In May, the church sent a team of pilgrims to Guanajay, Cuba, for a visit with our sibling congregation, the Iglesia Bautista del Camino (Baptist Church of The Way). Our relationship began over fifteen years ago and is one of partnership rather than the traditional one-way mission trip. They are a faithful congregation and do not need to hear the gospel from us; however, witnessing what happened as we observed their church at work made us get out our pencil and paper to take notes!
As the economy of post-COVID Cuba is in much worse shape than ours, one of the ways we are able to show up in our congregational partnership is by providing financial support for some of their local projects through the First Baptist Foundation’s Faith Fund.
In exchange, we bring back 1) images of a close-knit church keeping its faith in a turbulent political and economic climate; 2) the privilege of our very own Rev. Anne Garner preaching the ordination service of their beloved Pastor Javier; 3) the all-day experience of participating with them in what is called Popular Bible Study, a model I want to consider here at First Baptist, and 4) a renewed commitment to future partnership and the loving assurance from them that they continue to pray for us every Sunday in worship.
—Matt Rollins, Minister of Community Engagement
“My mom and I had the incredible opportunity to join my church’s trip to Pastor Javier Perez’s ordination and spend time among the community of Fraternity of Baptist Churches of Cuba (FIBAC), most especially the Iglesia Bautista del Camino (Baptist Church of The Way).
I feel blessed to be part of communities that seek to build bridges between our deeply divided countries. I also feel blessed by the open hearts, minds, generosity, and hospitality from everyone I knew or met for the first time. Getting to spend time in prayer, bible study, and community with everyone was deeply nourishing.
I look forward to learning more about the relationship between the Alliance of Baptists here in the US and FIBAC in Cuba and to continue advocating for my government to ease off the brakes of policies and politics that hurt Cuban families in both countries.”
—Camila Rueda Torres, member of the Cuba Pilgrimage Team