Letter from Chris Levan after returning from Cuba this month: Nov 22.

First, thank you.  Thank you.  For everyone in Cuba, I send muchas gracias. As always, your generosity and good will were much appreciated.  And I am honoured to be part of our group and to accept people's thanks while I visit, knowing that you who have given so freely are not present to hear how much what we do is helpful and welcome.

Second, everything arrived as we hoped and in a form that was most useful to our recipients. The laser printer went through customs with nothing more than one question (Is it yours or are you giving it away?) It has been tested and works just fine. Wanda is over the moon. The suitcase of medications was equally well received. We sent some things that they have not had in years or ever...so well done Silke and Chris Theis! The money made it into the hands of those we designated (Ary/Beidy, Wanda/Orestes). The other gifts and letters, books, chocolates and our two cards of condolences were delivered as we planned.

Third, I met with Carlos the day after I arrived and sat with him for half an hour. It's a real tragedy. "The worst," he said, "Is the nighttime when there is such an emptiness in the house." I assured him that we were certainly with him in spirit and offered our prayers.  On the second Sunday I was there I met Harry and Jacqueline.  Harry was smiling through the tough times, but Jacqueline looked like she was barely making it.  I told her she had a whole circle of friends in Canada sending hugs and good wishes.

Fourth, things are very hard right now. The worst I have seen them. Everyone is thinner, food is hard to find (it's there, but expensive and in some cases not to be had at any price. Flour was nowhere to be found, for instance). The power goes out regularly. I think we had four meals in the dark and plenty of outages during the night.  Basically, every day we lost power for some period of time and that disrupts everything. In some rural areas, they only get power for a few hours a day. Water also ran out regularly. This hasn't happened before. And dengue is a real threat this season. There are four strains, one more virulent than the others. And that's the dominant strain this year. They haven't seen it take over with such force since 1981.

Ofelia (previous rector of the seminary) was in hospital for two weeks and gravely ill.  Angie's (Orestes' niece) husband was in bed for three weeks and looks like a skeleton still.  Very serious. Add to these issues the fact that the currency continues to devalue (you now get an exchange rate of 100 Cuban pesos to 1 $CAN), while prices rise (beer is now 250 pesos per can on the street), and we have a perfect storm of discontent. More people have tried to leave Cuba for the US than ever before. However much we might know that the American dream is an illusion, social media continues to influence young Cuban minds to think that it's a dream waiting to come to true.  In all quarters, I heard distress and hopelessness.  "No hay solida?" There's no way out.  Our best hope is solidarity.

Fifth, we talked about the portable music system, and we think the one that Tony found would work.   It could be a future project for sure.                    

Sixth and finally, now is not the time to give up or give in.  Our good will and prayers are certainly important. There is nothing that can replace the trust we have managed to create over the years. I have a few suggestions from Wanda and some ideas to try out. In the next few days, I'll write them down, so we can all have a chance to think about them before we meet next month at College Street United Church.

I hope this finds everyone well.                             Chris Levan