Irma Aftermath Update

“You are incapable of imagining how this town was left after the hurricane; you wouldn’t recognize it.  There is destruction everywhere.  Many people literally lost their roofs over their heads or their house; schools and work centers are destroyed.  Today it rained a great deal.  It rained on all the belongings of the people whose house is without roof or damaged. It is not easy.  Food is still difficult to find and diarrhea is rampant.

Our church is helping the town people as much as we can.   Although 90% of Remedios now has electricity, the church still does not have power.  Yet we continue to cook for others and distribute food. 

 It is a time to demonstrate the love of Christ to others. And I know that you are doing everything possible to help our church help others.”

Today we received this e-mail from Ivelise who is part of the youth group of the church in Remedios; she sings in the worship team and is starting her sophomore year at the University.  She’s second from left in the photo.

 Omar taking eggs and milk to the elderly and destitute.

Yudit giving encouragement and food to an elderly woman in Remedios

Your donations are being distributed, in both Remedios and Buenavista, as rice, beans, oil, eggs, soap, medicines, charcoal for cooking.  Plus a heavy dose of love and caring. The church in Cuba is working tirelessly to help people affected by Irma. Pray for endurance, wisdom and peace.   Recovery is a long-term process.  It will take time for food supplies to be readily available and to rebuild.

. DONATE NOW on-line at www.svccchurch.com/give    Designate to CUBA MISSION

or send a check payable to SVCC and write CUBA MISSION on the memo line.  Mail to 8000 Santa Teresa Boulevard, Suite 110, Gilroy, CA95020

Hurricane Irma - Buenavista and Remedios

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Mangled roof on the top floor of the church in Remedios.  This is after they straightened it.

Last week Hurricane Irma landed on the northern coast of Cuba with it's 200+ winds and heavy rain.  Its path of destruction was felt in the coastal towns of the area and to residents there it feels like a war zone.  You have seen the videos and photos on the internet.

Remedios and Buenavista, towns about 10 - 15 miles from the coast suffered a lot of structural damage, but no loss of life.  They have no electricity, very little food, and water is not readily available.  Government assistance is non-existent.  Their efforts are focused on getting electricity back on.  

We are in communication with the pastors in these two rural towns to ascertain their greatest needs and provide the funds they need to purchase food, water, gasoline, propane to bring back some semblance of order to people's life.

All your donation - 100% - will go to directly help the people in these communities.  They are feeding people, providing a generator to charge cell phones, bringing them medicines, visiting the sick, starting roof repairs.  This is a long-term process in which short-term needs must be addressed.

Arelys is an elderly woman in Buenavista.  This is at her home.

Food market in Buenavista.  Roof is damaged

Medical office in Buenavista

Mission Trip July 2017

The question we grapple with is not so much who is our  neighbor, but what does a neighbor DO?.  (Luke 10: 36-37).  How do we LOVE our neighbor and why is it important?  That's what Youth Camp July 2017 was all about.

Whenever someone goes on one of the Mission Trips to Cuba, they are amazed by the love they receive from the people in Cuba.  So having a youth camp about love and relationships may seem a bit over the top.  Don’t they have this love thing down pat?   Not really.

Cuba’s culture is for the most part relational.  People are interested in people; they talk to each other easily and like to know what’s going on in the neighbors’ life.  But that does not necessarily play out into loving God or reflecting His love.

July 2017 Team:  Rachel, Juan, Amy, Sophia, Julie, Lexi, Jose, Carla and Oscar at FLL airport on a 6-hour layover before heading to Cuba

So this camp was about establishing relationships on the foundation of God’s love--  loving God, loving ourselves, loving people we don’t like or marginalize.  It was about reconciliation and forgiveness; and key components of love—compassion, involvement, inclusive community, and support so a person does not feel alone.