My heart was already overflowing but even more blessings were in store for us today!  In the afternoon we met in the sanctuary with the Fieles a Jesus Daughters, including two women who will soon finish the Study. (We were able to bring their crosses with us, so they will receive them when they are admitted next month. Many international Daughters do not receive their crosses at the time of admission because it is often difficult to mail internationally.  Some Daughters have had to wait months or years.)

We brought out the suitcase full of gifts from Florida and North Carolina Daughters and the International Committee, and it made us very happy that we could share a little from our abundance. Our sisters were more than grateful to receive the food and basic items which we in the U.S. take for granted. We were surprised and delighted to receive from them a beautiful banner they had sewn by hand!  The Spanish text means "Daughters of the King - Always Together."  So true, so precious!  Bishop Skilton (who does double duty as Province IV Chaplain and International Chaplain) will take the banner to the Province IV retreat at Kanuga in June, where it will be displayed and used in the procession.

After the exchange of gifts, I showed some excerpts from the DOK video, "A Closer Walk".  I especially wanted to show  the last section, when two of the Matanzas Daughters say "I am a Daughter of the King" in Spanish.  I would have loved to show them the whole video, but all the narration is in English.  (It is my hope that we will be able to translate this video into Spanish sometime in the near future.)  Deacon Phyllis then spoke to the group briefly in fluent Spanish.  She has made  many trips to Cuba and is much beloved by the people here.  At the close of the Daughters' meeting, Bishop Bill made some wonderful remarks in his fluent Spanish - "Con Gusto!"  Although this was the first time they had met him, he is already beloved too.  And he is Cubano!

At the close of the Daughters' meeting, the whole church was invited to a gathering to celebrate our visit!  There was music by a talented trio called "Living Water" in English, and dancing in the sanctuary.  And then more gift-giving!  All the members of our team were given beautiful paintings of Varadero beach, painted by a talented parishioner, as well as lovely, handmade wooden crosses. (Ten of the fifty-pound suitcases we brought held the gifts of food and necessities for the whole parish, to be distributed later by Mother Tulia to those in need.) The festivities ended as we enjoyed cake and ice cream and other goodies with our sisters and brothers in Christ. 

Later that evening, our team treated Mother Tulia, her precious family, and our dear cook, Xiomara, to dinner at a local restaurant.  I am in awe of Mother Tulia's and her husband, Osmani's, incredible joyful ministry.  They are raising two of the sweetest girls I have every met and yet they have enough love left over to care for the parish and the barrio.  Mother Tulia has been an incredible support and inspiration for the Matanzas Daughters, and is reaching out to other churches to grow The Order.  ¡Gracias a Dios!