As we walked down the dirt road towards one of the Training Centers AFC Canada had built, we could hear worship songs fill the cool evening air. Over 100 youth, ages 17-26, came from both the east and the west of Cuba to be encouraged and challenged in their Christian discipleship. Travel was challenging, as one-half of public transportation in Cuba is shut down due to a fuel shortage, as a result of the blockades. Some of the young people were fortunate enough to get train tickets. Others travelled in the back of dump trucks. But all arrived with excited spirits and open hearts to what God wanted to do in their lives. Even though the first two nights saw the temperature drop to 12º C (which is freezing by Cuban standards, as no one had a blanket), their spirits remained high and jubilant.

In the previous year, at our very first Youth Congress, the theme of the teaching was “I am where I am because this is where God has placed me.”  Brian challenged the youth with the fact that God had placed them exactly where they were so He could use them in whatever situation they encountered in their lives.  This year, our theme was “Christ is My Life.” At the end of the weekend, each person received a silicone bracelet with our theme phrase imprinted in Spanish (Cristo es mi vida). We explored how the apostle Paul and his companions were able to turn the world upside down because none of them counted their lives as their own, but only belonging to Christ. Each committed themselves to be the same kind of disciples, as they made their way back to their home communities. On our final day in Cuba, seven of the youths from a city in the far Eastern part of Cuba sent a text with the picture of the bracelet on their wrists.

Being able to effectively challenge and mobilize the next generation for Christ is key to continuing the revival that is still happening in Cuba. Amid towering difficulties, people’s hearts are open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for the spiritual growth and maturity of these young people, as most of them will be moving into leadership roles in their country. Help us catalyze them into a movement that will be the new wave for turning Cuba upside down for Christ.

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