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Pioneering in Cuba

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · May 5, 1904

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 81, No. 18.

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Pioneering in Cuba

THE following letter, which we quote almost entire, is from a sister who with her husband is engaged in self-supporting missionary work in Cuba:—
“Your welcome letter duly received, and I take the liberty to answer it, as Mr. Sterquel is at Bay City working, clearing woodland. Bay City is about twelve miles from La Gloria, and is an American colony.
“After we embraced the blessed truth, Mr. Sterquel found that he could not remain at his trade,—he is a machinist,—and keep the Sabbath. We had bought our land here before we heard of the truth, so, being determined to keep the Sabbath, we came here. Work was scarce, and not being accustomed to this kind of work, it went very hard. It did seem as though the Lord was trying us, for we have been through some very hard times; but, praise his name, when everything seemed so dark, with not one ray of light,—and O how Satan would work to discourage us on every hand!—the Lord would open some mysterious way for us, enabling us to keep just above want; for we were determined to keep the Sabbath and obey God. And so he has been leading us little by little.
“We find great oppression here. We are trying to get work so we can make enough to get our plantation started. We have to go very slowly; but we are satisfied just to be able to keep the Sabbath, and I feel sure the Lord will open the way for us as he sees best.
“There is a great work to be done among the Cubans, but to labor for them one should understand the Spanish language. Our greatest desire is to spread the truth. We do not find many who are sufficiently interested to investigate; they soon tell us that Sunday is good enough for them, and they are satisfied. It is a sad state of affairs.
“We are trying to do what we can for our Master. We hold our little meetings every Sabbath morning, and prayer-meeting every Tuesday evening. One man has begun to keep the Sabbath, and another one comes to the meetings. Sometimes we have only three and sometimes four. LAURA R. STERQUEL.”