Missions Monday

First Missions Trip to Cuba

It takes several months to get all the documents and logistics lined up to travel from the USA to Cuba and this was our first trip.  Everything proceeded smoothly from Tampa to Miami and then to Cuba itself.  I had 12 folks with me on this first trip and we as excited as a kid in a candy store.  The flight by jet takes only 38 minutes from Miami to Jose Marti airport just outside of Havana Cuba . 

We had lined up several activities for this first trip, working with the Churches, doing a VBS, witnessing where we could, visiting outlying Churches and working with the Sunday Schools.  I had taken two hundred and twenty pounds of Sunday School literature and books, mostly in Spanish as well as Bibles for many of the Churches.  Upon arrival at the airport (keep in mind that this is Cuba, so you have a long walk from the plane to the terminal (which is like an airplane hangar and probably was at one time), there are guards with guns and dogs and the process is not automated so it is extremely slow.  Of course this allows for your bags to be inside once you pass through customs.

And, so it was.  Once we got inside the baggage area, we were able to locate all the bags of our team members except mine.  The man bringing the bags out told me yours will be out soon.  Soon turned into 2 hours at which time I sent the team on ahead to check into our hotel.  Several attempts to get my bags were met with they should be out soon, I could seem them sitting in the back.  Another hour and a half and my bags come out, I proceed to the inspection line and it takes another thirty minutes to answer what each major item was.  Then finally I was cleared to go on, I had taken about ten steps and another Cuban official hollered STOP, which I did.  They went through everything again and asked me more questions.  Again, I was finally cleared to leave.  I had made it just about to the door and I here another loud STOP, and of course I stopped.  This time it was a much higher Cuban official who stopped me and wanted to go through my stuff, which he did.  Finally I made it out the door and to my waiting ride.

We had no other problems during this trip and I was able to make friends with the airport manager (with some Oreo’s and baseball cards) and we flew first class several times after that, just for a bag of cookies and some baseball cards.  I have never felt threatened our in danger while in Cuba and find it to be full of wonderful caring folks and a beautiful place to visit. 

John Hartley

Elder

Missions Committee Chairman