I took a short trip in July to Hammond, Indiana, for my Ordination. Let me say before going on that it is always good to go back to our home church and see our pastor and old friends. It was a short trip, yet it felt even shorter. The date to come back arrived, and we are now back on the field.

After arriving, we found that Cuba is going through a crisis! There is a shortage of gasoline. There are long lines of cars (I don’t own a car in Cuba) outside the gas stations, waiting to get some gasoline (not even a full tank). I move around the city and to other provinces on public transportation.

Public transportation has been cut by half, waiting times have doubled, and prices have gone up. In particular, though, taxi-cab prices are up a lot more. My frustration is that it is very difficult to travel to other cities to go check on new prospects for the Bible institute and to visit and encourage Cuban pastors whom I work with. I am confined to a small area now to preach the Gospel, but God is still on the throne! Amen. There must be something good out of this situation; I just don’t see it now.

We are out within walking distance—and I mean a long walking distance—on a regular basis, passing out Gospel tracts and winning souls because the work must go on. So far, I have led 12 souls to Jesus. Amen!

A few years ago, cell phones arrived to Cuba by the thousands, to the point that every Cuban—old, young, and even kids—had one. People became somewhat disinterested when I gave them a Gospel tract. This crisis is making people interested again.

The Lord Jesus gives consolation and brings peace to troubled hearts. Amen!

Please pray for:

1. God’s power for soul winning and preaching.
2. Our finances.
3. The shortages in Cuba to normalize.

In His service,

Ricardo Leyva

leyva4christ@hotmail.com • Ricardo.Leyva@fbmi.org