CANIP, National Presbyterian Camp - October 2018 Update
Cuba
Dear friends,
It was just over a year ago that Hurricane Irma slammed the northern coast of Cuba. Flooding in the capital of Havana was captured in iconic images like this one to the right. But further to the east the impact was even greater, and squarely in the center of the worst of the destructive wind and rain was the camp and conference center (CANIP, for short) of the Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba. Reconstruction began almost immediately as partners like you sent funds for this purpose, but materials have been hard to secure given how much rebuilding was needed in the vast “impact area.” No camps could be held this past summer – a great loss to the Church which usually operates “at full capacity” for children, youth and adults at that time of the year (120 people, each consecutive week).
As our Outreach Foundation team visited here last month with Rev. Edelberto Valdes, the General Secretary of the Church, we were encouraged to see how much has been accomplished. The commitment has been made to rebuild with even sturdier materials and methods to better withstand the inevitable future storms. And adding A/C to the otherwise “spartan dorms” will lend a bit more comfort in the midst of the sweltering summer heat and humidity. About $45,000 is still needed to complete the repairs and to finish a building with 4-person bedrooms each with a private bath which would better serve adult groups and families.
As always, funding must be constantly found to scholarship the campers themselves whose churches are able to only provide a small portion of the actual costs of a week’s stay. But given the spiritual nurture and biblical instruction provided by these camps and the encouragement they bring to “continue in faith” in a challenging cultural and political environment like Cuba, the Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba keeps this camp at the very top of its list of funding priorities. They hope to be operating again by early next year and to have a boisterous bumper crop of eager campers return in the summer of 2019.
Marilyn Borst
Associate Director for Partnership Development
Read more about CANIP, National Presbyterain Camp HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts totaling $25,000 to assist the Church in making renovations to the camp as well as to supply scholarships for children in the summer programs.