Cienfuegos
Conducted by
Dr. Harvey Miller
with the support of
Carlos Alberto, the local church pastor.
| Leaving Colon we headed Southeast about 100 kilometers to the city of Ceinfuegos. We traveled through the countryside full of sugarcane and rice fields before arriving in the beautiful seaside city that in its day was a playground for the rich and famous. The farther we traveled away from Havana the fewer cars and trucks we saw and saw more horse-drawn carts. After traveling many hours we finally arrived at the the hotel only to discover "there was no room at the Inn!" The few good Hotels in town were filled up. Once again God cared for us in our distress. Raciel, our driver, was able to inquire about housing for us and found a beautiful site, surrounded by water on three sides. This (►) was the view out of the front door! |  |
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The church is located on a corner lot in a residential community. Even With a membership of just over 200 about 350 were attending the meetings each night. We found that travel to the church by a large number of the visitors was in horse-drawn buggies (◄). With a little investigation, we learned that these buggies cost about 30 pesos ($1.10) for one of the buggies to take up to 11 people for 5 kilometers (3 miles). |
| We found that Guest Evangelist, Harvey Miller (►) (who is 76 years old) had been born in Cuba of missionary parents and lived in this community in the 1930's when he was a young boy. That he is a man of many talents became apparent when he opened the program with a song played on his Saw. |
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Under the leadership of Pastor Carlos Alberto and Dorcas leader Silvie Cuellar (◄), each Christmas church members place many gifts under a large Christmas tree. Then they invite many of the city's poor to give them Christmas gifts. |
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It is common for power to go off frequently in most cities, including this one. So the church was in dire need of a generator. Because of certain Cuban laws, they were not allowed to buy one. To help them resolve the problem, a man in an official position offered to purchase it for the church and provide it, and the requisite papers, for a fee equal to the cost of the generator. With the help of Harvey Miller they were able to secure the generator (◄). As we left for our next site Harvey and the Pastor were trying to work out the same deal on a new water cooler. Seeing Harvey Miller in action we are sure the church will soon have a new water cooler. |
| When Yunisdry Rodriguez (►) (now age 14) was 7 years old she attended a wedding at this church, but never returned. But when an SDA woman invited Yunisdry to go to church she did and hasn't missed a Sabbath since then. She said to us, "It is wonderful to be part of the church family." She began to study the Voice of Prophecy Bible study guides and then made her decision to be baptized. But her parents, who were having marital problems, said no, using their denial as a method of controlling her. Depressed, she took some poison and was hospitalized for a month. Then another blow. Her request for baptism was denied by the church board thinking she only wanted to become a member because of young man who was already a member. The Pastor visited her at the hospital and told her about the decision and ask her for her reaction. She said she felt "bad, but I'm going to follow Jesus anyway." A few days later she again asked the pastor for baptism. This time the board approved her baptism and she was recently baptized and is very happy. |
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| Comments
from Dr. Harvey Miller: Dear Elder Folkenberg. |
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