One of the main highlights of the trip was meeting the host’s pastor. This said pastor helped us get connected to somebody else in the other side of the city. She heard of another pastor. Who’s doing the same kind of what we are seeing and doing in Canada like house churches and movements of the Holy Spirit. The said pastor is talking a lot about the Book of acts.
Meeting the pastor who was led by Holy Spirit
The team immediately went to meet the said pastor. A network of house fellowships and the same DNA. The team said the same blueprint been building from Canada as they talked with the pastor step by step. It became the module of the whole trip. It is the same thing. It is crazy how the things the network been building from and teaching from here in Canada- This brother receives in dreams! He has been building from for the past ten years! This network has come to light in Cuba. They are from a Baptist background. The community of believers here long for a deeper aspect when it comes to the life of the Spirit. The team found that it is the reason probably why a bigger team was being sent out in Cuba. This network opens access to their house fellowships. They are getting invited to a fellowship every day!
. One of the things the group noticed in Cuba is their idol worship of Santeria. The local tradition springs from the same root as voodoo in Haiti. It is mixed within the catholic church. They made a catholic version of Santeria somehow, but the story is the same demons that of voodoo and some other traditions such as queen of heaven, queen of the waters, the siren and so on. The people give gifts and offerings too. This is visible everywhere, especially the streets. They also hold demonstrations night and day towards this idol worship.
The invitation to house fellowships continued. One fellowship stands out. Towards the end of a beautiful time of worship, the group was split to two. Women's group stayed indoors and the men’s group outdoors to spend time in prayer.
Young lady had a dream led to baptism
There’s a young lady who shared a dream. She thought it was a bad dream. She ask for prayer. She shared her dream: She was standing in front of pure clean water. She was wearing a dirty black old rag as a dress. She woke up at this moment. The sisters spoke to her. They said, “It’s probably God speaking to you. Have you been baptized?” The young lady said, "No.” Someone replied, "He is probably calling you to be baptized.”
The ladies in the team shared the gospel with her. She decided to repent and to be baptized! At this juncture, there happened to have a tub in a nearby house. She experienced freedom in water baptism later in the afternoon.
We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Isaiah 64:6
A sorcerer drawn to prayer and got delivered
The men started praying outside. Suddenly a man is passing by in the streets.
He is a man who believes in Santeria. The people who believe in them are easy to spot in Cuba. They dress a certain way. They were the same jewelry, caps, necklaces and beads of colors that shows their rank in Santeria.
The sorcerer stops by and starts talking to the group of men praying from the streets. No one can understand a word he is talking about. The team thought these were probably demonic tongues. The pastor approached him. He asks, "Do you want prayer? Do you want us to pray for you?” Then he started weeping as he said, "Yes!” He entered the driveway. As he walked towards the group he started manifesting. He was shaking his whole body. He started crying. The men started praying for him.
They ask, "Do you want to be set free from this torment?” Are you willing to let go of the witchcraft of Santeria?” As he continued to shake and weep, he said, "Yes, I cannot bear it anymore. I am done with it. I am tormented.” So, the men got him to renounce Santeria, his parents' oats, blood covenants and sacrifices and whatever he has done. As soon as the prayer of deliverance began, he shook even more and vomited on the floor entrance.
He came back to himself after five minutes speaking in tongues. He started, "What is this language I am speaking out?” It’s not the same as in the beginning. He was told this is the gift of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. He came back to himself. He was offered food to eat. The Good News was shared, and he was willing to get baptized. In his words, "This is what I want peace in my mind." He was baptized in water in the same afternoon as the young lady with the tub found earlier in the day.
“We praise God. We give Him all the credit for what happened because none of this is planned or the agenda. There’s no event or anything planned like this. We wanted to just go with this family of peace. Our host and trained them during the week, that was just discipleship, evangelism, and intercession but the whole momentum that began in the doors that opened are paving the way for a return. A co working with this network in different ways hopefully. The Lord willing. That’s what we envision. “Olivier Buades (Team lead second mission trip in Cuba)
So many amazing things God is doing in Cuba. In the midst of oppression of idol worship, He is at work. Leading His people to Himself through dreams. The same we see Holy Spirit at work in the Book of acts is the same way today.
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