It’s not often I willingly rise at 3 a.m. But on Jan. 30, that’s exactly what I did to arrive at the airport to take part in a nine-day, once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a trip to Cuba. What a life-altering journey it was in so many ways!

I’m still processing the whole experience in addition to nursing a painful arthritic knee, brutalized by walking for days on centuries-old uneven cobblestones and nonstop activities from sunup to way past sundown.

One of a baker’s dozen representatives from Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis, I was privileged to join the growing list of parishioners, Americans and indeed world travelers who are hungry to experience this unique island.

Presbyterians have a long history in Cuba going back to 1890, when a small group began meeting in Havana and made a request to the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. to send them a missionary.

WPC has had a partnership with Versalles Presbyterian-Reformed Church (la Iglesia El Redentor) for over 15 years. Located in Matanzas, a bumpy two-hour bus ride 56 miles from Havana (Habana), on the island’s northern shore. Matanzas, the city of bridges with nearly 135,000 residents, is the capital of the province of the same name. It’s known for it’s poets, Afro-Cuban folklore and culture. It is also home to the Evangelical Theological Seminary (Seminario Evangelico de Teologia or SET), which WPC supports through our other Cuban partner, the National Synod of the Presbyterian-Reformed Church of Cuba (la Iglesia Presbiteriana-Reformade en Cuba).

Even before departing for our trip, we were educated on the type of partnership WPC has with our Cuban churches. Decades ago when forming the relationship, the wise Cuban elders informed us that they weren’t interested in people coming to their country to solve their problems, tell them how to change their way of life nor to answer their questions. They wanted a people-to-people relationship.

So while the focal point of the trip was absolutely mission-related with visits to several churches, meetings with church leaders and visits to parishioners’ homes, we also had the profound opportunity to experience Cuba’s extraordinarily friendly people, rich pre-and post-revolutionary history and a vast array of healthy, local foods.

It was a wonderful experience to get to know my fellow WPC travelers on a more intimate basis. That said, I have to say that hands down, meeting and talking with the Cuban people was the highlight of my trip.

I had a bit of a scare the first night in Havana when I thought I’d lost my Nikon. Well, frankly, it was more than a bit of a scare. As the “official photographer” of the trip, I have also scheduled three photo exhibits of photographs I anticipated taking during the trip. While trying not to panic, I spoke with Alejandro, our hotel security manager, through our capable young translator, Yosmel.

Though surprised, I was very delighted that Alejandro generously said he would look at their security footage while we enjoyed a walk to the nearby waterfront.

Before reaching the gorgeous 1930s vintage Havana Hotel Nacional, we passed a Wishing Well at which I threw down all my loose American change with total abandon and wished with all my heart that my Nikon would be found! The hotel’s soothing waterfront ambiance coupled with refreshments and a wonderful dose of Cuban music by a singer, guitar and bass player trio, allowed me to drown my panic with a double shot of Cuban rum. Wow and yes!

Upon returning to our hotel, an unremarkable place indeed and certainly no comparison to the very elaborately appointed and clearly expensive Nacional, Alejandro assured me that his security camera clearly showed the Nikon around my neck when I went up to my room upon arriving earlier but not present when I came down for our walk to the waterfront. His consensus: The camera had to be in my room.

Thank God — and with a nod to the Wishing Well — he was right. I hadn’t seen it when I searched earlier. It was under my bedspread!

Given that I took almost 5,000 photographs in nine days, to say nothing of the 45 short videos (from 5 seconds to 1.5 minutes) on our trip, I’m glad that someone was listening to my prayers!

Self Promotion Alert: My first exhibit, “Hola, Cuba!: A Photojournalist’s Perspective,” opens at the Kaddatz Gallery in Fergus Falls, Minn., (where I was born) April 6 through May 13. Opening cheese and wine reception is 2 to 4 p.m. April 8 with artist talk. On April 30, the Westminster Gallery, curated by Dr. Rodney Schwartz, opens a Cuba exhibit of my photos along with a selection of Cuban art and artifacts that have been collected and/or donated by WPC members for decades. That exhibit runs through June 18. In October and November, my Cuban photos will be exhibited at the Evansville (Minn.) Art Center (dates tbd).

Let’s return to the plentiful palm-trees, crumbling 19th-century buildings and dozens of 21st-century cranes dotting Cuba’s 745-mile long island that is a short, yet perilous and often life-threatening boat ride from the tip of Florida 90 miles away.

When Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492, there were only about 50,000 Cibony and Taino nation members living on the island. History tells us it wasn’t until 1523 that African slaves were introduced to the island. Today’s population is almost 11.4 million and exudes a cultural diversity reflecting Spanish, African, French, Asian and U.S. influences made infamous by the colorful and ubiquitous American cars from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and even the 1930s in various states of upkeep from pristine to pretty amazing that it’s still running. More on those later.

To quote a bit of history according to a PC(USA) website, “Cuba’s first liberation movement began in 1868 — 50 years after most other Latin American countries — when a wealthy estate owner named Céspedes freed his slaves and called for a revolt against Spain. After 10 years of guerrilla warfare, this struggle was finally put down. Another insurrection was begun in 1895 by the poet José Martí. The Cuban people gained independence from Spanish rule in 1898 after the Spanish American War, but they immediately fell under U.S. domination.

“The first Cuban constitution contained the famous Platt amendment, which gave the United States the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and keep a naval base at Guantanamo Bay. The United States used this “right” liberally, sending U.S. Marines there in 1906 to 1909, in 1912 and again in 1920.

“At the time U.S. companies owned or controlled half the natural resources in Cuba. Cuba was ruled by the dictator Fulgencio Batista most of the period from 1933 to 1959. This ended with the successful insurrection led by Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement.”

Evidence of Martí’s impact on Cuba are ubiquitous. We were fortunate to take the quick elevator ride in the 20-story star-shaped Memorial José Martí with a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of Havana at Revolution Square (Plaza de la Revolución). The tower had been closed for over five years, and that day was the first day of its reopening.

Everything was sparkling. The first floor contained an outstanding collection of photos, stories and quotes fromCuba’s national hero of the Cuban War of Independence from Spain for which Martí wrote poetry and inspired many and in which he died in combat.

A stunning 59-foot white marble sculpture of Martí at the base of the museum was the largest one that we saw. The infamous black metal sculpture outlined images of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara are on full display.

However, I saw more Martí busts and images dotting the streets, squares and private gardens as much as billboards and graffiti images of the late revolutionaries Castro, prime minister and president, and Che Guevara,
Argentinian Marxist revolutionary, physician, author and guerrilla leader.

Over the following days and weeks, I’ll write more about this life-altering trip. For now, I invite you to mark any of my photo exhibits on your calendar. I’d love to share my photos Cuban with you.