A Container for Cuba

by Craig Henry

On July 21 a ship arrived in the Port of Mariel in Cuba having left Miami earlier in July. Among its cargo was a container filled with things needed by various churches and people in Cuba—food and fans, lots of generators, solar panels, construction material and much, much more. Unfortunately, the Cuban government does not allow the shipment of medicine in this way. The effort to fill the container was led by Northminster Church in Monroe, Louisiana, and Rev. Eduardo Gonzalez, pastor of our partner church, Iglesia Bautista Enmanuel in Ciego de Avila. Northminster has had a partnership with Enmanuel since 1994. The US government allows shipments of humanitarian aid to Cuba from churches to churches.

In total eleven congregations, most with partner churches in Cuba, contributed to the effort. Besides Northminster the churches include Kirkwood Baptist Church, St. Louis, Calvary Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Circle of Mercy Congregation, Asheville, NC, First Baptist Church, Asheville, NC, First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, DC, Glendale Baptist Church, Nashville, TN, Hominy Baptist Church, Candler, NC, Oakhurst Baptist Church, Decatur, GA, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC, and Ravensworth Baptist Church, Annadale, VA. I hope I haven’t left anyone out! 

There is of course a backstory to this effort. When DH Clark and I were in Cuba this past January Eduardo mentioned his dream of being able to lead an effort to load a container in Miami for Cuba. At the same time we were in Ciego de Avila visiting Enmanuel, there was a group from Kirkwood Baptist Church in St. Louis visiting their partner church in the small community of Bolivia near Ciego de Avila. One of the members of the Kirkwood delegation heard Eduardo mention his dream, and he agreed to pay for the container and its shipment to Cuba!

Thus began the effort to get Alliance churches to help fill the container. We knew Northminster and Kirkwood could not do it alone. At the Alliance of Baptists’ Annual Gathering in Washington, DC, in April DH and I sounded the call, particularly in the meeting of churches having partnerships with churches in Cuba. Many scores of emails later (which on one occasion I mentioned was like trying to herd cats!) and finally a WhatsApp group, the churches listed above joined with us. Eduardo had already arranged for a facility near Miami to receive items to be shipped. He and his wife Queen came to Miami in late May to supervise and facilitate the effort. As you will see from the photos, thanks be to God, the container was ultimately filled with Eduardo and Queen leading the way. (shown in photo above)

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in this important endeavor. Obviously the contents of the container will do a lot of good. I believe this is the first time that Alliance congregations have joined together in this way to help our partner churches in Cuba. But it will not be the last time. In this first venture we learned many lessons and look forward to the next one. Stay tuned! And join us next time!

Cuba si!

Craig Henry

Northminster Church, Monroe, Louisiana