Greetings!  

As you know, Dean Kate and I are traveling to Cuba this weekend to attend a wonderful celebration at the Cathedral of San Lucas in Havana. Of course, the U.S. government has in place tight restrictions about Americans traveling to Cuba. Those who have family in Cuba are eligible to visit. And those traveling as part of a religious organization are also allowed to visit, provided they obtain the necessary license.

So, license in hand, we are able to travel to Havana, falling as we do into the permitted category of a religious organization. I have to say that after months of preparing for this visit, I know we are going not just on a religious journey but to be with family-- our brothers and sisters in the Episcopal Diocese of Cuba.

On Sunday, we will attend the installation of the new dean of the cathedral, the Very Rev.  José Angel Guitiérrez. We are going to Cuba at the invitation of the Bishop of Havana, the Right Rev. Griselda Delgado Del Carpio, who has graciously invited us to stay in her home. Two St. John's parishioners, Bo Parker and Anthony Oswalt, are traveling with us at their own expense and will be processing, as will Dean Kate, at the installation. We will be taking gifts with us, including Books of Common Prayer in Spanish, vestments, photographs, cards, and other items that people from around the Diocese of Florida have asked us present on their behalf. (I was surprised to learn that guitar picks and strings are very expensive in Cuba, so we are taking some of those to give as gifts.)  

I have spoken to many people from churches around our diocese, and many of you at St. John's, who have been on previous church trips to Cuba. I know you share my feeling that Christians in Cuba are family to us. Icons written by St. John's parishioners on a previous trip to Havana now adorn the cathedral where we worship on Sunday. What a blessing it will be to see those, and to experience fellowship there as some of you have done in the past.

I am little nervous about being in a place where my iPhone and credit cards won't work, where I'm not supposed to shop for souvenirs and where my understanding of the language is minimal at best. This is indeed an adventure, but I know we go with God and this will build powerful bridges with our church family in Cuba. I cannot wait to learn more about the lives of those who live and worship in Havana. We hope to welcome Fr. José to visit us in Jacksonville in the near future and we also pray St. John's parishioners can be part of many future visits by groups from the church in Florida.

Those of you who have been on mission trips to Guatemala and other faraway places know how powerful and rewarding it is to be part of global ministry. God's work transcends politics, history, red tape and language barriers. What a blessing it is to work to build his kingdom, here and wherever he leads us.

In Christ's love,

Theresa