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Elder Nacyra Gomez Cruz, member of the
Local Session of the Varadero Presbyterian Reformed Church and her
husband, Rev. Sergio Arce Martinez, pastor Emeritus of the same church,
envisioned The years between 1997 and 1999
constituted a period of a whole process of maturity, growth and
credibility, either in the governmental instances or in the ecclesial
ones, in and out of the country.
During that stage, the project received great support from the local governmental institutions, as well as from friends, churches, humanitarian institutions from Europe, Canada, the United States, and the resources of the Varadero Presbyterian-Reformed Church and the Christian Conference for Peace for Latin America and the Caribbean. The essential supplies were purchased to create the basic facilities with comfort. Once the first stage was reached, we
received a 40 seat school bus as a donation from Pastors for Peace. This
allowed us not only to carry the beneficiaries from their various places
of origin to the sites of the different activities but also at the same
time to support the local movement of participation in the different
mission programs of the church. The bus is under the care and
maintenance of Jose Ruben Aguiar Rodrigues, owner of the house that
became the retreat center. He at the same time works as a driver and
mechanic of the vehicle.
One more step forward in the whole development of this project was possible by the donation received at the end of the year 2000 from the Cooperation Department of the Canadian Embassy in Cuba. This allowed us to expand the capacity of the facility to a better level of comfort. We were able to acquire 10 bunk beds, 16 electrical fans, and a refrigerator, as well as provide water-tightening of the house roof and the remodeling of a bathroom. |
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CESERSE |
a humanitarian idea which slowly ripened during the year of 1996. This
idea was based on the creation of a retreat center to receive groups of
children with diverse illnesses and difficulties, as well as senior
adult residents of the different Seniors Homes and members of Seniors
Clubs and Day-Care Houses throughout the country. This center would
offer them the possibility - with physical, psychological and spiritual
benefits - to stay some 7 days. It would include cultural, recreational
and educational activities such as visits to Tourist Centers, Ecological
Areas, Museums, Houses of Culture, Pioneer Campsites, Public Cultural
Activities, and exchanges with similar local groups. 
