August 2011 

Partners for Cuban Camp Kids,   

                                                       
All over the world kids go to summer camp--Cuba too. Reach Out's Cuba team invited Eric Ball, International Director, to lead a camp. As always in Cuba, God created an amazing adventure out of chaos. 

Almost Thwarted

After Eric accepted the challenge, the trip became like a yo-yo--"on again, off again."

Yes, the camp is set!
   No, drought caused camp cancellation....
Yes, instead do a city-wide outreach!
No, the rains came--do the camp...
Yes, tickets and lodging are arranged!
   No, Cuba government jacked the usual price 7 times...  

       Yes, ticket agents worked a deal!             

On it went until departure time.  

Powerfully, the Overcomer overcame! "Weakness is what we felt going on this trip," Eric explained. "But we decided to boast that God is bigger than any obstacle we faced." Before leaving, the team surrendered their personal weaknesses and trying conditions to God. They chose to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit every step of the way.

Team Connections

Eric Ball (3rd from left) with his team.

Eric took a team of college guys he disciples--

two from Louisiana, three from Florida. The grandfather of two students fled Cuba when Castro came to power and never returned. So for Matthew and Michael, participation on this trip proved to be quite an emotional experience for their family.  

The team knew their purpose: to invest in Cuban teenagers like Eric invested in them. 230 high school and college students benefited from what the Lord had given them--to know Jesus intimately and listen to His Spirit in them. 

Spirit-Led 

Since the team prayed for the Lord to lead them step-by-step on the trip, they listened sensitively for His "still small voice." God spoke. They obeyed. God moved. As a result many kids opened their hearts to God, for example Ivan. 

Team members took clothes to give away at the end of camp. After praying about who needed clothing, one of them sensed the Lord directing him to Ivan. When he opened his room door, Ivan was standing there! He spoke no English, but accepted the clothes. Later that night, Ivan and three friends returned saying tearfully through a translator, "When you gave the clothes to Ivan, you gave them to all of us. We came to thank you." Typical for resource-restricted Cuban believers, Ivan took the clothes given to him and shared them with his friends instead of hoarding them for himself. The enthusiasm for responding to the Spirit's leading spread throughout the camp.
 
Generous Gifts

At the end of the week, the camp director told Eric, "No one has ever challenged our kids the way you and your team did.  Because of the quiet presence of God's Spirit in your team, three-fourths of the students have expressed a desire to know Jesus more intimately."

Your prayers and gifts to Reach Out allow us to go to places like Cuba, invest in our Cuba team and give them the gift of a summer camp. And we get to disciple college guys along the way. Thank you!