Latest News #216 - Cuba
October 10, 2002

The following news concerns Cuba.

Cuba’s Scripture needs to be assessed following hurricanes

HAVANA, Cuba — The United Bible Societies’ Central America Regional Service Center and the Bible Commission of the Council of Churches of Cuba are to assess Scripture needs in Cuba in the light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Isidore and Hurricane Lili.

Normal life in Cuba ground to a halt when Hurricane Isidore hit Isla de la Juventud, the southern part of La Habana province and the western province of Pinar del Rio on September 19 and 20. Many people had to be evacuated from their homes as heavy rains caused widespread devastation before the hurricane moved off towards Mexico.

Cuba was hit again on October 1, this time by Hurricane Lili, the fourth of the season. This hurricane had already caused some 20 deaths in St Vincent, Haiti and Jamaica and destroyed more than 400 homes in Barbados before it reached Cuba, where it uprooted trees, cut communication links and damaged buildings and farmland. Schools in Havana and Pinar del Rio closed down and rail and air travel was suspended.

Winds of up to 180 kms per hour (108 miles per hour) partially or completely destroyed a total of 8,000 houses, along with valuable food sources including banana and yucca plantations. Heavy rains continued to fall for several days after the winds had died down, disrupting life in parts of Cuba not directly hit by the hurricanes.

The hurricanes swept across Cuba just as work to repair the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Michelle in November 2001 (see Latest News #169) was nearing completion. President Fidel Castro visited Pinar del Rio and expressed relief that the most recent hurricanes had caused less damage than Hurricane Michelle, which killed five people.

The Rev José López, Secretary of the Bible Commission, was able to communicate by telephone with pastors from several churches in Nueva Gerona and Pinar del Rio cities while the hurricanes were raging outside. He relayed information to them about the hurricanes’ progress, as well as passing on messages from friends and relatives and sharing passages from the Bible.