Cuba Plane disaster

[Marg Shurtliff]

Most of you reading this have probably heard of the plane crash in Cuba taking the lives of so many people ,including 10 Nazarene pastoral couples . For over 10 years Canada Central District has twined with Cuban churches and we add to the pastor's support of "our" church. So we had great interest in this . Some churches here lost their pastors , while others like ours and the other Ottawa church in Bridlewood didn't. We came really close to losing ours though . He is at la Maquina church in Guantanomo Bay . A group from our church wanted to visit that church but security in that area forbid that but many Ontario churches have visited their twin church . The National Director for the COTN in Canada is in Cuba at the moment as well as Ontario NCM directors and they have been able to assess things and help as able .We have an ongoing special offering . Unfortunately in the States you can't give to Cuba . ( law prevents that )

Our pastor Yasel wrote this to my pastor  ( Frank) in Spanish. A friend of mine , Leticia , translated so it would be accurate . I understood most of it . Our pastor just missed being in that number of dead . Their District Secretary , District Treasurer and District NMI leader all died . The DS is just reeling .

 

Frank, God bless you, talk about it is very difficult and painful but we have to be thankful for the bad and good things in own lives. I have only happy memories of my brothers when we shared an event of pastoral marriage in Habana. I'm very thankful, I was just about to board the flight with my wife but was impossible for us to make it, my heart is heavy with sorrow, I know God is going to take control and give us a way to continue with his work. Many of His children (congregation) are praying for the families right now. Well (baron) I will keep you posted. Greetings and blessings.

I told a friend of mine at TOPS about it and she gave me a cheque for our offering tonight - $ 200 !! She has only ever been to our Bridlewood church for funerals .

Though saddened we do have things to praise God for .

 

[Marg Shurtliff]

This is somewhat long but worth the read .

Dear Friends,


Thank you for your continued prayers for the families affected by the airline crash in Cuba. It is the first airline disaster to this scale in Cuba, as well for the Church for the Church of the Nazarene. 20 members went to be with the Lord, including 9 pastors and spouses, and the district secretary and her spouse. I knew 6 out of the 10 couples, and of which some were close friends. It has been very stretching for the church here, as Cuba West (National leader - Leonel) cares for identifying the victims, and supporting the family members who traveled to Havana to assist in this process, and Cuba East cares for a district which has lost 10 pastors and leaders, in Holguin.

Cuba declared an official 3 days of mourning. The country is very sad, and they are doing much to support their people. Cuba is also recognizing the great loss in our church. National news has been following our pastors, interviewing our leaders, and attending funerals. Our people have say, they have never seen a protestant church highlighted on the national news before. They are praying, through their great loss, this may open hearts even more in Cuba.

The accident happened approx. 12:30pm on Friday, and Esther Boodhoo and I arrived on Sat. eve., near the end of a prayer service, where many denominational leaders had come to support the Church of the Nazarene at the central Nazarene church. The people said they had heard after lunch we were on our way, and anticipated us joining them late in the evening. They said it was a relief knowing we would be there soon.

It is very difficult to explain all that has happened. We comfort many mourning people, provide support to the leaders here who are in deep grief themselves, as they try to care for their people with few resources, without their staff, because the district treasurer and district secretary died in the crash. DS Luis relied on these workers every day. I know the Lord is upholding DS Luis. He is a wonderful man and leader but this has been very difficult to navigate, without his workers, and in his own grief.

On Saturday evening, when we arrived, we met DS Luis at Holguin Central Church of the Nazarene, and spent time with him and his family. We prayed with him, praying for God's wisdom to know what to do next, as they would soon begin receiving those who had perished in Havana (12 hours away).

On Sunday, it was a day of mourning, and many churches gathered for prayer, not for a service. The DS gave his people instruction to meet, even if they are not able to do anything but pray. Imagine 9 congregations, with their pastoral couple in heaven. We boarded a small church bus, and traveled to reach a remote church, to comfort them. It was the sister (sponsor) church to Esther and Jerold Boodhoo, and it was a very emotional time for all. To reach other places, we boarded a very large truck, to travel on the muddy roads. There has been much rain here lately. Then we were back on the bus, and on the return trip, the bus broke down, so we were by the side of the road for quite awhile. It was then I realized, the DS would need better transportation to manage through this crisis, as he was also in an accident in April where his life was spared, but his car was wrecked. I was concerned that he was having to worry about transportation, and how he would get from place to place.

On Monday, we went to the funeral home, only one of two in the city, (they have now opened up a large hall down town for the wakes), as it began receiving the deceased, and people were gathering. Thousands of people had gathered by Monday night, many people distraught for their loved ones. A Nazarene pastor from the East coast, Mark and Ruth Collins, were in Cuba, when the crash occurred. They joined us Sunday eve., and were helping as well, and through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, and donations from the East, they were able to rent a van for the DS. This was a great relief to DS Luis, as the grieving families and congregations are in many different places around the city, and in the country side. On Tuesday, we were at the funeral home by 7am, for the funeral of the first couple, the pastor and her spouse (Norma and Jesus), sister church to Erie St Community Church. Although they normally have traditional services, it is very different because of the crisis, and needing to lay so many to rest in one week. In Cuba, the bodies must be buried right away. For these reasons, there was a short service held at the grave site. Following Norma and Jesus'. we sent to a second visitation for a pastoral couple (district treasurer), and then had a service at the cemetery. In the afternoon, we arranged to provide more funds to their district administrator to help purchase food for the many pastors and visitors who are coming in from out of town. In the evening, we met Dr. Ian Fitzpatrick at the airport, and ate dinner at the DS's home, and then returned to the funeral hall, where Pastor Ian met many of the grieving pastors and family members for the first time. He was able to share and pray with some of the youth from Holguin Central Church.

We believe the most necessary imedidate needs in the crisis have been cared for, as we will continue to support our church family here, as we attend the visitations and funerals. More international leaders are coming in today.

DS Luis and Illiana, and their children Junie (Lisber), and Julie are precious people. It is very difficult to see them suffering along with their people, in the enormity of their loss. Erie St has been connected to them through our sister church partnership program since 2007 but never did we imagine walking through the valley of the shadow of death, with them. We truly are a global church family.




Isaiah 57:1-2 says, The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.

We do not claim to know why this accident happened, and our Cuban brothers and sisters are suffering. The verse above was shared by a youth at a church in Nova Scotia. The Lord gave it to her, and she didn't know why, and then went to church and heard about the plane crash.




Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We are also coming alongside, several children and youth who have been orphaned. They all have family and church family supporting them, but it is very sad. I comforted one young lad, Lisa and I only met a month ago here. Several others I have known since 2012.




God is hearing our prayers, and He is providing. God is good and we will trust Him in the valley. Some of us have spent many joyful times with our Cuban family, we must be with them in their sorrow too. This is what family does.

Donna

[Gina Stevenson]

Verrry sad. 😢

[Marg Shurtliff]

Please pray for our Cuban pastor ( of our twined church). He missed getting on that plane and is feeling guilty about that . I am sure he has a lot to work through but I am sure God had a purpose in sparing him and his wife .

[Gina Stevenson]

"Survivor's guilt" ~~ common when things happen. Learned of that firsthand years ago, tho' I was rather messed up in the accident I survived, too. For years it was like, "If I'd stayed awake to keep the driver awake . . . "