NICK D’ACQUISTO’S CUBAN EXPERIENCE

 

I remember hearing Isaiah 9:2 when I landed in Cuba a few weeks ago,  “A people walking in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

 

I of course was unsure of what to expect in this place but as I began to get to know the people of this country, I began to feel the weight of the years of difficulty behind the eyes of those I met. Faces worn with hardship, a country reeling from economic struggles, religious persecution and heavy weight of oppression. Each Cuban lives roughly on $30 a month and receives a ration of rice, beans, cooking oil and five eggs. Yet the Cuban smile is hard to erase, and amidst the weight of difficulty, I saw a glimpse of hope in these eyes. 

 

On our second day, I met over a hundred church planters who had gathered to strategize the next group of house churches they were going to start. We heard from seasoned planters about the best practices. One couple shared how they planted five churches in the last few years and their excitement to plant more. As the church planters discussed the rising food prices and how things had been really hard the past year, I found myself quietly comparing how I had frivolously spent $50 over the last week and this was their survival for an entire month.

 

GIVING GOD YOUR “YES”

What God came to bring us – light out of the darkness, beauty and joy from the ashes, was tangibly right in front of me. There was an open door for the gospel in Cuba, a door that has been closed for a long time and I was staring it in the face. 

 

I was asked to preach at an outreach service in a neighborhood in Havana in which around 200 showed up. I was told that most had never attended church. So I decided to preach a message titled “giving god your yes,” in which 43 Cubans decided to give their life to Christ and I was utterly amazed. I then realized that the heaviness I had felt was a spiritual battle for the purpose of preparing me for this moment. It was extremely humbling to be used by God to bring a message of hope in the midst of darkness. My heart goes out to the people of Cuba, the power of gospel is strong in this country and CrossCity is proud to stand with World Help.