Cuba: Standing room only for House of Light dedication; world church president visits island

November 9, 2007 Buey Arriba, Cuba …. [Rajmund Dabrowski/ANN]

When church officials and guests joined a 500-strong crowd for the opening of a new house of worship in Buey Arriba, it was Raul Alvarez who received the loudest applause.

A recently retired pastor, Alvarez was given a hero's welcome for his contribution to a Seventh-day Adventist congregation, which on Sunday, November 4, officially dedicated a new church. Once a political advisor to the leaders of the Cuban revolution, Alvarez returned to celebrate a victory of God in a town at the foothills of Sierra Maestra Mountains in Southeastern Cuba. In the early 1960s, Alvarez embraced Adventism, whose mission gave him a different calling. Until recently, he was a president of the church in the region.

Together with hundreds for a standing-room-only ribbon-cutting ceremony, Alvarez could not hide his emotions. Years of trying with limited resources to build a sanctuary culminated on that Sunday evening with joyful tears and embraces fit for the occasion.

Referred to as the Buey Arriba House of Light, the church — a pastor's home whose living room can sit a 200-member congregation — celebrated in style. Rain did not stop anyone from attending the dedication.

Heavy rains on the day of the celebration delayed the arrival of U.S.-based Maranatha Volunteers International (MVI) — an organization responsible for building the sanctuary — and officials of the Adventist Church. When they arrived at 6 p.m., they were already two hours late for the ceremony. But the crowd was waiting. There were more than 500 in attendance in the church that can seat only 250. Every corner, seat and windowsill was filled with people.

Laura Noble of MVI remembers visiting the Buey Arriba house of worship a few years ago. In all her many travels, this was one of the few places that really scared her, she recalled. The roof was made of very heavy red tile held up with a framework of sticks nailed at the apex with a single nail at each joint. Worse yet, she remembers, every stick was absolutely riddled with termite holes. “The whole roof was held up by termites holding hands!” Noble said.

The need for a new house of worship became acute as the congregation grew to 200, according to Adalberto Gonzalez, church pastor. Instead of approving the plans for a church building, the Cuban government extended permission to build a House of Light.

A Maranatha House of Light acts as both a home to the pastor and his family and a house of worship. “But it looks suspiciously like a church!” Noble said. One could not help but wonder how many other living rooms in the region have a baptismal pool. Following the ceremony, a baptism of 10 new church members added to the elation of the high day.

Daniel Fontaine, president of the church in Cuba, expressed gratitude for the House of Light in Buey Arriba. “It is very meaningful for us. We at least can have one place, one light, where people can go in search of peace and hope that only Jesus Christ can give.”

“And for our country to let us have a place like that,” he said, “we are very thankful.”

Across the island, in Havana, the Adventist Church in Cuba welcomed Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist world church. On Friday, November 2, Paulsen joined 80 delegates of the church's Inter-American (IAD) region attending an annual meeting of its executive committee. Arriving at the Havana airport, Paulsen was met by Caridad Diego, the head of the country's Religious Affairs Office.

Speaking at a Sabbath worship service in Havana's Vibora Church, Paulsen said, “I feel the strength of your commitment and spirituality. There is so much fire in your soul.”

“There is much interest about our church in Cuba,” Paulsen said. “It is somewhat isolated, but when brothers and sisters ask, 'Tell us about our church in Cuba,' now I can tell them it is alive in the Lord. It is strong. They live in obedience to the Lord.”

“This visit to Cuba is very significant, especially for the church and the government in Cuba,” said Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America.

Although Cuba is one of the 15 major territories in the region, it has not hosted the IAD executive committee meetings in 62 years, according to church sources. For two years, in the mid-1940s, the Inter-American region was headquartered in Cuba. In the Adventist world church, Inter-America represents the largest region with more than three million members in three dozen countries.

Speaking at the opening session of the IAD meeting, Paulsen recognized the church's “strong focus on mission.” He also emphasized the church's need to “build strong communities and meet the world from a position of strength.”

He continued the theme of Adventist involvement in society when addressing a representation of the state and local government on Sunday. “We don't carry a political agenda. As a church, we are aware that while we are a spiritual community, we are committed to building society,” he said.

Referring to “positive engagement in society,” Paulsen added that Adventists “want to make a contribution to communities, and to make communities more secure.”

Copyright (c) 2007 by Adventist News Network.