Cubans are Cute

I got two emails from people I met in Cuba this week. I haven't posted them before because I didn't have them translated. They are so sweet and encouraging. The first is from a girl I met on the college retreat named Lili. She and I really connected and spent a lot of time talking over the course of three days. (She's the one who introduced me to my Cuban boyfriend.) :) Lili is studying to be a doctor and has an interview with American officials about the possibility of moving to the U.S. Her interview is later this month. We also discovered that her birthday is just a few days before mine. We hung out a lot and had a great time just being together. Pray for her faith to be strengthened and nurtured and for her possibility of coming to the U.S. Here's her email (translated into English).

"Dear Laurie, we miss you so much. All of you have had a great impact in our hearts. If God willing, I hope to see you again one day. Keep your faith in God because only He can make anything possible. Help the people in need and each day you will take a step forward. I'd never want to lose this friendship. When you see the other people from the group tell them that they are very special because with you guys I learned that we must give our lives to God and that's what you all do. Thank you for being who you are, God has good things in store for you just put yourself in His hands.
"To cultivate life as a community requires humility."
I wish that you be very blessed by God, a friend Lili."

The other email I got this week was from Yalien. He was this guy who just seemed absolutely fascinated with our whole group. He could barely speak any English at all and would force one of his friends to follow him around everywhere and translate conversations with us. He gave me his phone number which cracked me up because it's not like phone calls to Cuba are a piece of cake and it would be pretty darn difficult to talk to him over the phone considering we don't speak the same language. Here's his email (also translated).

"Well you told me I could write to you in spanish and I will but if you prefer for me to do it in english, I could try. How are you? I haven't been able to write but this is an opportunity to test it and if it works then I will write to you with more patience. I have a lot of things to tell you and share with you but I have to go to class.

A kiss and write to me,
Yailen"

Now here's the really cool part about this whole emailing thing. I speak a little Spanish, but not enough to fully translate these emails. So I have been asking a co-worker of mine to help me. She is not a Christian, but she is translating for me and reading the comments about God etc. When she first translated Lili's email her reaction to it was "this is so sweet!". So I am praising God not only for the opportunity to write to my friends in Cuba, but also the ministry to my co-worker. Pray that her heart would be softened toward the things of God and that He would use these emails to create opportunities to share the gospel.

Gloria a Dios!