New Pines Church In Camajuaní, Cuba

Hope Church has a sister church in Camajuaní, Cuba.  Pastor Miguel Broche and his wife Tatiana moved to Camajuaní in late 2003 to take the helm of a struggling church with under 40 members, most of whom were senior citizens.  Today "La Iglesia Evangelica de Los Pinos Nuevos, Camajuaní" is thriving with over 200 people involved in worship, and almost 400 involved in home Bible studies!  

Camajuaní is a relatively small town in central Cuba, and the church is increasingly being perceived as a threat by the local communist government officials. Because the Cuban government actively resists the growth of evangelical churches, the church cannot get building permits to expand their facility. Ironically, this pushes more activity into their home Bible studies, which have extended the church's outreach into the community!

 

 

Pastor Tom Masterson and his wife Kathy have been to visit our sister church twice--first in June 2004 and then in October 2006.  The second time, their eight year old daughter Sydney accompanied them and got to enjoy some fellowship with the children of our sister church.  Hope Church member Beti Gonzales also led a women's Bible study at the church during the last visit and Tom led a two week-long course at the seminary. The best way to describe our sister church is as a vibrant and growing community, energetic and sincere in worship, and faithful in prayer. These Christians are expressing a bright and eternal optimism in a very dark and difficult cultural context.

Our sister church requests our prayers for God to raise up more leaders to care for their growing membership. Please keep Pastor Miguel, his wife Tatiana, and their two children, Elisa (9) and Miguel (7) in your prayers, along with the many who are serving in their midst.

Bicycles for Cuba

 

 

 

In May of 2005 Pastor Santiago Perez, the president of the denomination, The New Pines Evangelical Church in Cuba, came to San Antonio to visit Hope Church.  During a reception held for him at the Rumbo's home, Pastor Perez was asked what the needs were in his denomination at that time.  He first responded that the evangelical church is expanding so rapidly in Cuba that their primary need is for God to raise up leaders to help shepherd and grow His church. 

When pressed for an example of a more concrete need, Pastor Perez revealed that another urgent need among his growing churches is to have more bicycles for their pastors and missionaries. 

Why would the church in Cuba need more bicycles?  Transportation in Cuba is extremely primitive by third millennium standards, and cars are far too expensive for most Cubans. 

With a bicycle a pastor or missionary can greatly expedite their visitations to prospective church members, and extend the reach of the small groups they can facilitate in people's homes.  Home based small groups are the primary means through which the church is Cuba is growing.  A single bicycle multiplies the amount of time that a church worker in Cuba can invest in the most strategic types of ministry.

After the reception, we took up a small impromptu collection.  Pastor Perez used the funds to purchase bicycles (at a mere $75 dollars each!) for some of their most under resourced new works.  Check out the faces on these Cuban pastors and missionaries as they are photographed with their new bicycles provided by the members of Hope Church!