UCC - Call to prison-ministry training in Cuba aims to 'increase common commitments'

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Call to prison-ministry training in Cuba aims to 'increase common 
commitmen ts'

> Written by Jeff Woodard
> November 3, 2010)

Embracing an opportunity to help construct prison
ministry in Cuba, Mark Siler is hoping to "build
more bridges that allow for experiencing God in the 'other.' "

Siler, a prison chaplain in Asheville, N.C.,
began on Oct. 8 a nine-month series of
prison-ministry trainings for local church
leaders in Cuba with workshops in the eastern
cities of Camagüey, Holguin and Vayamo.

"Our time there can only increase the common
commitments and destiny that have already been
claimed," Siler wrote in an April 21 letter
outlining his intention. "This Cuba-U.S. faith
exchange creates more opportunities for our
mutual following of Jesus beyond the political,
cultural, racial and economic barriers that try
to falsely define and separate us.

"It gives those of us in the United States

another link to the courageous and vibrant faith
in Cuba ? a faith neither supported nor
compromised by state privilege," wrote Siler, a
member of the
<http://sites.google.com/site/circleofmercy/>Circle
of Mercy in Asheville, N.C., who was invited to
Cuba by the Cuban Council of Churches.

In an Oct. 26 blog entry, Siler says he and his
family experienced an early whirlwind prison
chaplaincy tour of Cuba that was "amazing,
exhausting, humiliating and perfect."

"The baptism by fire often felt more like

drowning as we (wife Kiran and I) were expected
to lead our parts of the workshop in Spanish,
minus a couple of days with a translator in Camaguey," wrote Siler.

Satisfied with his Spanish-speaking acumen, Siler
says his comprehension was another story. "The
fact that those gathered were participating in a
lively and engaged manner was a good sign, but
lively and engaged speech is harder to understand
when one is still a novice with a new language."

The process prompted Siler's ego to generate
questions, second-guesses and doubt.

"What am I doing here?" Siler blogged. "I'm never
going to learn this language. There has got to be
someone besides me who should be doing this. I am
reminded again that humiliation and humility come from the same word.

"At times, I can recognize the gift to learn more
about this gift of the Spirit and am able to just
be with all my inadequacies. But often, knowing
that I am standing in front of a group of adults
talking like a first-grader (at best) is just
plain hard. In many ways, the journey is just beginning."

The 25-plus denominations represented in Cuba are
striving to mount a unified, organized effort
under the auspices of the Cuban Council of Churches.

"Largely for theological reasons, many of the
chaplains have been quite reluctant to work with
the Cuban Council of Churches," wrote Siler,
adding that "Paco," the project coordinator who
invited the Silers on the journey, has an
immediate positive effect. "Many of them came
with great suspicion. Paco, however, was able to
transcend the divisions and name the common faith
and hopes that all shared. It was a great first step."

Founded in 2001, Circle of Mercy is affiliated
nationally with the UCC and the Alliance of
Baptists, both of whom have churches partnered
with Cuban congregations. Circle of Mercy's
partnership with Iglesia Getsemani, a Baptist
congregation in Camagüey, Cuba's third-largest
city, set the stage for the larger partnership with Cuban churches.

"The Cuban government has relaxed restrictions
on churches' contacts with prisoners," says the
Rev. Ken Sehested, Circle of Mercy's co-pastor,
who has maintained contacts within the Cuban
Christian community over the past two decades.
"This prompted a Council of Churches plan for
mobilizing local congregations for pastoral
ministry with inmates. This is one of those
old-fashioned, free-range, leap-of-faith callings."

In his letter, Siler cited his two years as a
chaplain at a maximum-security prison in
Asheville ? as well as the encouragement of
retired pastor Francisco Rodes to help develop
ministry in Cuba ? in answering a calling that could not wait.

"I'm convinced that ministry with those who are,
or have been, incarcerated is my particular place
within the body of Christ," wrote Siler.

In addition to teaching prison ministry, Siler is
also teaching chaplaincy at the Ecumenical Seminary in Matanzas.

Sigmon, who has chaired Circle of Mercy's Cuba
Mission Partner relationship since it was formed
in 2005, is helping to host church groups
visiting Cuba. Siler, Sigmon and their daughters
Joy and Leigh have traveled to Cuba several times
in recent years. This trip is no different.

"Many of our congregations' delegations to Cuba
included children," wrote Siler. "We have
witnessed the extraordinary way in which children
lead us toward the Beloved Community that we so desire."

Siler is an M.Div. student at Earlham School of
Religion, Richmond, Ind. He holds master's
degrees in pastoral studies from Loyola
University in New Orleans and in social work from
East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. In
1998, he earned a degree in pastoral education
from the Carolinas Medical Center.

"During much of the past decade, Mark has also
been a stay-at-home dad," says Sehested. "He
still managed as a volunteer director to get two
non-profits off the ground. And he also served as
our congregation's music coordinator for several years."

Siler says he and his family plan to return to
Asheville next July. For regular updates on
Siler's chaplaincy in Cuba, please
<http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cuba/Oeste/Matanzas/bl
 og-542476.html>visit
his blog or email 
<<mailto:m.siler@seminario.co.cu>m.siler@seminario.co.cu>.