Christian leader applauds loosening of Cuba travel ban
Monday 20 Apr 2009
By Brian Harmon
Friday, April 17, 2009
UNITED STATES (ANS) -- The Americas Area Director for a global Christian youth organization applauds the opening of Cuba to visits by Americans of Cuban descent and Cubans who are U.S. residents. The new regulations will allow them to travel to Cuba and to send money there.
Fidel and Raul Castro have ruled Cuba since 1959
“While I am as opposed to Communism as anyone,” he said, “I think the new policy will have several benefits for Christians.”
“First of all, Cuban Christians will be able to go to Cuba to encourage our brothers and sisters there.
“Secondly, we can learn from how the church there is standing strong in the face of persecution,” he added.
“Finally, opening relations between Cuba and our free society may be the best way of freeing up the political situation in that country,” he concluded.
The director of this Christian organization was worried that mentioning his name, or the name of the organization, may prohibit them from continuing their activities in the country.
“I don’t want any mention of (my name or our organization) being involved with Cuba, or even stating that we think it will be good to have Christians visit Cuba. All of our people in Cuba say that we need to keep (our) name out of any internet chatter about Cuba. The fear is that the Cuban government will put (us) on a ‘watch list’ to keep us off the island.
“This type of thing happened to other USA based parachurch ministries. Currently, (we have) no ‘official ministry’ in Cuba, but we have a National Coordinator who went our general assembly and who sees himself as (our) guy in Cuba. Also there is a group of youth pastors who received training (from our headquarters) who are keen on (our organization), but the lower we keep our profile, the better the chance we can continue to help the Cuban youth leaders develop more effective ministry in their country.
“Yes, I do think opening up to Cuba is a good idea” he added. “From my visits to Cuba, I have the distinct impression that the embargo and sanctions in general are only hurting the common people. The government people still live comfortably, and the embargo gives them a whipping boy to blame all of Cuba’s problems on.
“I think more exposure to American people and the American way of life will bring about change in Cuba faster than the embargo and sanctions. We have done the embargo thing for almost 50 years and Fidel is still there. Clearly another strategy is needed. Lifting the Embargo will help create more good will toward America in the minds of Cubans, which will be a big plus when the Castro brothers finally meet their maker and the Cuban people are in a position to decide the future direction of their nation.”
Cuba recently rejected the visa applications from several leaders of this organization wishing to speak at a conference, according to this leader.
“Regarding the visa issue,” he said, “we asked for religious visas because that is what is needed to stay at the conference site, speak at sessions and meet with youth leaders. If they went as tourists they would have to stay in a hotel, and could not speak to more that five or six people at a time. The Americans and the Cuban director felt that to go under those circumstances would have been poor stewardship of money and time. They will probably go to a youth leader training conference later in the year. We received religious visas to do a similar conference a year or two ago. Apparently the Cuban government is more hesitant to let Americans influence teens, but more accommodating when it comes to allowing us teaching church leaders about youth ministry.
“It is truly a bummer that we have to keep the good news about what we are doing in Cuba out of the public eye,” he concluded.
Brian Harmon has taught college economics in Orange County, California, for over 20 years and is a recent graduate of the School of Ministry at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. He plays clarinet and teaches the Bible in nursing homes for Amazing Grace Ministries.
