As you well know by now, Fidel Castro has resigned his position as President. This does not mean he will not be in some form of power or at the least a position. The complete letter of resignation is located as a link to the left named "resignation letter." This will change things, but probably not quickly. I encourage you to look into the commentaries on the web and in the papers. Common man does not know though the mind of God. So please pray for God to lead us in the correct way! God is working and we need to be hand in hand with His dear will.

Churches across America have asked for us to come and present our burden to their Church. It has been our desire for the DVD's we send out and letters to do most of the talking, but we understand it takes personal appeals as well. We need help! I am not going to try to polish it over or make light of it. If we are to train the men in Cuba and help the men wanting to go, we have to have funds to do so. It was Metropolitan Baptist's burden from the beginning and still is, but we have learned that God is working on many hearts and many seem to want to help out. Out of God's Grace Churches have taken us on for monthly support…Praise God!

There is an opportunity that presented itself a couple of months ago, we haven't mentioned it much and I still cannot give the details today via email. There is an opportunity to purchase some equipment that will enable the men in Cuba to do their ministry at half of the cost it has cost us to help them in the last couple of years. They will require training and I have been assured that the training will be no problem. I have also been told that the men in Cuba are in desperate need for this equipment. It is the next step, the men are ready to do their own work and do it with this equipment. It is strategic and I am truly sorry that I cannot reveal its exact nature(name), but I would love to if you would like to call me. There are two items, we have taken both before the Lord and believe we need to proceed now in asking for money for them. One costs $6,000.00 US and the other $3,000.00 US. Will you help? Please call if you want the details. This is a serious need and more detail will be going out in a letter this week by way of postal delivery. This could give the men there the permanent help they need without us, and lower our project costs considerably!

Information

Let us not kid ourselves, the Lord is working in the resignation and raising up of the Cuban government. If we could only see the spiritual battle in array over Cuba now, I think it would cause us to be on our knees and give from our apparent financial abundance. This is the exact reason we want to pick up the pace in our travels to Cuba. A missionary just returned from the island this week, we are awaiting is report and when it arrives we should able to supply some information to you the intercessor.

If we do not continue to train and train faster and more dedicated than we have, all may be lost. If you have seen our most recent video, you would have noticed the statement by missionary Milton Martin - "Without the training of national men, all may be lost"…"If we fail to train the men, all will be hinged, all ministry will be hinged on this." Brethren, that is not just a quote but a serious belief of ours and frankly of our Lord. We must train, and to do so we must have the funds for travel. I know I have seemed to stress this too much, but in these turbulent times, are we preparing the men to carry on if the US missionary is booted out? Please consider praying for this specifically this week and until we have what God provides for us to finish this portion of our Commitment.

I have had several meetings with different government departments, in person or by way of phone. We need intercession. Most of it is pertaining to licenses and permissions. Emmanuel is hinged on permissions, we do not have the final go ahead and some of the details seem to be blocked. Will you pray that we will know if it is God's will to proceed now? When to proceed? We need His will and not our own! So, please pray as we (missionaries and contacts) discuss the options and as I continue to seek governmental approvals.

Intercession

We ask that you pray for these needs specifically.

· Pray for funds to come in for the sending of men to Cuba

· Pray for God's will in purchasing equipment in Cuba.

· Pray for missionaries as they plan their travels this year in and out of the island.

· Pray for the permissions needed for Emmanuel and travel sanctions.

· Pray for the Will of God to be supreme in our minds and actions!

Thank you again for your dedicated intercession and financial support. You have made the difference and been such an encouragement to our Commitment.

In HIS Service,

Travis A. Jones

…responding to a burden