The New Socialism

So...Raoul Castro is now in charge. And he's got a new "brainchild" that will help promote the great and righteous principles of Socialism/Communism.

Capitalism.

I'm not kidding. Read it here.

I always said those Castro boys were special...but I just didn't know how much.

~m

Sorry I haven’t updated you. Things have continued in the same insane “Bryan” fashion that I have come to be used to. More notes will be coming because school starts next week and one of Megh’s home school assignments is blog about her trip.

Here are a few notes:

The trip was flawless until they hit Atlanta. Apparently Atlanta has joined Chicago’ O’Hare airport and any part of St. Louis as being a “black hole” of un-travel-ness. Like a black hole where light and other matter can get in but can’t get out, Atlanta sucks in travelers into its pleasantly named Hartsfield International Airport only to leave them there wandering about hoping to find a loop-hole or time-space ripple of something that allows them to escape. I watched the growing drama from the comfort of my kitchen table… the Delta plane was supposed to arrive from New Orleans and pick them up… but it never left…and yet, strangely, after three hours of delays, the Delta flight that hadn’t left Louisiana…suddenly was loading in Atlanta bound for Louisville. Kevin said that he felt a tinge of sadness as he boarded… some people had been there all day and looked longingly at those “chosen ones” slipping past the apparent weakened gravitational pull of the airport at 11 pm (our team was supposed to have left at 8). Here’s why I know that Atlanta has now become a black hole of un-travel-ness. I watched as flight after flight was either delayed or canceled even though the skies were clear!

They arrived to many cheers at 1:10 am. We arrived home after 2. Libby was beside herself with their arrival. Peanut the Cat didn’t appear to notice. Megh came home with only the clothes on her back (as instructed) and had jettisoned everything she took including a huge navy blue duffel bag with “Meghan Bryan” painted in white on the bottom.

Kevin said that the entrance into the country was the easiest he had ever experienced. One of the concerns was that, upon entering Cuba, each person would be required to go into a room and be interrogated. And groups going into the country could get way-laid badly by one simple misspoken phrase. So the team had practiced their “etiquette” and hoped they were prepared. This caused Meghan a lot of anxiety and actually a panic attack…she said the strangely tinted bulbs, all of the police with mean faces and guns, and masks, like the newcomers were infected with some Zombie virus or something…made her stomach hurt and head swim. Most members of our team had their own bag and were bringing in an extra bag of baseball gear…and Meghan hadn’t looked into her bag to make sure she knew what was in it, which added to her distress. Just as they were getting close to the front of the line, an official-looking lady got their attention and told them to follow her. Eventually they did and within minutes found themselves past the interrogation rooms and past customs! Several of the adults had been to the country before and none could remember anything like that happening. It was nothing short of a sweet miracle.

One thing that impressed Kevin was how quickly our young people “evaporated” in among the Cuban kids. The first day they stuck together and seemed a bit unsure but immediately on the second day it seemed like they each had received an understanding on what they were to do…get involved…and they jumped in and did it. He thought it was utterly amazing how well the kids communicated without the aid of a translator. (The lady who went to help just couldn’t be in so many places at once!) Meghan said that sometimes they used hand signals, sometimes they pointed or drew pictures. They played a lot of “what is” type word games that helped share their languages to each other.

He also was amazed at how safe he felt. He didn’t fear for his equipment or himself (or the kids) as they traveled. In some countries, especially “controlled” ones, he would know that he was being followed or watched. He had no such suspicions in Cuba, which means they are that good, or they just weren’t doing it, or…that my husband is getting old and losing some of his “detective-like” senses.

Only one odd thing: One day the transformer blew up at the church because of the heat (it was the hottest July in memory there). The pastor called to report it but said he didn’t think it would be repaired soon, if ever. Within 90 minutes a crew arrived to look at the problem and within an hour had it fixed. Everyone there considered it a miracle. When Kev told me…cynic that I am…I said, “They knew you had a professional camera…they wanted to look good.


Example of a transformer

Who knows?

More coming soon…maybe with actual pictures!

~m

While You Wait for a Cuba Report...

Please enjoy this music video:



It was done by the Buena Vista Social Club which is a band that was named after a club in Havana that was well-known for its music scene in the 40s and 50s. Some of the older members of the band used to play in the Havana night club before the revolution.

Also...

Click here for a report from Cuba's President. And for once it wasn't Fidel. You might could call this "same song, second verse," perhaps.

~m

American Soil!

I just got a call from Megh! They have touched down in Atlanta.

Here is the run down:

Megh: "Mom? Shhh! Stop it! OK, Mom? Patrick says he love you. OK Mom? Hey! We're in Atlanta! What? OK...Patrick didn't say he loved you...Bobby says he loves you. Shhh! I'm on the phone with my MOTHER! OK Mom? It was Fantastic! OK...I'm telling her! As soon as we got to Nassau every one of us had a big, juicy hamburger. Even Sarah, who doesn't like French fries because they're too greasy had some and said they were the best French fries she has EVER tasted! But the cokes weren't as good as the tucola...not "chewcola"...tucola as in the number...yeah...not CHEW...it's 2...tucola. Yeah. It has real sugar and is AMAZING! And I LOVE black beans and rice but I don't want to have some for awhile, OK? Stop! Shhh. I'm trying! It's my MOM! Do you want to talk to her? OK then... We're standing in the plane waiting to get off...it was a GREAT trip...Huh huh YEAH! OK. Yeah Chad was leading a cheer. We have a new nickname for dad...it's "Daddy K"...you know we have 2 Mama J's on the trip and now a Daddy K...it's so cute. Please bring me my cell phone...and an Ale 8. Yeah. When I barely touched down just now I yelled "I have signal! I have signal!" and dad yelled "Call mom!" but I can't text my friends that I'm home because I don't have their numbers in dad's phone. I was using it to listen to music. OK...I have to go. I love you! I'm SO glad we went and I'm SO glad we're almost home! Here's dad.

Kevin: It was INCREDIBLE...we will bore you FOR HOURS!

Me: I can't wait...I dare you to bore me!

Kev: Uh oh. It looks like we won't get in until midnight. Must be the weather. We've dodged stuff all the way in.

Me: I've got a diet coke right here.

Kev: OK. To the left...no your other left! OK, dear? Got to go! Trying to get this crew something to eat!

Me: OK LOVE YOU!

click.

So there you have it...you were the first to know!

~m

The Itinerary Says They're Out

The itinerary says they've left Cuba, but I've not heard from them officially. I probably won't until about after 8pm when they arrive in Atlanta.

This silence is nothing new. Years ago I would go weeks without hearing from Kevin. Weeks. In some ways the not knowing is good. I can't worry or fret about some equipment glitch, there's nothing I could do if one of them were sick (except pray), and changes in the schedule or video plan might make me crazy knowing that they "need" to shoot specific things for a certain project. However, these changes can only make me crazy if I know about them. If I don't...we can victory dance all we want because we don't know any differently! Bottom line: Ignorance can sometimes (but not always) be bliss.

And it's not bad for them either. They can concentrate on what is before them and not have to worry about "this or that" at home...because you know there is always a "this" or a "that" stirring stuff up.

Besides, I knew they could find me with the team's handy-dandy satellite phone if something went horribly awry...but for the most part no news was good news indeed.

I have always tried to maintain this belief...although it hasn't been easy. Even from the first trip Kevin took, things happened to prevent such non-knowledge nirvana. I remember being awaken one morning at the unholy hour of 4am. This was nearly a week after Kevin left to go to Kenya in August of 1986 to meet up with a missionary recruiter and video his travels.

As you are well aware, if the phone rings before 9, (OK maybe 8) it is almost always universally bad. And the badness of the news increases exponentially with every hour earlier. I'm not exaggerating here...it's a law.

So a 4AM call meant certain catastrophe. And when your husband's out of the country and the phone rings at such an hour your mind (at least my mind) immediately thinks: "something's happened to Kevin and he's coming home in a body bag."

I pick of the phone, suddenly wild-eyed awake and here's the conversation.

Kevin: Hello? Marcy? Hey, I just want you to know that I'm OK.

Marcy: This must mean that at some point you weren't OK.

Kevin: Well, I had some trouble in Saudi Arabia...

Marcy: Kevin, you weren't going to Saudi Arabia.

Kevin: I know...but the plane I was on went to Saudi Arabia because I missed my flight on the plane to Kenya. And I ended up being detained in Saudi for day or so.

Marcy: I'm just curious, especially since you're OK...what does "detained a day or so" actually mean?

Kevin: I can't talk long...but I was interrogated and locked in a little room. I thought they wouldn't get me to my plane but I climbed the wall and stuck my head over it and 2 young armed guards saw me (they must have been 15 and had uzi's!) and thought is was so funny that they found out when my plane was leaving and took me to it. They older guy was really crabby and would only look at me in a mirror but one of the kids spoke English and said he wanted to make movies some day.

Marcy: There's more to this, isn't there?

Kevin: Yeah, but I have to go. They gave me my camera back. And I have my passport again.

Marcy: OK...pause...sigh...get lots of good footage.

Kevin: I love you.

Marcy: Yeah, right. That's why you call and scare the begeebies out of me at god-awful thirty in the morning! And then you tell me only half the story and I don't even know if you have all your limbs or not or are in the hospital and you're not going to make it but you're acting brave so I won't won't worry and you're really trying to say goodbye or WHATEVER!*

click

*I didn't really say that last part. I said, "I love you, too." But I thought it. And I had to wait several weeks until I heard the rest of the story. In the meantime I was given Frank Peretti's "This Present Darkness" to read, which didn't help my already amped emotions at all.

Kevin made it home with lots of stories and some really good footage and we began a journey that has us currently in Louisville, Kentucky trying to tell stories using media that draw people to Jesus or encourage them in their walk with Him. And my daughter wants to follow in her dad's footprints.

And, as far as I know, they're on their way home.

I couldn't be happier.

~m

Cuban News

Fortunately, it doesn't include or surround, in any way, my family.

Click here to read a story about the U.S. government turning off an electric sign criticizing the Cuban government. The interesting thing is that this electric sign is IN CUBA. And it worked for 3 WHOLE YEARS. Does anyone else find that strange?

And click here for a story about a guy who tried to get arrested by the Cuban government so he could whine and fuss about getting arrested by the Cuban government. But they wouldn't do it. And boy is he cheezed.

I don't even have to make crazy stuff like this up!

Reality, once again, trumps insanity at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

It's Thursday

And their final full day in Cuba!

The itinerary says they will be participating in a "Counter-Cultural Experience" in Old Havana.

Once again, I have no idea what a "counter-cultural experience" might look like but I can't imagine our idea of a "counter-cultural experience" would be in any way the same as the Communist Proletariat Dudes in charge. Hopefully our team has a good translator.

Even though I'm unsure of the activity, I have dutifully found some pictures of Old Havana to share. It appears that Old Havana has two sides.

Here's one side:


and:

and here's the other side:

and:


I wonder which one they'll be taken to?

They'll be on a "walking tour" so maybe they'll be "wandering around" to various places. While they walk they plan to "talk to Father" about all they see and hear. And stuff.

And tonight they'll be spending time with the Cuban Youth, do a final Retreat Exercise, and say goodbye.

I wonder if I'll recognize them when they step off the plane. It's trips like these that tend to change everything.

~m

Youth Excursion to Matanzas

That's what was "on tap" for Wednesday. I don't know exactly what it means but I know a little about the location.

Matanzas is on the northern shore of Cuba about 60 miles from Havana. It's called the "City of Bridges" because there are 17 crossing the 3 rivers that flow through the city. It's also called the "Venice of Cuba" (because of all of the flowing water) and the "Athens of Cuba" because it has a lot of poets (I'm quoting Wikipedia again...just so you know).

If I were guessing (which I am, of course) I would say that "Matanzas" is Spanish...or Cubish...for "Identity Crisis" because the poor city can't really figure out what to call itself. I might suggest a combination name that might offer the feel of bridges, Venice, and Athens...what about "Europe"?

The majority of pictures I found googling "Matanzas Cuba" were of cool old cars, beautiful beaches, one tall bridge and this:

I sincerely hope the "Youth Excursion" includes avoiding alien demon statues because this thing will haunt your dreams.

Oh, and here's the bridge:

Looks more like Ohio than Cuba (or Venice or Athens) to me.

But I might be missing something being in land-locked Kentucky and all.

~m

Cuba "Doings"

It's Wednesday. I haven't heard from my family...and don't expect to. In cases like this, no news is good news, or at least no news is news that I have to worry about and fret over because I can't do anything 1,000 miles away (1,003 to be exact. Sort of.)

But I do have their schedule and through the wonders of the internet I can give glimpses of where they are going and what they are seeing.

Friday: after settling in a "pitiful" Santa Maria Beach (see pictures of how they might suffer in the post below) they were to eat either at the hotel or somewhere down in Havana.

Saturday: Story time in Alamar. Alamar is a "barrio" and was built with "prefabrication construction in the sovietic architectural style" (quoting that esteemed repository of knowledge Wikipedia). This is what they mean:


You can see a YouTube video here...it's just some kids playing basketball but it gives an idea of how many of these types of buildings there are in this little spot. Over 100,000 people live here.
Alamar is the home to Cuban Hip-Hop. Feel free to check it out yourself on YouTube...because it's a bit "revolution-y" and my family isn't snuggled safe in their L'ville beds I'll not link it here.

They also put on a sports program with the youth there..."sports" is Baseball for the boys and volleyball for the girls. This might prove to be a bit challenging for my family as "sports" isn't really something they "do." It's not even something they "watch"...which is hard to believe because I come from a hardcore football family. (GO HUSKERS!) Hopefully they will be able to pull up enough "sportiness" to survive the event...either that or they successfully busy themselves filming the event so no one notices their "un-sportness." I know I prayed for them that day.

Sunday: (and Saturday night) There are perpetual "parties" and "services" that happen all week. Because they are with someone from the State Church they are allowed some freedom to worship. Kevin's been in various church situations around the world and I'll be interested to hear about his experience in Cuba and how it compares.

They will also spend time on a "spiritual retreat" consisting of reading through some material and their Bible and documenting their thoughts and insights. The team took over packets for this spiritual retreat in both English and Spanish with the plan that they will start the 30 day "retreat" in Cuba with the Cuban Christian kids and then each group will finish up as a group in their respective homes.

They plan to visit the Christ of Havana which is a large statue that looks like this:

The statue was built from marble that had been brought from Italy after being personally blessed by Pope Pius XII. It was unveiled Christmas Eve 1958. Fifteen days later Fidel Castro entered Havana during the Cuban revolution. That same day, the image was hit by lightning and the head was destroyed. That's all I'm saying.

Tomorrow they Excursion!

~m

Just ONE Phone Call?

Kevin and Megh have arrived in Cuba. I know this because they called me. They had 1 minute on a satellite phone that the Team Leaders brought with them from church.

Kevin had his cell phone. He could have used it if he had been in just about any other country on the planet. But not Cuba. Before they left, I the ever diligent wife and mother thought I would get them a "Phone Plan" so they would call me occasionally. I looked all over the website but I couldn't find Cuba anywhere...I thought it was a mistake so I called. A "transcript" of the conversation follows ("transcript" here means "what I remember them saying or what I want them to fit my humorous writing style):

Me: Blah, blah, blah...family's going to Cuba...blah, blah...can't find the country on your list...blah, blah...I must be a ditz. Can you tell me how much it will cost per minute for him to call home?

AT&T Dude: Just a minute ma'am. (several minutes pass) Ummm...I can't find it either. It's like it doesn't exist! Let me check with my supervisor dude.

(more minutes pass)

Supervisor Dude: Mrs. Bryan? Yeah. Cell phones don't work in Cuba. You can call a land line if you know the number and if you can speak Spanish, but it's over $3 a minute for that...but to call your husband's cell number or have him call you... It won't happen. His phone is a paperweight the minute he steps off that plane.

Me: Great. Why am I surprised? It IS a communist country, after all. How about internet.

Supervisor Dude: Nothing. He will have nothing. It won't even bother roaming. It would be better used as a weapon than a data device. That's all I can tell you. Have a nice day and thanks for choosing AT&T.

So...I got 1 minute to find out how 36 hours went, including dragging some nice camera and electronic equipment into a Communist country...Kev's been in "democracies" that have gotten very "threateny" and "bribey" with his equipment...He carries lots of $1 and candy to help "grease the path" so to speak. He was totally ready for at least some harassment resulting in the expenditure of some cash and a bag of Jolly Ranchers.

Here's what I know:

From Kev: Thefightsweregreat!Noproblem!CustomsinCubawastheEASIESTI'veEVERhad!
Iloveyou!Gottago!Here'sMegh!

From Megh: Mom?

Me: Howisit,Megh?Beautiful?Scary?Different?

Megh: It's AMAZING! Gottago! Bye! Love you!

Click.

In case you're curious, their flight took them from L'ville to Atlanta to Bahamas (Kevin and I got engaged there 25 years ago THIS MONTH!...I wonder if he remembers that? And that he's coming up on a 25th wedding anniversary...Hmm...I better start dropping hints. Actually I should have started 5 years ago. Durn!)

Once they arrived in Havana they were to settle into their hotel on Santa Maria Beach and then walk around the city and have dinner. I looked up Santa Maria Beach on the internet. I found this:

and this:

I'm beginning to wonder about this whole "mission trip thing"!

~m

They Made It! (Baggage...um...ly)

4 AM is an hour for which there is no reason. Humans shouldn't be awake at this hour; most sensible day animals are still snuggled away in their day-animal beds; night animals are finishing off their rounds, brushing their little night animal teeth and finding a comfortable spot in which to snooze.

If you are ever up at 4 AM, you will find that it is at this time when the world is at its most silent, most dark. I realize the Bible says that God never sleeps, but it is at this hour it seems like He turns Nature on to "nightlight" and says, "I think I'll just rest my eyes a bit."

I know these things because Friday morning I was up at 4 AM after a whopping 1 hour of sleep, awaken by my husband who had 0 hours sleep and then tried to wake my daughter who, in her excitement for the upcoming adventure had had 2 hours sleep (if you count teethbrushing and praying).

4:05. Must. Leave. Load the car. Grab a Diet Coke. Hurry. Get to the office and change vehicles. Check time. Must Hurry. Get to UPS. Need Caffeine. Will the package be there? Must Hurry. Who plans a trip that leaves before God is awake? Megh's asleep in the back. Here's UPS. Kevin runs in. Runs out empty handed. Needs tracking number. Runs back in. Time is ticking. The team is waiting. Kev runs out...with a box! Unbelievable! Gets to the car and the phone rings... it Miracle Man Norm checking in to see if Kevin was successful! Unbelievable! Hurry! Airport! Caffeine! Another phone call! The team's in line! Must hurry! Need Caffeine! Drop them off at the door! Megh, wake up! Get those bags inside! Must hurry! Need to park! Need Caffeine! Run in! Find my family! They're checking in...last ones of the team with a long line of people behind them. Who travels at this hour? And some look like they've even showered! Hug my family! Hug! Kiss! They must go! I stand there for a moment watching my baby who was waddling and in diapers just the other day (or so it seems) joyfully bounce off with her dad and 12 other people to a Communist country to "crash" with the youth there.

My wistful thoughts are suddenly interrupted by Dave Stone (our pastor at Southeast Christian Church) happily saying, "OK, gang! Time to PAR-TEE!" I make a mental note in my caffeine-craving brain: Find out what morning beverage Dave drinks...it might come in handy if I ever have to do this again.

Still recouping,

~m

But Wait! There's More!

Thursday brought on all that the day before such a trip does: frantically packing, frantically finishing of last minute homework, frantically trying to find the DVD drives that were supposed to arrive today that are desperately needed for this trip but weren't here yet and weren't going to be here until Friday.

AAAAACK!

(Feel free to take a moment and go to http://scaredsilly.blogspot.com and view one of the many humor-filled and relaxing videos until your pulse returns to normal. I like the one about the aquarium...)

Ah...that's better.

Ultimately the bags got packed, the homework nearly done, the friends were called, Facebook was alerted (multiple times) and...

God provided a Miracle Man Named Norm at UPS who thought he could have the drive intercepted when it arrived at one of the terminals at 4:45 AM on Friday. This means that not only I would have to get up at some ungodly hour to take my family to an airport by 5AM we had to fit in a stop to the office and a UPS terminal AND not be late. All the while hauling duffels and camera equipment the size of Mini Coopers around...

At any point the UPS connection could break down...because the window of time was so small for Kevin to be there to intercept...the truck had to be right on time...the package had to be already pulled... ut there is always the potential that the message didn't make it clear into the belly of this UPS amazing transferring maze.

So...more prayer...while Kevin tried all night working on Plan B and frantically tying up HIS loose ends...

~m

They Made It! (Physically)

What a wonderful chaotic mess! It started with the Pack and Pray Party Wednesday night. Large duffels were drug in filled with donated baseball equipment. Then a hundred pairs of donated pants and bags of school supplies had to be delicately shoved in and around the bats, balls, and cleats. It was, once again, a "loaves and fish" moment except this time it was the duffel bags that seemed to keep multiplying.

(The size of said duffels is roughly two of what you see in the picture and although there were only 11 it seemed like there were dozens. And they were red and black and blue.)

Each bag had to weigh only 50 pounds. Mama J brought a couple of cool devices to ensure that was the case. They looked like this:

And, boy are they nifty! I think one bag was repacked 4 times just so that people could take turns using this little gem.

We also found out that there was a potential snag in the trip...the leaders of the group needed "religious visas" so the team could work with the church down there. Without those everyone would be simply a tourist and it would be illegal to have contact with any of the scheduled guides or contacts. That means taking a bunch of Junior High students into a communist country with no national language help or advocates. This would not be good and the trip would have to be postponed or canceled. Much of the prayer time done by several of us that night was for those visas to come in.

It was nearly 11 pm by the time we were done packing and praying and weighing and cleaning up after ourselves.

Not until Thursday afternoon did we find out that God graciously provided the religious visas and the trip was absolutely, positively a go!

So far, this is starting to sound like a typical Bryan vacation, isn't it?

~m

They Made It! (Financially)

I will be doing several postings because I now have time.

First of all a note concerning faith:

When this crazy trip became a "project" and Megh started raising money to go, she made a comment that she would like to raise enough money for both her AND her dad's trip. I responded, as any Mother-of-the-Year candidate would, with a pleasant, "That's nice dear."

But I was doubtful. $2,400 is a lot of money to raise and there wasn't a lot of time.

So I prayed and asked that she could raise that money in a way that she would see God at work.

And He did. At the final bell God brought in enough for both their trips AND some more for someone else who needed it.

It was a beautiful moment of faith building that was not missed.

Especially by me. I was humbled and surprised by the final total. I don't know why this is...We've lived on God's kindness and the generosity of others for over 15 years now...but the whole "cup runneth over" and "loaves and fishes" thing still amazes me.

When I realized this, I asked God to help me see where he's been "running over cups" of mine and I've missed it. Because I certainly don't want to miss anything that God is giving...

Thank you for your prayer and support for this adventure.

They're already working.

~m

OH my gosh! I'm LEAVING IN 5 hours!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH!

keep me in your prayers!

thanks,

Meghan

Oh my gosh! I am sooooooooo excited and nervous!!!! We leave for cuba in 9 days!

I'm even starting to make the packing check list. Oh my! it's almost time!

I want to thank you for all your prayers and much more! I cannot thank you enough.

Love,

Meghan Bryan

Guess what time it is! It’s time for “Three Quick Facts With Meghan®”!

Today we are going to talk about one of the main foods from Cuba...The humble Plantain.

1st Plantains are in the banana family but are larger, have more starch, and are not as sweet as a regular banana.

2nd Due to the storms that Cuba has been having the plantain trees have been wiped out.

3rd Plantains are hardly ever eaten raw. It is ether fried, boiled, or baked.

Thanks for reading “Three Quick Facts With Meghan®”!

“Three Quick Facts With Meghan®” is sponsored by Marcy W. Bryan books®.
"Get a Marcy W. Bryan book® and just have a good laugh today!" This program was possible because of viewers like you!

So my adopted grandma took me to a Cuban restaurant for my birthday. We got to eat authentic food like "yucca," a starchy root like thing that you can mix with your food to make it thicker, it had the consistency of a jelly fish. I also tried "fried plantains;" it's like a mini banana but with a thicker skin and a sour middle. On the meaty side of things, I tried the traditional beef which is called "old clothes" and it was FANTASTIC. The fried chicken was great too! It was really great...so try some Cuban food and get an idea of what I'll be eating!
(the pic above is me and my friend jess at the cuban restaurant)

From Marcy:
The Cuban name for the beef dish is "Ropa Vieja" and it is very yummy. Here is what it looks like:

Guess what time it is! It’s time for “Three Quick Facts With Meghan®”

I’ve learned a few things about Cuba and I thought I might share it with y’all.

1st. There are only two communistic countries in the world at this time, China and Cuba.

2nd. Fidel Castro has been the only dictator of cuba so far but his oldest son will be taking his place.

3rd. Cuba is the youngest communistic county, Being communist for 48 years, China is second coming in at 60 years communist, and the oldest communistic county was Russia/Soviet Union who was communist for 79 years!

Thanks for reading “Three Quick Facts With Meghan®”!

“Three Quick Facts With Meghan®” is sponsered by Marcy W. Bryan books®.
"Get a Marcy W. Bryan book® and just have a good laugh today!" This program was possible because of viewers like you!

To Help Send Meghan To Cuba

Southeast has asked that she have her money in by (let me check her folder) JULY 3RD! YIKES! (I thought it was the middle of July!)

Some people have asked for the church's address so they could send their gifts directly there.

Here it is:

Missions Department
Southeast Christian Church
920 Blankenbaker Parkway
Louisville, KY 40243-1845

ON THE BACK OF THE ENVELOPE PLEASE PUT:
Sponsorship for: Meghan Bryan
Trip: Cuba-Junior High
Donor Name:
Donor Address:

On the official envelopes it has this statement (demanded by the IRS): “By contributing to this short-term mission trip, donors acknowledge that in the event the intended trip is canceled or the intended trip participant cancels, Southeast Christian Church will apply contributions designated for this mission trip to another mission trip or toward another participant’s expenses.”

I don’t know if you have to write that on the envelope but they were insistent that everyone knows it.

So you can send the money directly to the church or you can send your check to me made out to “Southeast Christian Church” and I’ll put it in one of their nifty envelopes and walk it in.

Our address:

193 Willowbrook Drive
Fisherville, KY 40023

There is a lot going on as they prepare for this trip... Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

Marcy

Here We Go!

So this is the official Cuba blog! It's been eight months since I last left the U.S and now God has blessed me with the opportunity to go to another county! I've been learning SOOO much about the Cuban culture! Thank you again for all your prayers! Check in every once and awhile to see what's going on in the preparation for Cuba! Love y'all

Meghan Bryan