On Monday, June 2, we left the Northwest Indiana area and headed south. We stopped in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to give a report to a supporting church. We had a great Wednesday night service, and the following day we had a nice tour of the city and its surroundings.
Afterwards, we headed south to Louisiana to report to two supporting churches, one on Sunday morning and the other one on Sunday night. We spent a week in the heat of Louisiana. We asked each other, “Which is hotter, Cuba or Louisiana?”
The following Sunday we presented our ministry in two new churches in the Houston, Texas, area. The Lord blessed. One church took us on for support right on the spot, and the other one promised to do it as soon as they could. Again we asked each other, “Which is hotter, Cuba or Texas?” One thing we agree on: Hell is hotter! We must reach them while we can.
We continued south towards the Mexican border. We crossed into Mexico and drove ten miles to the Customs checkpoint. We were told that we needed a permit to continue further into Mexico, so we had to go back to the border to get such a permit. After coming back again to the checkpoint, I drove by without stopping. A young man who was sitting by the side of the road screamed at me saying, “Come back! Come back! You need the seal of this checkpoint!” Needless to say, had I kept going, I would have gotten in trouble if I had been stopped by the police further into Mexico.
I gave this young man a tip—he deserved it—but not without witnessing to him! After a clear presentation of the plan of salvation, he received Christ as Saviour! I believe that behind this young man screaming for me to stop for the seal on my permit were also the groanings from the Spirit leading us to witness to him! As Romans 8:26 says, “. . . but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
We drove two more days to the southeast part of Mexico where, after two weeks of preparation, we flew to Cuba.
Thank you for the emails of encouragement and for the birthday wishes for my wife.
The Leyva Family
Serving Christ in Cuba