Musical instruments & Bibles shipped to Cuba to fuel revival
Sep 11, 2013
By MARGARET DEMPSEY-COLSON
Florida Baptist Convention
HAVANA, Cuba (FBC)—What once might have been a long-forgotten musical
instrument gathering dust in a corner is now an instrument of hope and
evangelistic outreach in Cuba, thanks to the efforts of a partnership of
Baptists.
As revival has been sweeping throughout Cuba and new congregations are
being planted, one ongoing need has been for musical instruments to
enhance worship experiences for Cuban Baptists. The Western Cuba Baptist
Convention (WCBC), which has had a nearly 20-year partnership with the
Florida Baptist Convention, has started at least 100 music schools
across the nation to train worship leaders.
But time and again, the most daunting challenge has been the lack of
musical instruments, according to Ana Esther Rodriguez, music director
for WCBC.
"Music is critical in planting and sustaining churches," said Dirce
Cooper, who serves with the International Mission Board (IMB) in its
missionary outreach in Cuba.
"The aim of Cuban Baptists is to share the message of Christ through
music, while also encouraging musicians to use their gifts and talents
for Christ," she said.
The project, spearheaded by Mark Tetley, English-speaking pastor at
First Brazilian Baptist Church of South Florida, was a cooperative
effort of the Florida Baptist Convention, several churches in the state,
the Western Cuba Baptist Convention and the International Mission Board.
After hearing of the need, Tetley led his church to coordinate the
collection and shipment of not only musical instruments but also Bibles,
another pressing need in Cuba.
"There is a dearth of Bibles in Cuba. There are house churches meeting
in rural areas of Cuba that may have one copy of God's Word for the
entire group," according to Kurt Urbanek, who serves with the IMB as a
strategy leader for Cuba.
The project "took a long time to become a reality," said Tetley, but
"the dream became a reality as numerous entities cooperated together to
make it happen."
In mid June, a shipment of 170 instruments, 43 pieces of sound
equipment, 10 boxes of sheet music, 5,000 Bibles (purchased by the IMB)
and a pump for a new well at the Baptist camp left Florida enroute to
Cuba. The Florida Convention provided half of the cost of sending the
container by sea.
Instruments ran the gamut from numerous wind and stringed instruments to
drums and even a harpsichord.
"This project turned into much more than what was first envisioned,"
said Tetley.
On June 26, "the container with the Bibles and musical instruments,
after two years of prayer, came to our country. We watched at all times
God's hand at work. Only our Lord can make things so perfect," said
Rodriguez.
"The grace of God has worked a miracle again," he said.
So far, the instruments and Bibles have been distributed in more than 20
Cuban Baptist churches as well as missionary centers in each province. A
few musical instruments needing repairs will be distributed as repairs
are completed.
"We want to thank every brother and sister who helped, everyone who
prayed and especially those who invested their resources to bring this
blessing to our hands," said Rodriguez.
As thankful as Cuban Baptists are for the gifts, pastor Tetley is
grateful for the opportunity to be a partner in the project.
"This is one way for our church to let churches in Cuba know we haven't
forgotten about them."
Florida Baptist churches donating musical instruments to Cuba's churches
Betania Spanish Baptist Church, Miami
First Brazilian Baptist Church of South Florida, Pompano Beach
Hispanic Action Church, Miami
Idlewild Baptist Church, Tampa
New Jerusalem Spanish Baptist Church, Miami
Northside Spanish Baptist Church, Miami
The Church of Mojica, Miami
Trinity Spanish Baptist Church, Miami
Westside Baptist Church, Jacksonville
Source: "Musical instruments & Bibles shipped to Cuba to fuel revival -
Florida Baptist Witness" - http://www.gofbw.com/news.asp?ID=15428
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