Cuba

Maykel trained as a dentist and in youth ministry. While in dental school, he discipled university students and later high school students. He loved dentistry, but God called him away from it. He prayed for one and a half years about leaving his dental practice and then decided his heart was in youth ministry. He left his dental practice and came to our JFYM Forum. There God spoke to him about how Jesus built leaders. He asked God to give him leaders for his youth ministry. Maykel faithfully invested in the five leaders the Lord gave him. Over the last year that group has grown to fifteen. These fifteen leaders have begun discipleship groups for teenagers. The number of teenagers being discipled has grown from zero to over 100 teenagers in one year!

The Need:

Of Cuba's 11 million residents, 15% are between the ages of 15-19. Well over 50% of the people are 25 years of age or younger. Certainly Cuba needs trained youth leaders. Reach Out, the first ministry to train youth leaders in Cuba, stepped in to meet that need in 2003.

The Ministry:

In 2003 Reach Out's first team went to Cuba. We introduced 350 youth leaders to Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry. In Santiago, the east end of the island, and in Havana, the west end, the response proved overwhelmingly positive. Each year we have returned to give more focused training. Currently six Eagle Leaders are implementing Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry in their churches and are preparing to equip youth leaders in every province of Cuba.

The Plan:

In 2009 we will:

• Conduct six Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry Forums in various provinces of Cuba.
• Certify six more Cuban Eagle Leaders to equip and mentor other youth leaders in Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry.
• Translate and print eight resources in Spanish: Jesus No Equal and the Moving Toward Maturity Discipleship Series (seven books).

Click here for the latest eVision report on Cuba.

Two of Reach Out’s Cuban Eagle Leaders recently conducted a JFYM training forum in Placetas, Cuba where eleven youth leaders came together for JFYM youth ministry training.  Based upon their responses it is clear that Cuban leaders not only want training, they are hungry for it.  Here are some of their personal comments from the Placetas JFYM forum:

Novel: I didn’t know that we could come so far, or minister in such a marvelous way to the youth of our community.
Revolutionary: This has revolutionized my life and now I want to revolutionize the lives of the adolescents and youth of my community.
Refreshing: To know that we can apply Jesus’ strategy in this age refreshes my mind, reduces my stress and prepares me to obtain the same impact as that of our Lord.
Edifying: This Forum has ministered to my life in a surprising way. All of the ministry strategies that I know speak of doing and following others. This has begun helping me to simply follow Jesus.  I am making the necessary adjustments in my life.
Practical: It’s good to know that we can adapt everything to our context and our community/culture. What I don’t like about other ministry strategies is that they are not very applicable in Cuba. But this vision is totally adaptable in our country, our city and our culture.
Confirming:  Attending this JFYM forum has been a confirmation from God for my life.  I desire to pour all of my existence on earth into reaching and ministering to adolescents and youth.

Reach Out Cuban Eagle Leader Maykel summed the forum up this way, “Each leader left impacted and in love with the JFYM vision. Their individual Plans of Action were developed in communion with God and were very personal.  Each spoke of His presence concerning their plans and we are confident that as we make the necessary adjustments to our lives and ministries reflected by our Plans of Action, God will do great things in the adolescents and youth of our community. The Lord confirmed to each one that we are at the door of an awakening in our ministry in this community.” 

The Resources:

Reach Out has these resources translated into Spanish and available inside Cuba:

• Jesus Focused Youth Ministry Training Kit
• Jesus Focused Youth Ministry
• Jesus Focused Youth Ministry Presentation
• Moving toward Maturity Series
• Getting Started
• Building Leaders Set
• A Personal Walk with Jesus Christ