Stan and Kim in Cuba

(blog by Kim)  Today, inauguration day, I am feeling a strange mixture of emotions—inspiration that has brought me to tears, alongside crankiness that provokes some serious complaints. (In one of Stan’s recent blogs, he confessed that he is cranky; I suspect it may be contagious). The inaugural songs, the poetry, the prayers, the speeches— they were all delivered so beautifully, with so much passion and integrity, that I could not help but be caught up in the euphoria of the moment (accompanied by a sense of relief that no violent actions materialized).   So why complain? Why be cranky on such a day of celebration? At least part of it was the thread of American exceptionalism woven throughout the ceremony. (This was the theme that Stan had written about in that last blog, a topic I also heard critiqued by a writer for the New York Times on Morning Edition a while ago).   This fervor of belief in the civil religion of American Democracy had a chorus of voices on the night ...

(blog by Stan) "Ain't That America." Wednesday afternoon indeed gave us “something to see”, to quote Mellencamp. I felt like I was at a Nascar race watching a horrific wreck at high speed. I was glued to it. Same for Wednesday night, with the Senate debate. Speech after five-minute speech, almost all (on both sides) eloquent and passionate expressions of both outrage at the mob’s desecration and inspiring hope and belief in what “America” really is. I was awake most of the night trying to figure out how to express exactly why these speeches had the opposite effect on me than what the speakers desired; they launched me into my crankiest mode of being, and this morning when I started to find the words to express my cranky contrariness, I kept having to lower my voice (Kim doesn’t like being yelled at). It was the confluence of several things: the unquestioned belief in American Superiority (the more fashionable phrase “American Exceptionality” was originally coined, interes...

 (blog by Kim) Yesterday and last night we witnessed terrifying events that revealed clearly the kind of harvest that seeds of poison produce. The people who stormed the Capitol were called “thugs” by many of the Senators who felt threatened and violated by their invasion into their sacred spaces. However, those inside the Senate who continued to raise objections to the democratic electoral process were also thugs, masquerading in elegant suits and ties. The masquerading thugs inside shamelessly continued to give credence to the outside thugs, emboldening them to continue their drive for vengeance and domination. Those Senators were trying to authenticate and validate lies, and in so doing they were encouraging these kinds of violent mob actions to be repeated in state capitols around the country. More than once, Senators said that they were only voicing the concerns of "the people." Would they think it right to “voice the concerns” of the Ku Klux Klan to preserve white Ameri...

  (blog by Kim) What a surprise! The current administration has put the wheels in motion to place Cuba on the "state sponsors of terrorism" list. The only bigger surprise for me is why, in light of their consistently punitive and unjust policies, it has taken so long for them to do it. Sure, Cuba has long been a "terror" to the US, as leaders here have been terrified that an alternate system might prove to work, right in their back yard, and have done all in their power to ensure that it will not be successful. So now they want to isolate their neighbor even further, by putting them in the same boat as the three other global stooges on the State Department's list: Syria, Iran, and North Korea. This latest piece of news reminds me of the character of Saruman in the end of the book The Return of the King , by JRR Tolkien. The defeated wizard Saruman was in the Shire, the home of the hobbits, doing as much damage as he could before Frodo and company returned. He bo...

(blog by Stan) Traditionally, today (December 31) is a big day for Cuban cuisine. The fin de año family meal generally consists of roast pork, yucca with mojo, arroz congri, and a tomato/cucumber salad (nothing like having fresh tomatoes in December!). Wash it down with generous rounds of Bucanero or Cristal, depending on your taste. Top it off with a flan and a tasita of strong, sweet café, and you're ready to raise a toast to the new year (with a shot of Havana Club Añejo Especial, sin hielo).   Like most of the world, the traditions are not quite what they used to be this year in Cuba. It has been a time of growing food insecurity, with long lines and empty shelves defining the daily búsqueda for the proteina. The meal options have narrowed more and more, as common ingredients in the Cuban kitchen became more and more scarce. For the last couple of months we were in Cuba, lots of folks were worrying about us, that we were losing weight, looking too thin. I heard it from a friend...

  Kim and I are blessed and honored to "belong" to several different churches in Cuba, such as the First Baptist of Matanzas and the Rivers of Living Waters Baptist in the rural village of Piedrecitas. Another congregation in our family of faith is the Metropolitan Community Church, also in Matanzas. This is a church dedicated to being open and affirming to people of differing sexual orientations and gender identities. The pastors, Elaine and Yivi, almost always invite us to help serve communion. And they regularly ask us to preach. Here is the sermon I preached last Friday for the fourth week of Advent (the church has its worship services on Friday nights, giving its members who also belong to other congregations the freedom to attend the other worship service on Sundays).   Texts: Isaiah 40:3-5 ; Luke 1: 46-53 Anyone who knows me at all knows that my life revolves around music; I love a good song. Today's text is one of the great songs of scripture, so instead of preach...

(blog by Stan) The big news shifted this week, from our daily doses of what the Cuban news labels the "Interminable US Election", to at least a couple of days focused on the death of Maradona. Everyone has a Maradona story. Here's mine: I am not a soccer fan, never have been. So four years ago, when Fidel Castro died, I was here in Cuba guiding a church group from Charlotte. We were with some friends in Varadero, Nashla and Joel, and they were talking about all the various world dignitaries/presidents who were arriving in Cuba for the funeral. Joel said, "Maradona flew in from Argentina today." I (mis)translated: "The president of Argentina arrived today." Both Joel and Nashla quickly corrected me, "No, not the president, Maradona. Diego Maradona." I translated the correction, and asked them, "who is Maradona?" Both they and my Charlotte friends stared at me in disbelief. Joel said, "You, know, the hand of God!" I did not ...