By Globe Trotter
My first experience travelling to Cuba was in August 2022. My destination was Guantanamo, which is situated east of Cuba, two hours from the Santiago De Cuba International Airport, where I was expecting to land after boarding a 30-minute flight from the Norman Manley Airport in Kingston, Jamaica.
“NO POSSIBLE! NO POSSIBLE!”
The officers at the Cuban airport were stern and military in their approach. I was beckoned to follow an officer into a room, after which I was searched. My bags were also searched, and a dog went through my belongings, sniffing everything, which was mostly food items and toiletries, as there was a severe food shortage in the country. I had packed roast breadfruit, escallion, thyme, peppers, garlic, and ginger as I wanted to take the Jamaican flavour with me, but this was seized and thrown into a garbage bin. The customs officer kept throwing things into the bin while saying, “No possible, no possible.” After they were satisfied that I was fit to enter, I was free to go.
I arrived in Guantanamo to a warm welcome, and rice and peas and chicken were awaiting me as my friends wanted me to feel at home. I quickly realised how warm and hospitable the Cuban people were, unlike those I met at the airport.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CUBA
Cuba became formally independent on May 20, 1902. Soon after the Fidel Castro government came to power in Cuba in 1959, they turned to the Soviet Union for support after the U.S. government imposed a trade embargo on the island. In 1961, the U.S. and Cuba severed diplomatic relations after the U.S. Bay of Pigs invasion failed.
Antagonism between the two countries has been escalating since, and the trade embargo continues to be the fuel driving the tension and plunging the Cuban people into depths of poverty. Whereas some U.S. administrations have relaxed the more stringent prohibitions to allow the purchasing and shipping of food and medicine, others have curtailed humanitarian and cultural exchanges as well as family visits to Cuba.
THE SPIRIT OF FEAR
An interesting observation after a few days into my vacation was the realisation of the spirit of fear. While the Cuban people were noticeably hospitable and loving, there was a spirit of suppression and fear hovering in the atmosphere. It was as if they were kind, with a smile on their faces, but afraid to cause offence to anyone. They reluctantly spoke about what was happening in the country, as if afraid to be accused of speaking against the government, so they chose to smile rather than complain.
MORE RUM AND WATER THAN FOOD
Noticeable was the severe shortage of basic food items. The supermarkets’ shelves displayed rum and water more than food. The daily quests of the people were to search for food wherever they could find it or afford it.
I also quickly learned about “the black market.” This was the forced way of shopping, as critical items could not be found in the government stores. However, the “black market’ is illegal trading; hence, vendors have to be looking out for the authorities while being suspicious of their very own customers, as anyone could be working with the government.
In Jamaica, it is common for small businesses to pop up in communities, as persons might open a grocery store, restaurant, bar, etcetera, but this is not the case in Cuba.
Owning your own business is not common, and you could be locked up if caught.
Food is very expensive and scarce, so there are a lot of people who are hungry. I was told that a neighbour would have rice and mango for dinner.
VIOLENCE-FREE
Another observation I made on this trip was regarding the levels of hostility and arrogance in Cuba compared to Jamaica. There was none in Cuba, while in Jamaica, there is such lawlessness on the roads and need for improving how we relate to each other.
As previously stated, the residents seemed to always have a calm and controlled spirit, showing love and kindness.
In Jamaica, it is common for a man to make a pass at a woman or say derogatory things when she ignores him, but in Cuba, women are respected as they travel the roads. This was a refreshing welcome for me. It was a delightful feeling of freedom, and self-control seemed to be the order of the day. Maybe this is also a fear of not wanting to be on the wrong side of the government.
I didn’t see any evangelistic outreach or people freely sharing the gospel in the streets of Cuba. As I distributed food and toiletries on this, my first missionary trip to the island, I used the opportunity to pray for persons, read the scriptures, and share the gospel.
I believe the Lord has given me a burden for the Cuban people, so I decided that I would visit again in 2023.