by Angelique Muller
On July 1st, our team will set out on a great adventure bound for Cuba. This will be a deeply rooted journey for me, as I have spent my whole life hearing stories of the lives that my grandparents once had in Cuba, before the Revolution. Growing up we always sent our hand-me-downs and photos to our relatives who live there. I still sift through the hundreds of photos at my Abuela's house that have captured the beautiful and glamorous life my family had while they were there.
My Abuela Isabel Muller, age 20 at the President's wife's ball
This is one of my favorites!
My Abuelo's Wedding
My Abuela and Abuelo Isabel and Elio
On their Honeymoon
Isabel at 18 when she was at the teacher’s academy
That's my dad in the front, shooting his gun at the camera.
I will be meeting lots of family for the first time and I know it will be very emotional for me.
Aside from my family there, I hope to experience a profound spiritual connection, working with the Methodist church, to help restore a part of the Seminary in Havana and experience how God is moving through the people there. Most of all, I am really excited that I will be sharing this entire experience with my mother, Drema, who is leading the trip. She is an amazing person and I am so proud of her.
As I begin packing for our trip, I am reminded of a book I read in High School entitled The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. It is a story about soldiers at war and the book uses the things they have to carry as a metaphor for many things they go through in battle and in their pasts. It is quite an interesting suitcase that I will carry. I cannot help but think about these items and they what they represent. What do they signify and who will they affect? I think back on the stories of those who had to leave Cuba and how little they were able to carry.
Here it is. This enormous and ominous bag of things. Necessary and unnecessary.
Maybe a third of this bag contains my personal items. The rest are items to bring to family members and to share with the people at the church. In this bag I have packed: towels, sheets, work clothes, sneakers, antibiotics, toys for children, candy, boxes of macaroni and cheese, lots of soap, baseball stuff, a huge first aid kit, paint rollers, paint brushes, hangers, sandpaper, tooth brushes, a blood pressure monitor, books and since there is more space I am sure we will be cramming in much more.
Sounds totally random right? Well it is, in fact, totally random. My items I planned quite carefully to make sure I bring only what I need and that it is lightest weight stuff possible. The medicine, first aid and blood pressure monitor have specific people in mind and purposes. But everything else is kind of the story here.
Macaroni and cheese? Well the people are starving in Cuba and when you hear their stories, a majority revolve around food. The macaroni and cheese is high in calories and fat and for them it is an extra special treat. Quality soap is hard to come by so we bring lots of it. And I am sure you can image toys and books are sparse. They have so little of so many things... THINGS THAT I TAKE FOR GRANTED EVERY SINGLE DAY... That anything that we have that we can take that is durable and in good shape is like giving a new and treasured gift for the recipient in Cuba.
I am getting to the point where I think about this experience and what it’s going to be like and I become extremely emotional. It's hard for me to contain my excitement, fear, sadness, and overall emotion for what it will be like to see the country I have heard stories of my whole life. This seemingly mythical island that has rooted itself so deeply in my family. My arrival will be a symbolic homecoming for my family and to meet all those who I know only through pictures will be a very precious moment.
Exactly one week from today, we will have arrived in Cuba and walking through customs with the things we will be carrying and embarking on this great adventure.
Peace, Love and Hope,
Angelique Muller
I loved to read this blog. It is amazing all that you guys will be doing in Cuba. I am really proud of you and your family. I loved the pictures! All this makes me think that we take so many things for granted, and some times we don't even appreciate all we have. Thanks for sharing your experience. Good luck in your trip! I can't wait to hear more..
Posted by: Angelica | June 26, 2011 at 01:16 PM