Cuba

We are currently supporting 15 full-time pastors in all provinces in Cuba. We hope to expand and raise funds for another 15 pastors.

If you are able to help us with $50 a month, that money will go directly to help a pastor in Cuba. We do not deduct an administration fee.

How do I go about it? 
You can either send us a cheque made payable to Jubilance Ministries, Inc. and mark it “Cuba” or you can use Canada Helps.org. In February of the following year you will receive a tax-receipt for your gift.

Jubilance Tour #1 to Cuba
CUBA – Summer 1999
Jubilance went to Cuba in August 1999 as arranged with the Cultural Department of the Cuban Government. There had been a window of opportunity open earlier in the year for evangelical groups, mission outreach, etc., but by August the only option open to a group like Jubilance was to go as a ‘singing group.’ There could be no official testimonies, altar calls or prayer time; however, the Lord is not confined by manmade rules and regulations, and the Holy Spirit was drawing the audience through the music –even the tour guide gave her heart to the Lord, a lady in her 70’s who had been an interpreter for Fidel Castro in earlier years. Many others also gave their hearts to Christ including one hotel manager.

WITH GOD NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

The words of each song were interpreted for the audience before singing. Just a handful of people were there at the beginning but gradually the people came in as they found out about the concerts by word of mouth, and suddenly there were crowds!

The Cuban people have very little – a roof over their head, clothes on their back and food to eat. Although it seems like there is no room for ambition or drive and nowhere to go, even so the people are grateful to President Fidel Castro for what he has done. The people are so open to hearing the gospel; there is much work to be done in that country – the fields are indeed white unto harvest.
 
Jubilance Tour #2 to Cuba
On March 21, 2002 in spite of all the setbacks, a small group of us (12 in all) left for Cuba. Our mission was to take all the outfits for the singers and deliver all the goods that had been purchased and donated for the Cubans.

We arrived on a Thursday, one group in the afternoon and one group late in the evening – all of us with two or more suitcases, two laptop computers with printers, three guitars, a full-size electric piano and several other smaller instruments. Our suitcases were full of clothing, toys, toiletries, medical supplies and over 600 pairs of eyeglasses, etc.

Some of the Cuban choir members were at the airport to meet us. Two members of the first group were singled out by customs and as a result, officials took 186 pairs of glasses. They said we would get them back, but in the end we did not.

The first day we unpacked 20 sets of Jubilance uniforms (including shirts, bowties, pants, socks, shoes, ladies dresses & shoes plus garment bags) so that the Cuban singers could make sure that the sizes were OK for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday presentation of Handel's Young Messiah.

We had some wonderful prayer and fellowship at the hotel every day. The average salary in Cuba is US$15-25 per month!!! Most of us spend more than $1.00 per day on our morning coffee or muffin. Next time think about the Cubans and thank God that you are so incredibly blessed in comparison to the way the rest of the world lives.

One Senior Associate Pastor at a major Pentecostal Church that gives a lot to missions said that sending people on short-term missions trips is a waste of money. I could not disagree more. The best thing that could happen to most people in this country is for them to go on a mission’s tour and realize that not everyone lives the way we do. In fact, less than one quarter of the world lives the way you and I do. Reports can be read, but when people see for themselves, then they will be changed forever!!!

On Saturday we rehearsed with the Cubans for several hours and then invited them to the hotel for dinner. Once again we had to get special permission and the Cuban choir was very surprised that we got it (our God is great!!). The security people were keeping their eyes on us, however, as I guess we were causing quite a stir. The choir was made up of 12 very nice people and what beautiful voices! They had only been rehearsing for approximately two months and most of them had the music almost memorized! They sang one of their Spanish songs that brought most of us to tears and was definitely a highlight of our visit.
The music festival went very well and was very well attended. These people know how to sing and praise God! We had been sharing about the power of the music of Handel's Messiah in terms of spiritual warfare and how making the declarations that are contained in the music ("King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and He shall reign forever and ever) could make a difference in terms of the spiritual oppression they are under.

All in all it was a wonderful four days. Some of our choir members and others at breakfast Sunday morning were told that they had seen lots of groups come from Canada and the United States, but our group was special! I don't exactly know why, but glory to God! We had hoped and prayed to be a blessing to these people and I think we were but they were in turn a special blessing to us!
 
Jubilance Tour #3 to Cuba
“To Cuba by Government Invitation”
In the early morning of March 23, 2003 after two years of hard work, cancellations, postponements and negotiations, a thirty-three member choir and orchestra finally lifted off from Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson airport en route to Havana, Cuba – an historical occasion! This would be the first evangelical group that the over forty-year old socialist Cuban government had officially invited into its country, and invited to perform the modernized version of Handel’s Messiah oratorio “The Young Messiah.” As in the original, the words have originated from biblical text and encompass the prophecies of the coming Messiah, His birth, life, death and eternal reign as King and Lord over all. It was also an historical occasion for some forty Christian Cuban musicians and singers who, for the first time, had permission to join with us in declaring the gospel through this God-inspired music.

Welcoming Committee
Having passed through customs and passport inspections, we were met by a three-member government delegation that was responsible for our official program.

First Meeting with our Cuban Friends
On the day of our arrival, we had a rehearsal together with the young Cuban musicians and singers at the University of Cuba’s Music Institute, Instituto Cubano de la Musica. These people were the Christian students of the school. As I spoke with one of the young violinists later and commented on her high level of musicality and her visible enthusiasm and desire to serve the Lord, her response was very clear: “God has provided an opportunity for me to study music. This school is very demanding, and we must practice long and hard. However, our priority is to serve God and learn to know Him.” Although I don’t know the enrolment number of that school, the twenty-four Christians in attendance make up a sizable percentage of the school. It was truly moving to see their shining faces as they sang and played with us.

Every member of our group that I spoke with after that first session commented about the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit, particularly as we rehearsed the Hallelujah Chorus. That experience alone was worth coming this far. We hardly noticed the total power failure mid-rehearsal, for we sensed that we were standing on holy ground.
 
A Cancelled First Concert
Originally, a concert had been arranged for us in some great hall in Havana, but we heard that the government had cancelled the event three weeks earlier due to a fire in the building. As a result, our bus transportation had also been cancelled for that evening. We had permission to sing only in the venues that had been officially arranged, and they did not include churches or local congregations. After some negotiation, they did concede to allow us “practices” in churches and, of course, our Cuban friends invited an audience to those “open rehearsals.” The first such practice took place in the Baptist Church of Havana, and more Cuban singers from the National Pentecostal Assemblies of God church joined us. During these evenings, we were restricted from giving personal testimonies or altar calls, but we were able to introduce the songs that we were singing. “Hallelujahs” and “amens” could be heard from the audience every now and again.

A Town in Darkness
The Saturday night concert had been booked in one of the official’s hometown of Bejucal, an hour’s bus trip away. Upon our arrival, we were met by a three-member welcoming committee who, after welcoming speeches, led us across the street into a small park where they had arranged an opportunity for us to become acquainted with Cuban culture and dance. The town was without electricity, and total darkness crept in. We could not sing without lights, so we returned to the bus, praying that God would liberate that town not only from external, but also from spiritual darkness. After some time in prayer, we experienced a taste of heaven in that bus. One member of our group commented that perhaps God had sent us not to sing, but instead to pray for that town. After that bus prayer meeting, we drove back to Havana where we had the opportunity to sing part of our repertoire.

A Busy Sunday
It was an early awakening and hurried breakfast the next morning; a concert had been arranged for us in Havana’s center in the Grand Theater at 11:00 AM. Upon arrival, we realized that there had been no advertising of this concert, and part of our group went on the street to distribute invitations to the concert. There were not too many people out so early on a Sunday morning and our audience was not large, although it did grow. However, all members of the official delegation were present at the concerts, and we knew that God’s Word would not return empty, but accomplish that for which it had been sent! It was interesting to note that Cubans also followed a custom that the King of England had initiated, in standing up for the duration of the Hallelujah Chorus, a gesture of honor to the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.

A “dress rehearsal” had been arranged for that evening in a beautiful, brand new, National Pentecostal Assemblies of God church in San Miguel del Padro. Canadian businessmen had funded this modern, spacious church and its choir members had joined with us on our tour. We heard that the government had given specific rules by which it wanted to control the growth of Christianity. Churches in existence during the revolution were allowed considerable freedom in ministry, but they were not allowed to grow. New churches were not allowed to exceed fifty in membership size. As many Cuban people come to faith, the churches spin off into smaller groups, and this in turn helps spread the gospel. The newly converted do not disappear into the masses, but instead receive personal teaching and support from established believers.

An Evening of Two Concerts
An opportunity presented itself the next evening to sing parts of “Handel’s Young Messiah” to a group of Cuba-USA Twin City conference attendees who were staying at our hotel. Immediately after, we rushed by bus to another official concert that was held in a huge theatre. By distributing invitations in the street once again, we were able to amass an audience of perhaps 100-200. Our music flooded through the open windows and attracted people from out on the streets. Many came in, and some stayed to talk with us after.

The Home Stretch
Our last tour performance was held Tuesday night, April 1 at the American Theatre in downtown Havana. It was the most powerful concert of our visit. We felt the presence of the Holy Spirit, and could hear many “hallelujahs” and “amen’s” from the audience. There were many who had interceded in prayer for that service.

Sad Farewells
After lunch in the hotel restaurant on departure day, our Cuban friends came to see us once more. We had gathered a “love offering” of money, clothes and articles for them, and they also wanted to give their Canadian friends something. A string quartet had prepared a beautiful goodbye piece for us. Up to a few weeks before our arrival, the musicians had not believed that they could sing and minister with us. On hearing this, our eyes misted over with emotion. As my 24 year-old cellist friend, Orlando noticed the tears in my eyes, he put his arm around my shoulders and said: “Don’t cry, my brother. I am so happy you came to Cuba. I would never have believed that it was possible to praise God and play music about Him with so many of my brothers and sisters from Canada. I will never forget this time - it has meant so much to me.”
 
The Challenge this Tour Presented
To see the love of Cuban brothers and sisters for Christ, and experience their love, challenges us to consider what part we can play in the equation. Our tour served to encourage and support the Christian walk and ministry of these talented young people that we met. Knowing that there are thousands of Cubans who pray for their nation, we are challenged to join them in their prayers. Through our prayers we are able to move the hand of God as we are in accordance with His will. God’s will is that all should come to a knowledge of Him. Cuban Christians also need our prayers…and did you know, they are praying for us! Jubilance Singers and Orchestra returned home deeply touched and with our hearts overflowing.

Tapio Rukkila
Translated from the article in Todistaja Magazine