The youth are the future of the church. This is
something that I have heard many times since my arrival in Cuba. One Sunday,
after the service, the youth gathered for a meeting similar to Bible study.
During this gathering several things were discussed, including this about us
being the future of the church. One person responded that she does not like
when people say that we are the future. In reality, we are the present of the
church. Why wait until the future to act when we can have an active role in the
present. (I will discus how we are presently playing a role later in this post
but I want to talk more about what was covered during this meeting.)
What is the hardest thing about being a young adult
[in Cuba]? This is a question that was followed by a pensive silence. Living up
to expectations was the first response given. In other words, accomplishing
what every teenager and young adult craves -- independence. In a society where
working professionals (dentists, lawyers, engineers) earn about $20 a month, it
is nearly impossible for a college graduate to live in a house by himself or
herself (basic house costing about $30,000). With a cell phone bill of the bare
minimum of $5 a month, cost of water, electricity, and food, it is hard to
imagine how people are able to survive on their own. Because of this, it is not
uncommon to see three generations living under the same roof, with all of them
working to support each other. In Cuba privacy and independence are things that
are almost as foreign as an American missionary.
In
one of my many conversations about American culture, the topic of college
graduates living at home with their parents somehow came up. “If you are in
your late twenties and still living with your parents there is something
wrong,” I said. In Cuba this is the reality. The only way that you will find
yourself living away from your parents is if you get married and your spouse
has a house or apartment that they inherited or somehow acquired. The dream of
young adults here is to get married, have children, and live a life of their
own -- independence.
Young
adults have an important role in the church here: presence. When a large
majority of the congregation is made up of 70 year olds or older, the biggest
fear is that soon there will be a need for new members (if you get my drift.)
One method to attract people on a Sunday morning is music. The church in
Cardenas has a music group that consists of a drum set, bass, guitar, piano,
bongos, congas, and four singers. It is also important to note that two of the
people in this music group are the daughters of my host Aurelio. This hints to
the involvement that family has in everyday life here. Music brings life to the church, and the
people behind this music are all young adults. This is a perfect example of how
we are not the future of the church -- we are the present.
****
One thing I have heard is that congregations here
are very fragile. On one hand there is an appearance of prosperity. Hosting foreign
groups in churches geta a lot of attention in the larger community, which helps
the congregation grow. Attention is good. The problem comes when those visiting
groups stop coming, when it is not uncommon to see attendance decrease by half.
****
What
more would you all like to hear from me? Leave me a comment down below and let
me know. More food? More inventions? An article on Santeria?
This
post is sponsored by Lynn Roach (my extremely patient high school history
teacher), Sally Farrell, Sandra and Richard Tombaugh. Thank you all for your
support.
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