As many of you may know, the Armando Rusindo Mission Foundation (ARMF) started Container of Hope, a new program this year. By collaborating with shipping companies and other non-profit organizations, our leadership team gained extensive knowledge about the logistics and management of container shipping. 

PRAISE BE TO GOD; we are thrilled to announce that our first container has officially been received at the Council of Churches in Havana! From there, the humanitarian aid will be distributed among all the Moravian Churches in Cuba, as well as to several other denominations in need.

This container held many items, such as:

• Over 20,000 lbs. of Rice, Black Beans, & Oatmeal
• Clothing
• Medical Supplies
• Wheelchairs
• Farm Supplies
• Three Water Purification Systems

We rejoice and extend our gratitude to our faithful brothers and sisters in Cuba who unloaded all the items by hand. We know many friends were exhausted by the end of the day.
​
We are already preparing our next container of humanitarian supplies, primarily food, to be shipped by mid-summer. While these shipments greatly benefit many individuals in need, they are extremely costly, with expenses ranging from $25,000 to $40,000 or more. Without our donors, we would not be able to provide this essential service.

How You Can Help
Consider making a one-time or monthly gift. Monthly contributions are especially crucial as they aid in our budgeting process. 

Perhaps your church or Sunday School class would like to co-sponsor a container with another congregation. Even partial sponsorships are greatly appreciated – every amount helps with large projects such as Containers of Hope.

Additionally, check if your employer offers a matching gift program.

Checks can be mailed to:
Armando Rusindo Mission Foundation
2121 Harper Road
Clemmons, NC 27012

SUMMARY AT THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR 2019
As in previous years, we list below the summary of the main actions carried out by the Moravian Church in the Matanzas District, during the year 2019, attending to the plans that we have preconceived and that are our main line of work, as well as other activities in Those of us who are involved and whose purpose is the insertion, every day more active, of our Church in the communities where we are working.
Our District is made up of the following form, taking into account the places:
1.- CHURCH IN JAGÜEY GRANDE: - “Erelio Martínez García” Church.
Address: Calle 66 No. 1510 between 15 and 17, Jagüey Grande, Matanzas,
Shepherds: Rdo. Obed Erelio Martínez Lima y Rda. Alay González Rosado
Worship hours: Tuesday: 8:00 PM; Sunday: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM; Thursday: time for meetings and meetings with leaders

• Communicating members: 91
• Non-communicating members: 7 (Children who do not commune)
• Visitors: 225
• Affiliated or related persons: 375

2.- FRATERNITY IN AGRAMONTE: “Heroes of the Faith” Fraternity,
Address: Calle Independencia No. 49, Agramonte, MATANZAS.
Serving leader: Alfredo Matheu
Worship hours: Saturdays: 7:00 PM; Thursday: meeting time

• Communicating members: 8
• Non-communicating members: -
• Visitors: 35
• Affiliated or related persons: 85

3.- BROTHERHOOD IN BOLONDRÓN: “Semillas de Esperanza” Fraternity 
Address: Calle 21 # 1001, E / 10 y 12, Bolondrón, Matanzas.
 Attending leader: Brother Noel Domínguez
Worship hours: SUNDAYS: 8.00 PM

• Communicating members: 16
• Non-communicating members: 5
• Visitors 35
• Affiliated or related persons: 50
• Youth: 8

 
In this Fraternity, we highlight the work that Brother Noel Domínguez has carried out to maintain and strengthen the reunited group. He reports one day a week that they choose, according to the opportunities, to visit the elderly, sick, and to evangelize and relate people with the Church.
The good group of young people that this Fraternity maintains is appreciable, as well as their contributions to the Summer Camps.
He informs that his great projection of work at the moment is focused on the acquisition of a house as property of the Church, since until now they meet in the house of some elderly people who, for health reasons, need to move with their daughter, so the Church would be left without space to give its meetings.
4.- FRATERNITY IN SANTA CLARA:
Address: Building 28, Apt. 2, Reparto José Martí. Santa Clara. Villa Clara
Pastors who attend: Rdo. Aned Machado Marrero and Luisa Mildrey García Ruíz (wife)
Worship hours: Wednesday 8:30 P.M (prayer); Thursday 9:00 am. Time with the two leaders; Sundays: 10:30 AM. Sunday worship.

• Communicating members: 12

• Visitors 20
• Affiliated or related persons: 25

 See report of this Fraternity, at the end of this document.
5.- FRATERNITY IN BIG BURN: Fraternity "Bethlehem".
Address: Highway Autopista Nacional Km. 148
Pastor who attends: Rda. Alay González Rosado
Worship hours: Sundays: Sundays: 2:00 P.M. On Sundays these brothers are in Jagüey, they join the activities of our congregation.

• Communicating members: 5
• Non-communicating members: -
• Affiliated or related persons (visitors): 35

All these fraternities are attended to once a month, approximately by a visit from the pastors Obed Martínez and Alay González, in which they administer the Word, give guidance and watch over the development of the work, with the exception of Santa Clara, because they are more remote and also have pastors with more experience in pastoral work. Sometimes they are accompanied by some members of the group of elders.
In the case of Jagüey, we also have prayer cells in the neighborhoods, or places far from the city center, attended by the elderly: Las Delicias (Yolanda), Las Guayabitas (Yayito), and in the houses of Alay, Sandra and Noaris., And where people who are not members of the Church gather to pray and listen to the reading of the Bible.
Coordination of all District work is done under the direction of Rdo pastors. Obed Erelio Martínez Lima y Rda. Alay González Rosado accompanied by the Group of Elders that watches over and collaborates in all aspects for the development of the work of the Church.
At the end of 2019, the District membership is made up of the following:

• Communicating members 132

• Non-communicating: 12
• Visitors: 355
• Linked. 530
• Marriages: 1

We have the following Departments or Work Areas:
1.- Department of Mercy. Who attends the visitation to the brothers, the sick, etc. It gives specialized attention to many people and offers any type of help or service that the Church needs. These brothers are in charge, for example, of preparing the end of the year dinner, when they distribute the food that night to more than fifty elders of the community, members or not of our Church. who live alone and have no one to accompany them. During this year, they also gave a donation and food that we received through the Council of Churches for these cases. They also have a sister in charge of each Sunday to announce, congratulate and give a small reminder to the brothers who are celebrating their birthday, a moment highly anticipated by all those attending Sunday School.
2.- Department of Christian Education. Attend Sunday School educational programs, organize Summer Camps for both children and youth, and not only local but also national events, and attend the entry of Bibles and other Church materials and their distribution in the entire District.
In the case of the Youth Summer Camps, work is carried out that lasts for many months, from programming and preparation to the event itself. It is worth noting that this work has been done for twelve years, that is, from the very beginning of our group and then they have spread to the National Church, but its preparation is carried out by the Christian Education group here, coordinated by the Rev Obed Martínez.
He has also worked insistently on the selection of liturgies, songs of praise and other resources, with the aim of unifying and harmonizing the forms of worship with the ways in which the worship of the Moravian Church is carried out without the groups losing their identity.
3.- Fraternity of Moravian Women, which deals with all the organization of work with women, self-improvement workshops, accompaniment, etc. During the year we held several events with the theme of the work against violence against women, the stability of the family. As in the case of Christian Education, these programs were extended nationwide, and sisters Alay González and Yolanda Brito took them to all the Districts of the country, priThe individual accompaniment to many needy women, single mothers and other actions that are discussed in the section of the Projects have been important.
4.- Project Work:
a) Children's Project "Sunrise". At the end of the year it is made up of around 20 children. It prepares special programs, plays for Christmas, Easter, etc., it does recreational activities of educational and recreational interest, and they have a publication that bears the same name as the project: "Sunrise" and where things are discussed. most relevant that are carried out in the group.
b) Collaboration project with the "Tamara Bunke" psychopedagogical center that deals with the institution's problems and other needs. This center has been accompanied during the year by donations from the “AR” Foundation, recently giving them two refrigerators and cleaning materials, clothes, etc. for the care of children with disabilities found there.
c) The Finca de Samuel Agroecological Project, which serves as self-support for this family and that. It also offers food to schools and children's circles in the community of Soplillar, where it is located. During the year this family had several problems due to health problems that affected production, but we hope that this year their actions will recover.
d) Agro-ecological Project Finca de Quemado Grande, which performs the same work and offers food systematically to the members of the Church on fair Sundays that we hold. The brothers bring fruits, vegetables or vegetables of any kind and distribute them to the members of the Church. It has been a very beautiful job and the brothers are very grateful.
e) Project to Overcome Violence against Women, holding systematic and thematic workshops every three months. It is coordinated by sisters Alay González and Yolanda Brito, who prepare the programs to be carried out in the workshops. This is a task that was also carried out many years ago, especially taking into account the needs of women and that they are the majority in our congregations. Thank God, this year, the work could be extended to all the Districts of the country, thanks to the collaboration of the Table of Unity of the Moravian Women, work that was a great blessing and help for the women of our churches and other invited.
f) Clinical and pastoral assistance project specialized for Women and the Family with weekly consultations. This is a project that was carried out three years ago and consists of providing psycho-pastoral help to women who request it previously. Advised and directed by Sister Alay González, in her capacity as a Psychologist, and with the collaboration of other sisters, as needed, it is a psycho-pastoral consultation that is offered individually to those women in vulnerable situations such as domestic violence, labor abuse, family and other problems. The accompaniment of these sisters has been a great blessing.
g) Sewing project for self-financing of women in Bolondrón. This project has been developed with more boom in Bolondrón and consists of offering help to women to collaborate with their self-support through manual arts, sewing, etc.
h) Drinking Water Project for the community of Jagüey. In collaboration with the Council of Churches and the AR Foundation, a filter was installed this year to provide purified water to the community, which has been of great help to the sick, gastronomic and service centers, hospitals, etc., as well as to provide this service to the brothers in our Church.
i) Psycho-pastoral care project for alcoholics anonymous. It consists of attending the sessions of this group of people from the community who are ill, always after coordinating with those responsible and attending to their needs. Pastor Alay González is the one who assists, offering educational talks and practical activities where they are psychically and spiritually encouraged.
We also want to highlight the work carried out by our Church for the benefit of the enlargement and strengthening of the Moravian Church in the country, since we have the help of all our teams for the preparation of this work, led by the pastors Obed Mart {inez and Alay González, such as:
- National Camps, both youth and children's camps that we carry out every year for a week, here in Jagüey Grande.
- All the work of Christian Education that has been carried out in Cuba has been coordinated from the direction of Pastor Obed Martínez, and other projections that he has are still waiting for its execution so that the Moravian Church in Cuba systematizes its work.
- The leadership of the National Fraternity of Women, which is directed by Pastor Alay González.- In addition, Pastor Alay is the Recording Secretary of the Cuban Council of Churches and Rev. Obed is the National Coordinator of ASEL-Cuba. We are proud to contribute from here to developing and spreading the Gospel in different ways.
Due to its importance, we transcribe the report made by the Santa Clara brothers, as they report it.
Santa Clara Pastoral Work Report:
By the grace of God, the Moravian congregation in Santa Clara has its beginnings on January 6, 2017. We begin with evangelistic work, visitation and establishing relationships for at least one year.
During this time, we were blessed to meet some people who opened the doors of their home to hear the gospel through an informal program.
After a year, already in 2018, we arranged two days of meeting, with which we were able to unite the group of people with whom we had established contact but who did not know each other.
In this way we choose two days that remain until today:
Wednesday: 8:00 p.m. prayer time at 10:00 p.m.
Sunday: Sunday School from 10:30 a.m. at 12:00 m
In our community we have 10 active members, 20 visitors and 25 related ones.
Within it we develop different activities such as:

• Review and teaching primary school children to reinforce their learning. We do this from Monday to Friday at 4:30 p.m. at 6:00 p.m.
• Preparation by the sisters of the congregation of a weekly lunch on Fridays for 10 elders of the community. It is made with its own resources and brought to homes.
• I support low-income families with raw food and some clothing, this with the donation of the brothers and sisters of the congregation.
• Accompaniment of the sick to the hospitals, support with food and offerings according to our possibilities as a church. specifically, these are cancer patient.
• Personal discipleship for women, this is done in the homes of the sisters on different days of the week.
• very summer we celebrate a week of Bible teaching with different activities, such as Bible classes, handicrafts, singing, excursions and games. They are carried out in different neighborhoods, taking into account that where we live is mostly made up of buildings. This is why the brothers on the first floors lend their apartments for these activities.
• Every three months we hold a prayer vigil until 12 at night and throughout the year we celebrate different times of fasting and prayer.
• Once a year we hold a luncheon for community elders where they are offered a biblical and recreational program, with a devotional time, biblical meditation and games. Afterwards a lunch is shared with them and they express their testimonies and concerns.
• In December we held a family dinner, where we invited the relatives of our brothers, it is a time of singing, sharing, establishing relationships with the family and sharing food together. It gives us the opportunity to tell you about Jesus as Savior.
• Since October 2019, every day and all the brothers in their homes stop at their daily tasks, at 8:00 pm, to have a short prayer for the family. We read the book Daily Readings and pray. Children participate in this activity
• We have participated in different courses, workshops and cults held in different churches in the community, our brothers having an active participation.
• Bible classes are taught every Sunday for adults and children.
• We maintain a weekly visitation plan to the different homes, the sick, children and the elderly.
• Three sisters participated in a Christian Education workshop, held for a week at Los Pinos Nuevos Church, thus representing the Moravian Church in Santa Clara.

We thank God for these three years of work, where we have had struggles and setbacks, but the Lord has sustained us and in the midst of the struggles the church has continued to advance, for the glory of God Without further ado in the love of the Father.
The activities carried out in 2019 reveal the degree of maturity that the Moravian Church has reached in the Matanzas territory and with the new brotherhood of the brothers in Santa Clara.
Many are our expectations for the work of 2020, which has been interrupted in its forms by the worldwide pandemic of COVID 19. In our area, isolation began on March 15.
However, maintenance and care strategies have been drawn up for our brothers, providing the support we can at all times with the limited resources we have:
Our pastors have created an accompaniment system for the congregation, for those who have telephones or an internet connection, by creating a group. Over there the pastor maintains that communication. So does Santa Clara. However, we know that it is only for a part of the congregation, since the rest do not have access to the Internet.
Some brothers, especially those over 65 years of age, have also been helped with help and contributions from the funds of our own congregation, such as: food and clothing. Which is also insufficient.
The elderly and the sick have many needs, especially for food and medicine, as well as cleaning and personal hygiene materials, due to the shortage of these products in the country.
In the confidence that the Lord who has called us will extend his hand of mercy over our people.
This entire report has been reconciled and sent with much information to Sister Rev. Tania Fonseca.
We have not had people sick with Covid-19, but we do have families affected by this situation in different places.

• Bolondrón are 5 families affected
• Santa Clara is 10 families
• Agramonte is 1 family
• Jagüey Grande are 14 families

Lic. Yolanda C. Brito Alvarez Rdo. Obed E. Martínez Lima
Matanzas District Secretary Superintendent Mtzas. 

Update: Unfortunately since Obed’s report. one church member is in hospital with COVID-19 and another is under observation.  Please keep these two in your prayers.

​Greetings and my respect, 
 
In the year 2018 and up to this date we have worked on the vision of multiplying ourselves making a reality in our lives the great commission of making disciples: Matthew 28:19 
Gaining lives for Christ. 
 
In the Belen congregation (church in Habana) the scheduled activities are worship on Sundays, breakfast each Friday and vigils three times a month. Additionally, the members make kitchen towels, do cake raffles, which are brought by members to raise funds to celebrate collective birthdays every three months.  
 
These activities are also carried out in Old Habana and Comenius Center, where now in addition to the children we have a recent congregation but one that is bearing fruits with 25 members.   
In Belen we used to have twice per month the older adult program but now we are only doing it once per month as we don’t have enough funds.  
 
During these meetings there are biblical teachings, a doctor or nurse is invited and they talk about ways to have a better lifestyle, this group not only consist of older adults from our congregation but also from the community who don’t profess any religion, so this is from the church to the community.  
We have woman’s programs and gender on the battle against domestic violence, subjects such as how to restore self-worth. These workshops I hold every 2 or 3 months and the sisters from Habana Vieja and Habana participate according how we plan. We do dynamic returns and we hear testimony that are very uplifting to their lives. In these activities pastor Ezequiel’s congregation (Mt. Zion) is also involved. 
 
In Comenius, the activity program with the children has been met. They get ride there 2 times per week for worship, there is also collective, and planned activities such as sports competitions in sports areas.  
There is also the purified water service to the community.  
 
Thanks to the funds from the foundation the construction of the building in Comenius was done, flooring, stairs, paint, concrete and all the rear is already done and now we have a classroom in the back for the youngest children where they can enjoy in addition to the classes tasty snacks because we have where to store the food. 
 
Habana Vieja has grown in a great way, above all with the youth. We continue looking for a space because of the height of the current space many people cannot go up.  
 
These months due to the circumstances with the Coronavirus, our church has played an important role and although in person worship services have been suspended, we are having virtual worship services, with groups through WhatsApp. We do reflections, meditations. The districts of Matanzas, Santa Clara and Habana are reaching our members through this way, and those who don’t have through phone calls and messages. These pastors have called me, and we have been collaborating ideas and agreeing as of how to reach all our members. We have looked for initiatives to reach the most vulnerable and alone families. In Habana, Matanzas, and Santa Clara several sisters are making masks to serve the community and have given one to all the brothers and sisters who don’t have one. 
 
In Belen we did a research with 13 senior adults and with them 3 people with disabilities among
them our dear Georgina who no longer can walk and is very weak.   In Comenius we have 3 children whose parents have no resources. I got together with the administrative board in April and I made a call to collaborate of our own resources so that at we can take them lunch and dinner least 2 times per week  Brother today I’m very happy with my people they stepped up to serve they all contribute a sister and I cook, and two brothers take the food to the homes and our seniors are happy.  The leaders have made visits and are praying. We have escaped with the masks because you have to remain home. 
 
We also had Pastor Ezequiel with a serious personal situation and the members of the Belen congregation raised 20 cuc and we gave him an offering to help him in this way.   We glorify God because in the midst of crisis and needs our church serves what is needed with what we have and never lacking his protection.  
 
As far as Christian education: we have worked together with the Rev, Obed in the lectionary first Sunday school for children, adolescents and youth as well as classes for adults, also materials for pastoral work. 
  
Joe directly from Coronavirus illness I have not had information of anyone.  But we have affectations due to the situation that we are going through with brothers and sisters who have children that have ended up with no resources. Obed reported of 14 brothers. Pastor Aned of Santa Clara has 10 brothers and 2 older adults with terminal cancer.  Habana 13 more 3 children of Comenius. Habana Vieja 5 senior adults.
 
These mentioned pastors and I have remained in daily  communication and together we have looked for solutions with what we have, first prayer and then sharing and accompanying these brothers with  what we can and the most essential, love and hope in the word of God, which must be the first thing in the life of believers. 
 
Brother, I have done a summary of our activities and purpose. A thousand thanks for the accompaniment that you all have given us. May God bless you today and always. 
 
Rev: Tania Sanchez

Note: Mayabeque, the province adjoining Habana to the east has very little internet access, so Pastor Iraide could not send a report.  They are doing well and pastor Iraide is staying in contact with his members.