Perspective - a Report from Influencers Cuba By Bryan Craig

Imagine.  Imagine if you lived in a world where the average wage was $20/month.  Where most people did not own a car and depended upon horse dawn carriages, bicycle taxis or wagons pulled by tractors.  Where most water came from a well but was not fully suitable to drink.  Where electricity existed but only for a few hours each day and where temperatures were extremely hot and muggy.  Where education existed but not many jobs or career paths; even those trained to be doctors have no medicine or equipment or a facility in which to treat people.

For most of us reading this blog, this seems like a scene from the early “pioneer days” in the United States, yet this is a real place in 2025, only an hour plane ride away from Miami.  And in the midst of a difficult existence, the Church stands strong and shines brightly.  Believers gather frequently at their local church.  By the way, most of these churches are small structures with a gathering space, connected to the living space for the pastor, along with a little land to grow vegetables or keep livestock.  But the believers gather.  It is important for them to gather, to be in community.  Some even travel great distance to be with the body of Christ. 

Henry and Eugenia Gutierrez, our Directors of Influencers Latin America and my wife, Missy and I visited these churches.  We were with the people for a week, sharing in their tough living conditions, but also sharing in the hope and love that can only come through Christ.  As I saw people pressing in together in these gathering spaces, with some people standing outside, looking through the windows, I felt like I was witnessing a scene from the early church.  I saw the same spirit described in Acts of believers gathering together, praising God, dedicated to God’s Word, praying, enjoying food and helping meet each other’s needs.  I saw glad and generous hearts.  It truly was an amazing sight to see.

And we brought them great news. God, their Father and our Father, loves them so much that He not only sent Jesus to be their Savior, but He wants an intimate, abiding relationship with them. He sees them. He knows of their plight. He cares about their dreams. He is willing to help them. He is able to do more than they can even imagine.

At least 30 groups have been exploring the concept of abiding after being introduced to The Journey to the Inner Chamber a year ago on Henry’s first trip to the country. One church even surprised us with a dramatic presentation of Part One of the book, and the Refugee Camp and Influencer and the Castle and Inner Chamber. It blew us away to see that they get it! These groups are so hungry to know more and long to read Rocky’s other books and to go through the 9-month Journey process.

But we also met over 120 people who did not even know what The Journey process was about. For these groups, we used a method that Henry and Eugenia have used multiple times. They basically expose them to the Prayer Cottage retreat, having them read the book during 3 hours in the morning and then, have them work through the rooms in the book in the afternoon. We brought 100 copies of The Prayer Cottage in Spanish in our suitcases. It was so interesting to see these people, many of them pastors, joining us for a “Retreat” where they were expecting a day of teaching, only to be told to go “read a book.” Henry did a great job of setting it up, explaining the most important aspect of why we were there, as he asked them, “How’s Your Soul?”

At the end of the day, they were put in small groups, where they shared the impact the book had on them and which room touched them the most. Just as in the U.S. and in other places we’ve taken The Journey, there were personal stories of God touching lives. People found God’s love and forgiveness for past sins. People found forgiveness in their hearts for others. One such example was a pastor who had a broken relationship with another pastor from a disagreement. After going through the Prayer Cottage, he asked the other pastor for forgiveness and then, invited him to his house for dinner the next night. Beautiful and ALL GOD!

And after two of these such “retreats”, 115 people signed up to go through The Journey. I believe this is a method worth trying in the United States as a way to introduce people to The Journey. More on that to come.

So, our abiding mission team of two couples shared our hearts, we shared teaching on abiding in Christ, we prayed for many people for healing and peace, we brought provision in the way of household goods and in financial offerings to help the pastors, we encouraged them and showed them Christ’s love. But as those of you who have been on a mission trip to an underprivileged community know, we came back far more blessed than anyone we helped.

Cuba is another example of a country where God invited us. It was not part of some great mission strategy. And God is always stretching our methods and thoughts. I just did a blog and a podcast about our International plan to take bi-lingual internationals through virtual Journey groups and then, support them as they bring The Journey back to their home countries. It is a plan that has worked. However, it won’t work with Cuba because most people do not speak English and because they don’t have the power infrastructure to support internet calls. So, Henry will continue to mentor and support our Champion, Ernesto, over there, but we will have to trust God and tell them to trust the process laid out in the Journey Manual. And we will be praying for a solution to print the curriculum. They do not have book publishers and it is not easy to get large quantities of books shipped there. And most of the people do not have cell phones or computers with which to read digital copies. Please pray with us about this.

Eugenia said to me, “Normally, we have all the resources for The Journey and not enough people interested to use them. Here, they have all the people, but not the resources.”

But God will provide. He always does! And being with the Cuban Christians accentuated the spiritual truth that the difficulties of life build spiritual hunger and strength.

Oswald Chambers says:
God does not give us overcoming life: He gives us life as we overcome. The strain is the strength. Are you asking God to give you life and liberty and joy? He cannot, unless you will accept the strain. Immediately you face the strain, you will get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the step, and God will give you to eat from the tree of life and you will get nourishment. If you spend yourself out physically, you become exhausted; but spend yourself spiritually, and you get more strength.

We had a driver, Oswaldo, who took us everywhere in a van all week. He was not a Christian, but he was watching us and the people. We invited him to participate in one of our Prayer Cottage retreats. After reading the book, he told Henry:

“These people don’t understand the essence of this book. If every Christian lived out the principles in this book, the world would be a better place.”

I say, Amen, to Oswaldo’s proclamation. May God multiply the seeds planted on this trip a hundred or thousand-fold and may the Influencers in Cuba impact their marriages, their children, their communities and their country. These beautiful Cuban Christians are part of our family and part of our mission.

Watch the video below to see the skit that this Cuban church performed of the Refugee Camp from the Journey to the Inner Chamber!