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NCC Home > Delegation Wrap-Up Story > Cuba Journal Jan. 22 > Jan. 23 > Jan. 24 > Jan. 25 > Jan. 26-27 > Jan. 28
Days 5 & 6: January 26-27, 2004 The two final days—including joint meetings with regional church leaders, hosted by the Cuban Council of Churches—were perhaps the most important of the delegation’s visit. The National Council of Churches’ relationship with the Cuban Council of Churches predates the Cuban revolution; yet the meetings these two days highlighted anxiety over U.S.-Cuban relations. Robert Edgar, who heads the NCC, leaned over to several of us at the start and said, “Today, we get down to the business of changing the world.” Certainly, we hope these simple meetings can be an agent of change through us. Several Cubans expressed fear of being on
President Bush’s “Axis of Evil” list, in a possible progression of
Afghanistan-Iraq-Iran-North Korea-Cuba. Many Cuban church leaders see the relationship with the NCC as pivotal. It provides a way to share how the embargo has especially hurt the Cuban church and its ability to provide pastoral care for its people. For others, it’s a way to ask for more direct changes from the grassroots up – having us tell the stories of what we learned here to elected officials back home. For still others, the meetings are simply a way to share our common goal of walking together during times of crisis. The NCC’s efforts to normalize U.S. relations with Cuba are greatly appreciated by Cuban church leaders. They have hope that our collective work will change the hearts of politicians in this election year. Almost every discussion included the expressed hope of lifting the embargo, expressed as an almost-constant breath prayer.
The NCC was in Cuba because its communions are part of a movement of churches helping to change aggressive historical political rhetoric against the island nation. In the midst of conversations in large- and small-group discussions, signs of true connection emerged. The two days ended with a joint statement meant to call all gathered to action – to pray for each other and take the Cuban reality home and share it with others. We stood, joined hands and sung the hymn that’s been part of changing hearts and minds for more than half a century – We Shall Overcome. Although most of us have sung it many times, this time we held the hands of a group of people who have truly overcome much and remained faithful. Tomorrow, we head home. |
Cuba Journal
“Honestly, I feel that your president may look to
Cuba next,” said one Cuban Council of Churches member, referring to the
recent U.S. history of pre-emptive war. Several of us standing nearby noted his
anxiety. Although members of the U.S. delegation tried to assuage those
fears, expressing the unlikely odds of such an outcome, some Cubans
remained unconvinced. 
The Cuban church has survived, bringing hope to a
growing religious population in a nation historically used as a pawn in
worsening economic and political tensions.