|
Friends United Meeting |
 |
November 1997
When god Calls, Who Would Not Answer?
By Ramón González Longoria
My mother's family was Quaker, and my father's, Catholic. But I was raised and educated in the Friends Church* in Gibara, Cuba. In those days they had a way of systematically encouraging and developing gifts, even in young children. I had assignments in the children's group, and some practice giving devotions in Sunday School. Some teachers and leaders in the Meeting told me that I could succeed in becoming a pastor if I continued in this way.
Later I joined the youth group and was given new responsibilities. I received basic preparation in a little local "seminary" that our pastor, Arsenio Catalá, formed. I gave my first sermons with my pastor's help and counsel, first in my monthly meeting and then in other monthly meetings. In those days, we were trying to rejuvenate the Youth Group national gatherings by visiting the Meetings, and those were occasions in which I would be invited to preach. People would often say to me then, "You could be a minister or pastor," or "You have the makings of a pastor. Consider it." But this was not my plan. I wanted to study to be an electrical engineer in telecommunications after I finished high school in Holguín.
This was a difficult era for the Church and for Christians in Cuba. Everywhere in our society there was a strong teaching in materialism and atheism. Many people either decided not to attend church, or were too afraid to attend. We were discriminated against. Wherever we were, we had intense philosophical and religious discussions. Christianity was considered "the opiate of the people." Consequently, many abandoned the Church. Others emigrated to the United States, including many of our leaders. Many of our meetinghouses began to empty, but always a small, loyal remnant remained, sustained by our Lord. Almost all the monthly meetings had a pastor, although a few of them were already elderly. I remember in these moments how important the words "Do not be afraid, little flock" were to me (Luke 12:32), as well as "Do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say" and "The one who endures to the end." (See Matthew 10:16-22.)
We Christians in the school were few in number, and we searched one another out without regard to denomination because we needed to support one another. I frequently visited and talked with Juan Guzmán, a pastor in Holguín, who would say to me, "God needs you. God has given you gifts. Use them in his work. He is calling you." But I did not feel the call of God, or understand that God was calling me, just like Samuel when God called to him in the temple.
I matriculated at Oriente University in Santiago de Cuba to study electrical engineering. Things were going well, according to my plans. I got married, I went to live in Banes, I had my first child while I was a student, butI was asthmatic and a requirement of my studies was that each year I had to work in the fields, mostly cutting cane, in a climate and under conditions that provoked asthma crises, after which I would be absent from classes many times, until I was forced to request a leave of absence for a year. I began to teach chemistry in Banes.
In those days I was active in the Banes Monthly Meeting. I was continually exhorted by our pastor, Maulio Ajo, and by Heredio Santos, who was then a seminarian, to respond to the call of God, taking into account only the pastoral needs of the Church, and not the difficulties. I had before me two choices: to be an engineer, with a good salary, prestige in the wider society, stable work, etc., or to be a pastor, with a low salary, no prestige whatsoever, economic insecurity, criticism from many people telling me I had crazy ideas, etc. God needed me, and "the lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:8, NRSV).
I had prepared a path for myself, but God had prepared a different one-an unfamiliar path that he invited me to journey on. My illness meant that I was not tied down to any particular school or work-otherwise I would not have had the freedom to go to a theological seminary. There was a great need in the Church, and they helped me, and also, I received tangible help from God. In this way I made the decision to go to the Evangelical Theological Seminary; in 1976, I left behind my four years of engineering training, and began four more years of preparation to serve as minister and pastor. God has used my defects, limitations, fragility; God's help has always been with me.
There are things that happen that, without our realizing it, are part of the plans God has for us, silently and mysteriously preparing us for the future. Looking back on my life, I see clearly what God was preparing for me. I have described it here so that you will discover what God requires of you, so that you will decide to serve him as a worker in his vineyard.
Ramón González Longoria Escalona is pastor of Puerto Padre Friends in Cuba and is clerk of Cuba Yearly Meeting. Translated from the Spanish by Judy Van Wyck Maurer.
Copyright (c) 1998 Friends United Meeting
Return to November 1997 Contents page