Praying for Cuba

A Boeing 737 airliner with more than 110 passengers and crew crashed Friday near Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba, shortly after takeoff. The plane, Cubana Flight 972, was on its way to Holguin, Cuba, when it went down about 12 p.m. local time.

On board the aircraft, 10 couples from the East District were on their way back to their home Province of Holguín after being part of a National Conference for pastors from the Church of the Nazarene.

It’s been confirmed that on the flight the following pastoral couples perished:

1. Mirza Rodriguez Rondón and Juan Luis Vega Velazquez.
2. Luis Manuel Rojas Perez and Maricela Peña.
3. Norma Suarez Niles and Jesus Manuel Garcia Oberto.
4. Maria Virgen Filandez Rojas and Rafael Vega Velazquez.
5. Ronni Alain Pupo Pupo and Yurisel Milagros Miranda Mulet.
6. Eloy Ortiz Abad and Elva Maria Mosqueda Legra.
7. Juan Carlos Nogueras Leyva and Noelbis Hernandez Guerrero.
8. Gelover Martin Perez Avalo and Yoneisi Cordovez Rodriguez.
9. Manuel David Aguilar Saavedra and Maria Salome Sanchez Arevalo.
10. Grisell Filandes Clark and Lorenzo Boch Bring.

As a result of this, 8 children (7 boys and 1 girl) and 2 adolescents were left without their parents, all between 7 and 15 years old.  Many adult children were left without their parents as well.

The president of the Church of the Nazarene in Cuba, Rev. Leonel J. Lopez said: “In this moment of anguish and pain, we ask for all your prayers and help to be able to get through this situation together.”

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Mesoamerica Region invites you to be part of the response to the families that have been affected by the plane crash:

• Praying.
• Raising offerings in local churches on Sunday, May 27, 2018.

The offerings must be sent by each district to their field office; the field office will send the total received to the regional office for its proper use.

“May all the family of the Church of the Nazarene unite in prayer on behalf of our brothers and sisters,” Dr. Carlos Saenz, Regional Director, said.

Flags are currently at half-mast across Cuba as part of a nation-wide two days of mourning.

Stay informed through the official regional website: mesoamericaregion.org, and the website of the Church of the Nazarene: nazarene.org; and also through Facebook and Twitter.

– Church of the Nazarene, Mesoamerica Communications.