Welcome to two Jesuit schoolgirls beginning their missionary experience in Cuba

With joy, we welcome Sebastián Salamanca SJ (MEX) and Carlos Lovera SJ (BOL) to Cuba, two young Jesuits who have arrived to learn firsthand about the mission of the Caribbean Province on the island.

Sebastián and Carlos are theology students at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá. Their presence is a result of an agreement between the Formation Delegation of the Conference of Jesuit Provincials of Latin America and the Caribbean (CPAL) and the Caribbean Province, through which students in theological formation gain experience and engagement in the missions of the Society of Jesus in Cuba.

Both arrive with open hearts, ready to understand our reality and embrace the challenges and opportunities this land offers. Their journey already gave them a first lesson in patience and trust in Providence: their flight was considerably delayed, keeping them waiting from 3:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on the Bogotá-Panama-Cuba route.

Despite the weariness from the journey, they brought with them not only a small suitcase with their personal belongings but also several suitcases packed with aid and medication to support the mission. They also packed repellant to combat the current avirose epidemic affecting the country. They will have to fight against mosquitoes to stay on their feet, but they are determined to open their hearts to be embraced by the human warmth that characterizes the Cuban people and our mission.

Throughout the month of December, Sebastián and Carlos will live together in Santiago de Cuba with Pedro Rivera, SJ, who will accompany them in this immersion experience into the life and mission of the Caribbean Province. Welcome, Sebastián and Carlos! May this experience enrich you and strengthen your vocation of service.