Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial

Western Cuba Baptists meeting needs amid Ian’s devastation

  • October 12, 2022
  • Florida Baptist Convention
  • Disaster Relief, Florida, Latest News, Missions
Damage from Hurricane Ian is widespread in western Cuba, creating heartache and dangerous conditions for residents.
(Photo courtesy of the Florida Baptist Convention)

Western Cuba Baptists meeting needs amid Ian’s devastation

Hurricane Ian, roaring through western Cuba Sept. 28, left a trail of destruction for a people who have long known hardship and scarcity, a people who have learned to live humbly and faithfully even in difficult circumstances.

Homes were splintered into piles of rubble. Churches, many meeting in homes, didn’t escape Ian’s wrath, with roofs ripped off their buildings and precious resources soaked.

Electricity: gone. Food and water: scarce. Shelter: hard to find.

Two weeks since Hurricane Ian’s assault on the island, residents are still recovering from the storm’s fury, and Western Cuba Baptist Convention’s Disaster Relief team, along with Send Relief, Florida Baptists, and other partners, are responding to the devastation left behind, said Kurt Urbanek, International Mission Board strategy leader for Cuba.

A team from Bejucal Baptist Church, near Havana, Cuba, travels to Pinar del Rio in Western Cuba with food, water, clothing, medicine and other supplies to help several churches damaged by Hurricane Ian and to provide relief to residents. (Photo courtesy of the Florida Baptist Convention)

Providing material needs

“Western Cuba Baptists are sending shipments of rice, beans, soup and clothes to the impacted areas in the Pinar del Rio province.

“They have three distribution centers and are working with all the churches, missions and people in the community, and they are also awaiting additional food shipments to help with relief efforts,” Urbanek said.

Because power has been down, Western Cuba Baptist leaders, working with Baptist congregations in hard-hit communities, have set up four electric generators for community residents to use and are also providing water filters to give residents access to safe drinking water.

Volunteers from Baptist churches in Havana, Cuba, which escaped Hurricane Ian’s damaging winds and flooding, are also joining in relief efforts, helping clear debris off roads, delivering supplies, praying and doing whatever it takes to help those in need.

“Disasters are always a ministry opportunity. Lack of power, lack of food — those are needs we are trying to meet,” said David Gonzalez, vice president of the Western Cuba Baptist Convention.

Sharing the gospel

Disaster relief teams from the Western Baptist Convention move trees off the main thoroughfare leading into Pinar del Rio, an area pummeled by Hurricane Ian Sept. 28.(Photo courtesy of the Florida Baptist Convention)

Such recovery efforts, Gonzalez believes, help residents see the “relevance” of the church.

“The fact that the church is able to help out the people and truly share the love of Christ to those who lost everything creates opportunities for the gospel and opens people’s hearts to listen to the message of salvation,” he said.

Amid such heartbreak, the church can thrive, believes Myles Dowdy, Florida Baptists’ lead catalyst for missions and ministries.

“One truth about the God we serve,” he said, “is how He makes good things come out of bad circumstances as we give those circumstances to Him. We see testimony of God’s faithfulness, goodness and power during difficult experiences.”

Throughout their history, Cuban Baptists have experienced difficulties time and time again. One Baptist leader, Dowdy said, who has lived through many tough days, remarked, “If the hard times help the gospel to be spread, then bring on the hard times.”

Grateful for the recovery response already underway in western Cuba, Urbanek knows that relief efforts will be ongoing. He urged prayer for those leading relief efforts and specifically for:

  • Residents to find potable water
  • Residents’ health as “dengue fever is at epidemic proportions”
  • Generators so that residents can cook and refrigerate food.

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Margaret Colson and originally published by the Florida Baptist Convention. 

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Seminaries partner to equip leaders, care for Ukrainians in crisis
    Seminaries partner to equip leaders, care for Ukrainians in crisis
    March 23, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Longtime NOBTS registrar Paul Gregoire dies
    Longtime NOBTS registrar Paul Gregoire dies
    March 23, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Endangered youth: When parents fail their children
    Endangered youth: When parents fail their children
    March 23, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Seminaries partner to equip leaders, care for Ukrainians in crisis

Could theological education be part of the solution for trauma? Leadership at Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary thinks so.  Sirens cut

Longtime NOBTS registrar Paul Gregoire dies

Paul Gregoire, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary registrar for 29 years, passed away March 21 after a brief battle with cancer. “Paul Gregoire was a

boy leaning on black wall

Endangered youth: When parents fail their children

Researchers today consider bad parenting one of the most important public health issues facing our society. Uninvolved, abusive, irresponsible, absent or immature parents are endangering

Former SWBTS professor of missions Samuel Shahid dies at 87

Samuel Shahid, professor of missions in the Islamic Studies program at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1998–2013, died March 2. He was 87 years old.

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel