The Caminata a Emmas experience will be "the most significant programming event in the Methodist Church this year," Cuba Methodist Bishop Gustavo Cruz told the 1998 Cuban annual conference.
"They (Cuban Christians) have great faith," said Russ Montgomery, a member of the Cuba Florida Covenant Task Force and coordinator of the two retreat weekends. "But now they will have greater accountability for what they do with that faith."
The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal program designed to develop Christian leaders, according to International Walk to Emmaus in Nashville, Tenn. Participants have opportunities to experience Christ's love through the leadership team's witness, conversations, prayer, worship and letters of love and encouragement from family and friends.
"The main thrust is what you do with your life after the weekend," Montgomery said. "They might not know the person next to them in church. Then they attend Emmaus, get involved with Bible study and get to know others in the church. Then they can ask, 'What are you doing with your faith ... with witnessing for Christ?' "
Eight Cuban Methodists who attended an Emmaus Walk in Leesburg, Fla., last January are sponsoring the 20 men and 20 women from the greater Havana area who will attend the walks in Matanzas, Cuba.
"The Cubans who have experienced Emmaus said it's what they need," Montgomery said.
A team of 22 American and Mexican United Methodists will lead the two retreats. A walk for men will be held Oct. 1-4, followed by a women's walk Oct. 8-11.
The Cubans who attend the events will lead future walks, along with international teams scheduled for the next few retreats. The goal is to create a strong, self-supporting community in Havana that will be able to spread the ministry to the entire island and share it with other denominations there.
"They [the Cubans] will be able to continue on their own," Montgomery said. "We'll continue with prayer support."
Montgomery said the idea for the Cuban Emmaus Walks was born during a mission trip to the island three years ago. The retreats are an example of how the Florida and Cuba annual conferences are working together to strengthen each other's ministries. However, the events are not directly connected with the Cuba Florida Covenant, approved by both conferences in 1997 to re-establish a relationship of shared ministry.
"Americans get to spend time with Cubans, and Cubans get to spend
time with Americans. Real bonds are formed because of that,"
Montgomery said. "We covet the prayers and support from persons
around the world. Emmaus is an international program, and God's
love is spoken in any language."
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