and continued prayers for the nation of Cuba. The Cuban church is in a time of transition and need your assistance. If you’d like to contribute to and pray directly for a few of the projects we are working towards, please make note of the following:

1. New Church Construction / Acquirement: Carlos Lago in Casablanca - $15,000 USD
2. Repairs / Expansion of Agua Vida: Aleyda in Pinar del Rio - $4,000 USD

Though many of our projects are on the local church level, we are also committed to providing a central location to continually train and equip leadership and ministry. We have acquired the use of a large tract of land to utilize for the first ever Apostolic Institute in Cuba. However, the financial need to construct such a facility is large. Please be praying for this endeavor as it can revolutionize the church in Cuba.

Upcoming Trip to Cuba and the Dominican Republic

We are thrilled with the recent progress we have seen in Cuba! We were able to take a trip in May and bout 80 were baptized and several received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. God is moving among His people in Cuba. During this trip, we met with the local pastors to talk about their vision for their churches. We also were able to take another step in the purchasing and planning of the first Apostolic Bible Institute in the nation of Cuba.

God has opened a door for us to travel to Cuba the first of September, during this time we will be finalizing the transfer of property for the Institute, meeting with local leaders to plan the launch of the first semester, and hopefully work towards the construction of the Institute as well as two other church buildings.
As we continue working towards an Apostolic Bible Institute, we feel the need to base full-time in the Caribbean. We are not permitted to live in Cuba full-time, so we'd like to base somewhere in the region that has a need for a permanent worker. During this trip in September, we will be visiting the Dominican Republic as well as Cuba. We feel as if God may be opening a door for us to base in the Dominican Republic, which would afford a much easier access to Cuba, would be able to directly assist with the work in Haiti, and we would be able to serve as representatives of the ALJC in the Dominican Republic.

We recently received a $5000 donation from a family in our local church for the building of a church facility in Cuba. This money will be used to build a nice facility for a pastor with a congregation of about 50. They currently hold services in a small living room. It is the generosity and sacrificial giving of men, women, and churches like this that make what we do possible. It also would not be possible without our faithful supporters who monthly contribute anything from $5 to $500.
We are currently in need of funds for our upcoming trip in September as well as funding for the Apostolic Bible Institute land transfer. We will need $5,000 for the travel costs, lodging, visas, and food. In addition, if you would like to contribute towards the cost of the land transfer for the Apostolic Bible Institute the total cost is $8,500. We are also attempting to build three new church buildings at a cost of only $7,000 per church!

Please prayerfully consider sending an offering to “Cuba: Rennard” through the ALJC World Mission’s department, donate securely online at www.faithapostolic.us (select Cuba in dropdown menu,) or send a check to James Rennard c/o Faith Apostolic Church 1212 E. 116th St. Carmel, IN 46032.

Apostolic Institute Land Agreement!

We are so thankful for the good reports we have heard from Cuba since our last trip in May. In early September we will be purchasing the land necessary for the first Apostolic Bible Institute in the nation of Cuba. We are thrilled to see this dream come to fruition. Construction will begin as soon as permits are attained. Please pray with us that the process will go smoothly. We know that things are never certain when it comes to the Cuban government, but we also know that God has the power to intervene and make this happen as He wishes. We are making preparations for a trip in September to help and aid in furthering along this process. Our hope and prayer is that classes in the Bible Institute will begin in 2011.

Our family is prayerfully considering basing out of the Caribbean full time. On our trip to Cuba in September, we will also be visiting the Dominican Republic. Our desire is to be living in the region and the Dominican Republic will allow us to travel to Cuba more directly, work across the border in Haiti, and do all this with much less expense. We are also praying that wherever we live, God will open doors for us to help and aid the local churches. Please pray with us for God’s direction and guidance in this endeavor. We simply desire to work for His Kingdom and be used for His purpose wherever we are.

Thank you for your prayers and support - we'll have much more information to come in the next few weeks!

April 2010 - Upcoming Cuba Trip

The recent earthquake and resulting devastation in the nation of Haiti has prompted us to not only attempt to provide relief to the Haitian people, it has reminded us of the similar state of the churches, homes, and amenities in the nation of Cuba. Though we are praying diligently for the nation of Cuba and its people, we cannot help but wonder what may happen if an earthquake or hurricane was to again shock the region.

It is our desire to preemptively equip the churches and people we work with and serve in Cuba with necessary items such as food, water, and shelter. In the event of a natural disaster or some sort of social disaster in Cuba, our work today can make a difference.

In April of 2010 we will be taking a large group of partners to Cuba with us, under our OFAC license, to distribute preemptive aid, to survey the needs of the local churches, and to continue our plans for the construction of a school and convention center. This trip will serve the purpose of distributing goods to the oneness organization for future use as well as providing visitors with the opportunity to see and hopefully meet the needs of the local churches.

At this time we are working with 15 Apostolic churches and they have great needs, from seats to physical buildings. If you are interested in helping us with our mission to the people of Cuba, please feel free to contact us at info @ cubaforchrist.net for more information.

We know that the Lord is doing a great work in Cuba and believe that we are able to be the church, to go and help those in need of both the Gospel and basic humanitarian items.

Please pray for those that will be traveling and for the people of Cuba. In addition, please continue to pray for the people of Haiti and specifically Pastor Wilner Louissaint, a dear friend and pastor of multiple churches in Haiti. For more information about what our local church and the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ are doing to provide relief to Haiti, please visit the ALJC Haiti Relief Fun.

Thank you for your prayers and support - we are God's people and with Him we can change the world.

James

Haiti Shaken and the World in Need

In the midst of so much heartache and struggle, I am reminded of both the difficulty and the victories that humanity has faced throughout the years. At this moment we have a team of relief workers headed to the Dominican Republic to meet with a pastor and friend in Haiti. To contribute to the Haiti Relief Fund or to find out more about what we and our local church, Faith Apostolic Church, are doing to support relief in Haiti, please visit Faith Apostolic Church.

Though we are not currently in the nation of Cuba, we know that the Lord is there and there are men and women continuing the work. Though we grieve for the people of Haiti, a neighbor of Cuba, we celebrate the work that is being done to help those in need, reach the lost, and meet needs throughout the world.

Throughout this difficult time something comes to my mind - Just last week we celebrated the birth of our second child, Isabel Havana Rennard.





















Though there is death and turmoil in Haiti and other countries throughout the world, babies are being born, life is being sustained, and many are hearing the Word of God. It is this hope that we have in Him, that He would give us life and give it to us more abundantly. We pray for the nation of Haiti, even though there is death and destruction, we pray that many will find peace in the Lord, strength in hope, love, and unity.

We'd love to be in Cuba right now in mission with God, but know that His timing is perfect and His will is unchanging. We thank everyone for their support during the past few months of our stay here in the States. When we are able to provide more information about our mission to Cuba we will post it here. In the meantime, pray for those that we've ministered to and equipped for ministry in Cuba. They are the laborers and they are working diligently to change the landscape of a nation.

We love you all and appreciate everything you do for this world in need.

James, Rachael, Ava and Isabel

We're Back!

Thanks to everyone for your prayers on our behalf. We have made it home after another successful trip to Cuba. We have been home about 5 days now and are adjusting to life in Indiana. It has been wonderful to see our family and friends, but our hearts remain in Cuba.

We were so blessed to have such a fruitful trip. We saw God move in such powerful ways in the churches, in the Women's conferece, in meetings, in pastors' homes and in our own home. Thank the Lord for guiding us every step of the way.

In past trips, we have places a great emphasis on Apostolic doctrine and on allowing the Spirit of God to move freely in church services and in the lives of the people. We were thrilled to return to see the leadership taking initiative in teaching and training of the Apostolic doctrine. They have systemmatic teaching every Sunday to get the church refocuses on the doctrine of the apostles. We were also so encouraged to see that many of the churches are now making room for the Spirit of God to move! We were in many services where the presence of God entered in such a powerful way, and the people simply enjoyed His presence instead of moving forward with the program.

We were honored to baptize six in Jesus' name and see around 10 more receive the Holy Ghost! The first annual Women's Conference was a success. Women from all of the churches told me how they were touched and changed so profoundly during the conference. We were also able to begin planning the first ever Apostolic Bible Institute in Cuba. We are praying to be able to open it within a year. We preached at every church (with one exception), meet with every pastor, and meet with the National Board. It was a very productive trip. We are energized and anticipating great things to continue to happen in Cuba.

Our family in Cuba: Pastor Lorenzo, his wife Zulema, and Pastor Juan

We had the honor of preaching in Bauta, at a church that was Baptist. They recently re-baptized their congregation in Jesus' name and wanted Jimmie to come and preach Apostolic doctrine

Ava, enjoying a children's service in Casa Blanca




We will be updating the blog periodically with some specific needs we have and that pastors in Cuba have. We believe that with your financial help and prayer support, we can see these needs met! Thanks again for your interest in the work of God in Cuba. We welcome your questions and comments. God Bless!

Outside of our home

Ava lost her first tooth in Cuba, eating a guava!

March 2009 Photos

Testimonies from the Women's Conference in Cuba

It was an honor to be invited to be a part of the first Apostolic Women’s Conference in Cuba. I have seen many pictures and heard many things about Cuba from Rachael, but seeing firsthand the work of God there was life changing. God opened many doors and allowed me to walk in a spiritual realm of authority and love that I have not experienced before. The people I met lived out John 13:35. Their hospitality, love, & kindness proved them to be true disciples of Christ. God has begun a great work in the nation of Cuba, but it’s just the beginning. I am very thankful to have been a part of what He is doing there and I’m looking forward to seeing what is to come. Dios le bendiga. (God bless you.)

Sara Adcock

I was blessed to be a part of the very first women's conference in Cuba. I was touched by the worship and the speakers. I meet so many wonderful people!

This was my first trip to Cuba and it was exciting visiting the churches and seeing first hand what God is doing in the churches and in people's lives. I have a greater burden for Cuba and I know God is going to do great things! It is wonderful to see how God is blessing Jimmie and Rachael and their ministry.

I feel changed after my visit, like God is stretching me, giving me a different perspective. I am thankful for the opportunity God gave me to go on this trip.

Dios le bendiga,

Linda Burke

Greetings from Cuba! We are so thrilled to have spent over two weeks here, and are excited about all that God has done already! We have visited several churches, met with several pastors, and had some important meetings where we have seen a lot of progress. We are excited to be in the planning stages to start the first and only Apostolic Bible institute in Cuba. You will hear more about that as the time approaches. We have already baptized 6 people, praise God!

Over the next couple of weeks we will be visiting more of the churches. This is a great opportunity to preach and teach the things God has laid on our hearts for Cuba. We are able to encourage the local churches and the church leaders. We are happy to have the opportunity this Saturday to meet with all of the local pastors for a time of training and teaching.

We are also thrilled to be planning the first annual women’s conference! It will take place the 27th and 28th of March. We are so happy to have two women from our home church, Sara Adcock and Linda Burke, coming to visit for the conference. They will both be speaking, visiting some of the pastors’ homes, and taking an active part in ministry during the week they are here. It will be wonderful to see some familiar faces, too!

We are adjusting to life in Cuba quite well. Ava is much happier than the last trip we made here. We are still working through some issues with transportation, but expect everything to be resolved quickly. I have included some pictures from the past couple of weeks. I hope you enjoy. I will also answer some common questions we get, for those of you who are interested to learn about life in Cuba. God bless you all. Thank you for your continued prayer and support.
Rachael Rennard

Questions:
1. What types of food do you eat in Cuba? We rely heavily on fresh produce. We eat tomatoes, onions, green peppers, red peppers, potatoes, bananas, guava, apples (when we can find them at the store), and cabbage. All of these are common for us. We also occasionally have eggplant, beets, and other common potato-like roots found in Cuba. We eat sandwiches frequently, with ham and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. Spaghetti is common, with a delicious sauce found only in Cuba. As far as meat, we usually eat either chicken on the bone, pork that we pound out so it’s not so tough, or occasionally hamburger in our spaghetti sauce. And we can’t forget the abundance of rice and beans!! For breakfast, Ava has cereal with milk (made from powdered milk). Jimmie found pancake mix and makes those from time to time. For dessert, Juan makes us flan or sweet coconut, and I was so happy to find a chocolate shop near a local market. We drink lots of water, coffee, hot tea, and occasionally a Cuban soda. While this sounds like a lot, we pretty much eat the same things over and over. When you are cooking three meals a day, almost every day, these options get tiresome.

2. What challenges do you face in Cuba? Life is so radically different here, it’s hard to narrow it down to a few challenges. For me, cleaning is a challenge. We don’t have access to a lot of the tools that make cleaning so much easier in the U.S. Our house has all tile floors, and they never seem to be clean, in spite of my efforts. We never seem to have a clean kitchen because there are almost always dirty dishes in the sink (in spite of our efforts to wash them). We also don’t have good cleaning products. Yet, if we don’t at least attempt to keep the floors and the counters clean, we have an onslaught of fire ants and/or flies.

Transportation is a challenge. Very few people have cars. We have limited access to the van that belongs to the organization, so to run errands we have to find someone willing to take us somewhere. The owner of the house where we stay only charges us for gas, usually around $5. This is what we do most of the time, but when he is not available we pay as much as $25 a day for transportation.

Finally, raising a child in Cuba is difficult. While Ava is extremely outgoing and can make friends with anyone, she sometimes feels lonely. The boy who lives next door is at school every day, so during the day it is difficult to keep her occupied. On hot days, she likes to swim in the pool, but the weather has been fairly cool lately. Most of the time she’s happy, but other times she misses her family or is bored.

3. What changes are you seeing spiritually in the churches? We are so happy that the leadership of the organization has instituted a program for every church, systematically teaching them doctrine. This has been a problem in the past. When we visit churches, we are noticing that people are more receptive to the moving of the Holy Spirit. Churches are growing, and leaders seem to be enthusiastic, with a more hopeful outlook on the future. We know that God has only begun to do His work in Cuba, and are extremely humbled to take even a small part in his plan for this nation.

March 2009 Photos

One of the people baptized at Juan's church.

Another of the people baptized at Juan's church.

The third person baptized at Juan's church!

Kids from Juan´s church

Daniel from Juan´s church. I fell in love wiht him and want to adopt him. His dad left him for the US and his mom died a year ago. Please pray for him.

We spent over an hour separating beans.

Many from the El Cano church

Sunday in El Cano

The view from our roof.

The three baptized our first day here.

One baptism on our first full day in Cuba!

Thank the Lord, we have arrived safely to Cuba without any complications. We are staying in the same house as last time, which is an enormous blessing. They added a pool, which came in handy yesterday... we baptized 3 people our first full day here in our own pool! Praise God, what a great way to start this trip! We are so excited about what God has planned for this trip. We started morning prayer at our house today. We will be inviting Bro. Juan and anyone else to join us every day around 9:30. It was so wonderful to feel the presence of God sweep through our home in such a powerful way this morning. Please pray that God continues to move in our morning prayer, and give us direction for our day.

We will keep you updated as we find out more plans for this trip. We feel so content to be where God wants us. God bless.

Mission: Havana

As most of you know, we are heading out in the morning for Cuba. While it is very difficult to say goodbye to our church, family and friends, we are excited about building the Kingdom of God!

This is a video I put together. It puts into words how we feel about Cuba. The song really spoke to me, and I hope you enjoy it.

We will be making updates to the blog periodically, so please continue to check up on us. We appreciate your prayers, and are anxious to give you great reports of all that God is doing in Cuba. Feel free to e-mail me at raquelpelota@yahoo.com during our trip, with questions or to simply update us on what's happening in your lives! That is the only e-mail we will be able to check while in Cuba. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

God Bless! We'll miss you!

Rachael, James and Ava

Getting Ready to Leave...

We are so thrilled to finally have all the papers in order. We have visas and our license to travel, thanks to all of the prayers that have been prayed regarding our situation. Our flight leaves for Miami Tuesday, the 17th, and our flight to Cuba will be sometime next week. This is all happening so quickly! We have a lot to do in the next 6 days, but we are so thrilled that God has opened this door for us again.

It is truly a blessing to serve in Cuba. I can't quite explain how it feels to be here, wanting so desperately to be there. We know all things are working out according to God's timing, and we are thankful for these last 9 months.... we have experienced a lot of trials that have brought about a lot of growth. Now it is time to get busy!! We will be teaching 3 day seminars at each church. The first two days will focus on doctrine, evangelism, and leadership. The final day will be an outreach-oriented service. We will also be working on various projects to strengthen and assist the local churches. At the end of March we will be helping organize the first Women's Conference in Cuba. We are excited to be a part of this, and are thrilled to have a group from the U.S. visiting us for the conference.

Please keep us in your prayers! We need it. Please especially remember Ava. It is always a difficult transition for her having to leave her family and friends behind. Our friend Leah Newby will be posting updates for us while we are in Cuba. We love receiving e-mail from you while we're there, letting us know what is going on in your lives. It helps us stay connected, so feel free to e-mail us at: raquelpelota@yahoo.com

Thank you for all of your prayers, encouragement and support. We are blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. God Bless!

Rachael Rennard

In Remembrance....

We are so sad to report that Bro. and Sis. Roca, missionaries to Cuba, were in a serious accident today. Sadly, Sis. Roca passed away. Bro. Roca is in the hospital with injuries, but will recover.

(Sis. Dorothy Roca,far right with Pastor Juan, Matthew Ball, and Pastor Barbaro)

We have had the priveledge of knowing the Rocas and working with them for almost two years. They have helped us so much along our journey working in Cuba. Sis. Roca was an inspiration to me. She had such a sensitivity to the Spirit of God. From what I know, she was an extremely prayerful woman who was so thrilled about the revival taking place in Cuba. We know that she is in a better place now.... a place we can't even begin to imagine.


Please keep Bro. Roca in your prayers, along with their children, grandchildren, and friends and family. We can't imagine the grief they are feeling right now, but will hold them up to God in our prayers. We will not ever forget Sis. Roca's sweet and loving nature, and know she will be rewarded greatly for her life of service.

2008: Reflections

Merry Christmas!!

We hope that you are all enjoying this wonderful Holiday season and take time to remember what it is we are celebrating. As usual, thank you for your consistent prayers and support. We truly could not do what we do without people like you behind us all the way.

2008 has been a year of growth for us personally and progress in Cuba. We spent January-April in Cuba, teaching seminars, meeting with pastors and church leaders, preaching at many churches and planning a Conference for March. We saw much progress in the Kingdom of God. We are thankful for Cuban men and women who give so much of themselves to see the church advance, and we are thankful for what God is doing in our own lives.

We had somewhat of a difficult summer for various reasons, but God is truly faithful. We know that all things work together for good to those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. We were supposed to spend three more months this fall in Cuba, but faced problems with our visas. Thankfully, we were able to take a short trip in November. We spent a lot of time in meetings with Cuban leaders and are thankful that God dealt with each and every one of our concerns during this very productive trip.

(All of our group except Matthew Ball on our November 2008 trip: Pastor Juan,Chelsea Ball, myself, Pastor Danis, Bro. Josh Wilson, and Bro. James Rennard)

We just received great news!! The Cuban leadership has applied for 60 day visas for our family starting the first of February, and they expect to have them any day. We are praying that we will be able to extend those visas an extra 30 days for a total of 90 days (please pray with us!) We are thrilled about an exciting program during this time. We will be visiting each church for extensive, 3-day training. We will be doing leadership training, doctrine training and evangelism training. It will be a very busy schedule, but we are so happy to have the opportunity to reach so many. We will also be helping the Cuban church in Cuba to organize their first National Women's Conference in March. Please pray about this conference. I am thrilled that a group of ladies from our church will be attending the Conference. What a blessing!!

We do have some special needs. If you would pray about these with us, we would be so grateful. First of all, please pray that our visas come through and that we will get the extension we need for the full 90 days. We are also currently re-applying for our license to travel to Cuba. We cannot travel without this license, so pray that this is approved. Our transportation issue in Cuba has not been resolved, so please help us pray that God will provide the funds for a vehicle for us to use on a day to day basis. We also need prayer for protection, a smooth transition for Ava, and a unified working relationship with the Cuban leadership.

Again, I pray that God bless you richly this Christmas season and in the year to come. Whether you have given financially, have spoken an encouraging word, or have said a prayer for us, please know that you will be rewarded by God for doing your part in God's work in Cuba. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

All our love and gratitude,

James, Rachael and Ava Rennard

Leaving Tomorrow!!

We are so happy to be leaving for Cuba tomorrow! Although we were not able to stay for an extended period this fall (due to visa issues), we are thrilled to be able to visit again.

While in Cuba, we will try to make the arrangements for another extended stay at the first of 2009. Please pray that God opens the door for this to happen.

We will be visiting several churches, meeting with local leaders and aiding financially in several pressing projects. Please pray for protection and guidance. There is currently a category 4 hurricane over eastern Cuba. Please pray for the safety of Cubans, and for our safety as we travel to Cuba on Monday.

Our group consists of myself, James, Matthew Ball, Chelsea Ball and Josh Wilson. We will return Saturday, November 15th. We appreciate your prayers and will update you with details of our trip as soon as we return. God Bless!! -Rachael

August Update

I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful summer. As many of you know, I (Rachael) have been very sick for much of the summer, in and out of the hospital. I am much better now. Thank you for your prayers and support during such a difficult time. We are trying to take advantage of the rest of the summer before we head back to Cuba! We hope you enjoy some of our family pictures that capture our time here.

Ava and Audrey at our weekend Church Retreat
Myself, Sara and Tasha
Me & Jimmie
Ava and her cousin Leah at her Nina and Papa's house

Jimmie hiking in southern Indiana
A wonderful visit with Grandpa and Grandma Ball
Me & Chelsea at ALJC Youth Camp
Ava enjoying VBS Sunday

We are thankful for these great memories and have truly enjoyed our time here with family and friends.

We want to give a special thank you to Pastor W.E. Hutchins and Church of Champions as well as Pastor Mark Koogler and Yellow Springs Apostolic Church for their generous support. We would also like to give a special thank you to Pastor Carroll and the entire Southeastern district of the ALJC for raising funding for upcoming projects.

Our meeting with the Carrolls at General Conference

We have an urgent prayer request. As of today, we do not have visas. Normally we would have heard by now, as they applied for them over a month ago. Our plan was to leave September 1st, but we cannot purchase flights until our visas have been approved. Please join with us in prayer! We believe that with all of your prayers, we can hear THIS WEEK that our visas are ready! We are very ready to return and get back into the work of God in Cuba. There is much to do.

As usual, right before our departure is the time we need to raise the largest amount of money. We are thankful for those of you who are consistently supporting the work in Cuba. We have many travel expenses and project expenses coming up soon. If you would like to contribute, please send a check to the Cuba for Christ address listed on our blog or contribute online at our secure online contribution through Faith Apostolic Church (link also listed on this blog). As usual, thank you for your consistent support, whether it be through friendship, financial support, or prayers. We couldn't do what we do without partners like you! God Bless and get out there and enjoy the rest of the summer!