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Magical Cave Swimming
Rachel Rasmussen swimming in a Cuban caveLEIGH WROTE A WONDERFUL STORY ABOUT OUR TRIP TO THE CAVE WITH A MAGICAL SWIMMING HOLE (SEE PICTURE OF RACHEL FLOATING). SADLY, THE STORY COULD NOT BE FOUND AT PRESS TIME. IF IT TURNS UP, WE WILL POST IT LATER. KNOW THAT LEIGH IS BACK TO HER OLD SELF AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF AN ENERGY-DRAINING AND BELLY-ACHING SICKNESS.
Joy Cucita
Ever since I stopped going to Cuban school, I have had a Spanish teacher named Cucita. I go to her house for class every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2-3 p.m. I have noticed a great change in my Spanish since I started classes with her. She has helped me a lot and I am grateful.
Cucita’s house is on the main street called 2 de Mayo. It is about 2 ½ blocks from the Seminary. It’s a busy street. Therefore, there are almost always people stopping in to say hello or to see how her 92 year old mother, who she is taking care of, is doing.
She lives with her mother, her daughter, granddaughter, son-in-law, son, and daughter-in-law in a two bedroom house with very little living space, even without all six people.
Joy and Cucita
Joy with her Spanish teacher Cucita She sleeps in a bed in her kitchen.
Anyway, I was doing a Spanish exercise when a man came to the door looking for her son-in-law and holding half of a dead pig. When I say half a dead pig I mean the pig was headless and cut evenly down the middle so it was as long as a pig just not as wide, seeing as to how it was missing the other half.
She told the man to bring the “meat” into the kitchen. To get to the kitchen you have to pass through the living room, which was where I was. Her house is very long and not very wide so whenever someone passes through the living room it is a very tight fit. Therefore I got a nice view of the pig’s insides. I will spare you all the details but once he (and the pig) had passed by I, naturally, burst out laughing.
I must say that this was one of my favorite moments of this trip. It was awkward, no doubt about it, but it was original, at least for me. And I like original.
-Joy
Kiran Leigh,
aka, Luci- has been studying violin with a private instructor here. She had studied violin for 2 years before we arrived. She started in late October with a Cuban instructor and has had lessons weekly since that time. Her lessons are 1 2/2-2 hours long, with a small break in the middle.
He pushes her, laughs with her and most of all pulls amazing music out of her. In March, he played a 2 page concerto for her during lesson. He then said she would learn the piece. Week by week, they trudged through the stanzas and dynamics of the piece until one day a pianist came to accompany her. At this practice she was set up beside the piano. He was in front and slightly to the side of her. I was the audience in a rocking chair to the side. As the music started, he began directing her as one might direct a large orchestra. Waving his arm, using his face to show the emotion of the moment and his body to crouch at the quiet parts and stand on tip toes in the loud parts. He from time to time would shout, “todo el arco”….“all the
Pressure Point Treatment
Seminary professor, former doctor, and neighbor Marianela giving Leigh a pressure point treatment bow!” or “no miedo”…..“have no fear!”. When she finished, she looked at me and went “wow, that was really good wasn’t it?”
……. and it was.
Now life is in High gear. The students are done with classes, the dorms full of families and visitors here for the graduation. We delight in being with and celebrating the many Fraternity of Baptist pastors and lay leaders that will be graduating tomorrow. We represent many friends who give thanks to God for their faithfulness and dedication.
Saying Good-bye
The longer we are here, the deeper we fall into the mystery. What I mean is that in the year we have lived in another culture I think I have learned far more about my own culture than the one that has hosted us. However, I have learned loads about Cuba in these 9 months, yet have tried to spend these months not trying to have it all figured out. We have met people with hope for Cuba’s future and others with only bitterness and despair. I have heard stories- good and bad, about the pre-revolution days, talked to people who walked for days to see Fidel enter Havana, and
Graduating Pastors
Kiran, with of a group of women pastors and lay leaders from the Fraternity of Baptists, most of whom are graduating from the seminary on the 8th meet others that want nothing more than the first ticket out of town.
We are to the point of saying good-byes - and it really is heart breaking. It is the opening of every conversation. Have you liked Cuba? Do you want to stay? Will you come back? Will you remember us?
We are hopeless to respond adequately. I can’t find words to say the gratitude I feel for the kindness we have received. I try to smile it to them, hug it through their skin and kiss it through their cheek to a place where it might say it for me and stay.
We ask for prayers for our final weeks here….. prayers that will continue to hold and sustain us and our friends and family both here and there that will feel the impact of our departure and arrival.
We give thanks for the medical team of our friends at home and some fabulous doctors here that got Leigh through Giardia and other ailments for a few weeks. We hope to return open to all the mysteries that lie ahead and time to catch up with all that has occurred in the lives of
Is Leigh OK?
Leigh’s class coming to the seminary fence to make sure she is ok after missing a few days of school our friends and families while we have been away.
Besitos y abrazos Fuertes, Kiran
Mark It’s a hot Saturday here in Cuba. While Kiran is out accompanying some of our friends from a church in Santa Clara, I am sitting down after a morning of doing laundry (a little more time intensive here) and cleaning up after the church’s visit in our home this morning (about 20 of them, most of whom wanted to participate in the great Cuban custom of sharing coffee). It was a fun visit. We continue to enjoy our role of being a hospitality house here at the seminary. The drop-ins feel more frequent as our departure is drawing near and I think word has gotten out that we are now able to make a darn good pot of Cuban style “black gold”.
Joy and Leigh are over helping some friends get ready for a surprise party tonight. Tomorrow, a seminary student and a professor both share a birthday. We anticipate the usual - the Cuban version of potato salad, lots of sugary things and a couple hours of strumming and singing. It’s always a good time.
We are entering into
Celebrating
Celebrating with Tony Santana, the president of the Fraternity of Baptist, after passing the defense of his Master’s thesis on Prison Chaplaincy in Cuba the home stretch. Most of the conversations now turn towards our leaving. Last night, as we were walking to our church for their 112 anniversary celebration, we predictably ran into Rosa and Rosa Lee (you would think we were back in NC already) trying to catch a bit of evening breeze on the sidewalk in front of their homes. They are two of Kiran’s “third age” crocheting buddies. When Rosa realized that we are weeks away from leaving, she hugged Kiran with all her might and I could see her eyes begin to moisten. It was a sweet moment, one of many that I imagine will come our way in these days. Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of people here who could care less that our departure is a few weeks away and some who probably wish it was sooner. Cuba is not immune to the complexity of human relations. However, as you have probably already gleaned from the blog, we have been blessed with some wonderful new friends this year.
I had a sense that it would be this way. After many months of stuttering attempts to speak, to understand and to find our place, we
are more and more tasting the fruit of the labor. The connections that form in the face of the barriers of language, culture and divisive politics feel particularly precious. Now, it’s kind of like finally learning how to ride a bike and then getting called home for dinner. And yet, while a large part of me would enjoy more time on the bike, dinner time makes sense too. I feel a sense of satisfaction with the work that I have been a part of, with the relationships that have formed (and will continue) and I am looking forward to sitting around the table again with you all.
The last weeks will be full. Rachel Rasmussen, from Circle of Mercy, arrived on the 1st and will spend 3 weeks with us. It is fun having her here with us and with her command of Spanish, she will be a great help with some of the work that remains. The seminary graduation is on the 8th. On that same day, we head to a camp near Havana for the Fraternity’s retreat for pastors and their families. We leave immediately from there and take 2 days to drive down to Gibara, a
Haircut
I learned an old Cuban proverb: “Be aware of friends who offer free haircuts” coastal town in the province of Holguin. There, at a Quaker camp, we (the team) are putting on a three day final event for all those who participated in the prison chaplaincy trainings from the Eastern end of the island. We are expecting around 75 people. After another two days of returning, we will arrive back in Matanzas on the 18th and have a week of packing and good-byes. We are planning to spend 4 days in Havana before flying to Cancun and then to Charlotte on June 30th. We hope to use those days for seeing more of Havana, visiting friends and making some time to acknowledge the wide range of emotions surrounding the departure and the return.
Mainly just wanted you all to know what is coming. It’s nice to know that you know. While I’m sure we will all feel some jolts in this transition, knowing that you all will be receiving us is a source of great comfort. Thanks again for being family for us and with us this year. See you soon.
Much love,
Mark
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Tracey
non-member comment
Sweet
Thanks so much for the updates. I'm so glad to hear that Leigh is better. I know this is a bittersweet time for y'all. Kiran, your comments about hoping your hugs and kisses can express what words cant resonates with me. And Mark, we are ready for y'all to "come home for dinner", though its "kinda" hot here. Nothing like Cuba, so 90+ days will be welcome i'm sure. Tell Leigh and Joy we miss them and can't wait to see them!