Putin says Russia needs to go back to Cuba

Mon Aug 4, 2008 2:12pm EDT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday said it was time for Russia to rebuild links with former Cold War ally Cuba, news agencies reported.

The Kremlin is angry at U.S. plans for a missile defence system in Eastern Europe, and last month a news report suggested Russia might use Cuba, a thorn in America's side for half a century, as a refueling stop for nuclear-capable bombers.

The Russian Defence Ministry denied the report and said it had no plans to open any military bases abroad, but a top U.S. general was drawn to say such a move would cross a "red line".

Moscow was the Caribbean island's key oil, arms and grain supplier for 30 years, until subsidies propping up the economy of Fidel Castro's revolutionary government fell to a trickle and then dried up entirely after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

"We need to reestablish positions on Cuba and in other countries," news agency Interfax quoted Putin as saying at the weekly presidium meeting of key government ministers.

Just 144 km (90 miles) from the coast of U.S. state of Florida, Cuba still has no formal diplomatic ties with Washington D.C.

At the height of the Cold War in 1962, a two-week crisis over Soviet missiles on the island nearly led to full-blown war.

Putin's remarks came after Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin reported on a recent three-day visit to Cuba, where he discussed a raft of trade and investment issues and met with Raul Castro, Fidel's brother and now the island's leader.

"We agreed on a priority direction for cooperation, this being energy, the mining industry, agriculture, transport, health care and communications," news agency RIA quoted Sechin as saying.

(Reporting by Chris Baldwin, editing by Toby Reynolds)

They hesitated not to press forward in the service of the Master . . .

The Lord has in readiness the most precious exhibitions of His grace to strengthen and encourage the sincere, humble worker.

The disciples of Christ had a deep sense of their own inefficiency, and with humiliation and prayer they joined their weakness to His strength, their ignorance to His wisdom, their unworthiness to His righteousness, their poverty to His exhaustless wealth. Thus strengthened and equipped, they hesitated not to press forward in the service of the Master.

All that man has, God has given him, and he who improves his abilities to God's glory will be an instrument to do good; but we can no more live a religious life without constant prayer and the performance of religious duties than we can have physical strength without partaking of temporal food. We must daily sit down at God's table. We must receive strength from the living Vine, if we are nourished. . . .

I entreat you to move with an eye single to the glory of God. Let His power be your dependence, His grace your strength. By study of the Scriptures and earnest prayer seek to obtain clear conceptions of your duty, and then faithfully perform it. It is essential that you cultivate faithfulness in little things, and in so doing you will acquire habits of integrity in greater responsibilities. . . . Every event of life is great for good or for evil. The mind needs to be trained by daily tests, that it may acquire power to stand in any difficult position. In the days of trial and of peril you will need to be fortified to stand firmly for the right, independent of every opposing influence.

Jesus consents to bear our burdens only when we trust Him. He is saying: "Come unto me, all ye weary and heavy laden; give Me your load; trust Me to do the work that it is impossible for the human agent to do." Let us trust Him. Worry is blind and cannot discern the future. But Jesus sees the end from the beginning, and in every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. Abiding in Christ, we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. God's Amazing Grace 112

He who passes from death to life realizes that it is a divine reality. The beginning of redemption we may know here through a personal experience. DA 173



I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (New Century Version)

When temptations assail you, when care, perplexity, and darkness seem to surround your soul, look to the place where you last saw the light . . .

Christ came to this world to show that by receiving power from on high, man can live an unsullied life. With unwearying patience and sympathetic helpfulness He met men in their necessities. By the gentle touch of grace He banished from the soul unrest and doubt, changing enmity to love, and unbelief to confidence.

It is not wise to look to ourselves and study our emotions. If we do this, the enemy will present difficulties and temptations that weaken faith and destroy courage. Closely to study our emotions and give way to our feelings is to entertain doubt and entangle ourselves in perplexity. We are to look away from self to Jesus.

When temptations assail you, when care, perplexity, and darkness seem to surround your soul, look to the place where you last saw the light. Rest in Christ's love and under His protecting care. When sin struggles for the mastery in the heart, when guilt oppresses the soul and burdens the conscience, when unbelief clouds the mind, remember that Christ's grace is sufficient to subdue sin and banish the darkness.

He will give you grace to be patient, He will give you grace to be trustful, He will give you grace to overcome restlessness, He will warm your heart with His own sweet Spirit, He will revive your soul in its weakness. . . . Then stay your soul in confidence upon God. Roll all your burdens upon Him.

The soul that loves God, rises above the fog of doubt; he gains a bright, broad, deep, living experience, and becomes meek and Christlike. His soul is committed to God, hid with Christ in God. He will be able to stand the test of neglect, of abuse and contempt, because his Saviour has suffered all this. He will not become fretful and discouraged when difficulties press him, because Jesus did not fail or become discouraged. Every true Christian will be strong, not in the strength and merit of his good works, but in the righteousness of Christ, which through faith is imputed unto him. It is a great thing to be meek and lowly in heart, to be pure and undefiled, as was the Prince of heaven when He walked among men. God's Amazing Grace 108



Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. Jesus said, "Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?"

He did not sermonize as men do today . . .

Jesus saw in every soul one to whom must be given the call to His kingdom. He reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired their good. He sought them in the public streets, in private houses, on the boats, in the synagogue, by the shores of the lake, and at the marriage feast. He met them at their daily vocations, and manifested an interest in their secular affairs. He carried His instruction into the household, bringing families in their own homes under the influence of His divine presence. His strong personal sympathy helped to win hearts. He often repaired to the mountains for solitary prayer, but this was a preparation for His labor among men in active life. From these seasons He came forth to relieve the sick, to instruct the ignorant, and to break the chains from the captives of Satan.
Page 152

It was by personal contact and association that Jesus trained His disciples. Sometimes He taught them, sitting among them on the mountainside; sometimes beside the sea, or walking with them by the way, He revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of God. He did not sermonize as men do today. Wherever hearts were open to receive the divine message, He unfolded the truths of the way of salvation. He did not command His disciples to do this or that, but said, "Follow Me." On His journeys through country and cities He took them with Him, that they might see how He taught the people. He linked their interest with His, and they united with Him in the work.

The example of Christ in linking Himself with the interests of humanity should be followed by all who preach His word, and by all who have received the gospel of His grace. We are not to renounce social communion. We should not seclude ourselves from others. In order to reach all classes, we must meet them where they are. They will seldom seek us of their own accord. Not alone from the pulpit are the hearts of men touched by divine truth. There is another field of labor, humbler, it may be, but fully as promising. It is found in the home of the lowly, and in the mansion of the great; at the hospitable board, and in gatherings for innocent social enjoyment.

As disciples of Christ we shall not mingle with the world from a mere love of pleasure, to unite with them in folly. Such associations can result only in harm. We should never give sanction to sin by our words or our deeds, our silence or our presence. Wherever we go, we are to carry Jesus with us, and to reveal to others the preciousness of our Saviour. But those who try to preserve their religion by hiding it within stone walls lose precious opportunities of doing good. Through the social relations, Christianity comes in contact with the world. Everyone who has received the divine illumination is to brighten the pathway of those who know not the Light of life.

We should all become witnesses for Jesus. Social power, sanctified by the grace of Christ, must be improved in winning souls to the Saviour. Let the world see that we are not selfishly absorbed in our own interests, but that we desire others to share our blessings and privileges. Let them see that our religion does not make us unsympathetic or exacting. Let all who profess to have found Christ, minister as He did for the benefit of men. DA 152



Do you believe in and rely on and trust in Me? You shall see greater things than this! John 1:50b (Amplified Bible)

Lord, What Is Your Mission for Me?

I first heard the Lord calling me to share His love with others when I was in high school, but I just wasn’t sure what my mission was. I was, however, quite clear on what my mission was not: I was not going to marry a minister . . . because I’d turned away a seminary-bound boyfriend with that excuse earlier. I was never going to live in an “I” state, such as Illinois or Iowa . . . because the names sounded boring. And if I ever taught school (something I never honestly planned on doing), I was not going to teach middle school . . . because I was sure that students that age were worse than any “heathen” I’d read about in mission books.

My passion to serve drove me to pursue a degree in religion, and while at Andrews University, I fell in love with a man who had a similar passion. But he had chosen to be a minister. He also was the one God had chosen for me. When we talked of getting married, we wondered how we could financially stay afloat with both of us in college. We felt so blessed when the Lord confirmed our calling by having a conference president offer us a job—in Indiana.

And, if you are following the drift of my ramblings, you won’t be at all surprised what my first job out of college was. Those middle school students were not the people I had planned on ministering to, but they were the ones the Lord had chosen for me!

Looking back, I believe it was important for the Lord to teach me early on that
part of the Great Commission is submission. It is His work, not mine. It is His plan, not mine. It is His will, not mine. Each of us is like a piece in a giant jigsaw puzzle, that when completed, creates a mural of victory and peace—snapped together when all His children are finally home. I may think that I know where He needs me in this puzzle, but only He can pick me up and place me where the unique configuration of my life will fit together perfectly with the needs of another. Only He can see the box lid to the puzzle, where the final panorama is clearly displayed.

He says, “ ‘I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ” (Jer. 29:11, NIV).

What greater plan than the Great Commission? What greater hope than the blessed hope?

Kandace Zollman, Smithsburg, Maryland, U.S.A.



People can make all kinds of plans, but only the Lord's plan will happen. Proverbs 19:21 (New Century Version)

No sooner is one converted than there is born within him a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus . . .

With the calling of John and Andrew and Simon, of Philip and Nathanael, began the foundation of the Christian church. John directed two of his disciples to Christ. Then one of these, Andrew, found his brother, and called him to the Saviour. Philip was then called, and he went in search of Nathanael. These examples should teach us the importance of personal effort, of making direct appeals to our kindred, friends, and neighbors. There are those who for a lifetime have professed to be acquainted with Christ, yet who have never made a personal effort to bring even one soul to the Saviour. They leave all the work for the minister. He may be well qualified for his calling, but he cannot do that which God has left for the members of the church.

There are many who need the ministration of loving Christian hearts. Many have gone down to ruin who might have been saved if their neighbors, common men and women, had put forth personal effort for them. Many are waiting to be personally addressed. In the very family, the neighborhood, the town, where we live, there is work for us to do as missionaries for Christ. If we are Christians, this work will be our delight. No sooner is one converted than there is born within him a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus. The saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart.

All who are consecrated to God will be channels of light. God makes them His agents to communicate to others the riches of His grace. His promise is, "I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing." Ezek. 34:26.

Philip said to Nathanael, "Come and see." He did not ask him to accept another's testimony, but to behold Christ for himself. Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven, His disciples are His representatives among men, and one of the most effective ways of winning souls to Him is in exemplifying His character in our daily life. Our influence upon others depends not so much upon what we say as upon what we are. Men may combat and defy our logic, they may resist our appeals; but a life of disinterested love is an argument they cannot gainsay. A consistent life, characterized by the meekness of Christ, is a power in the world. DA 141-142



Now stand still and see the great thing the Lord will do before your eyes. 1 Samuel 12:16 (New Century Version)

With Change in the Air, Cubans Speculate on Currency

Rumors of Quick Demise Of 2-Tier System Untrue

By Manuel Roig-Franzia
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, February 27, 2008; Page A08

HAVANA, Feb. 26 -- Cubans swamped currency exchange offices Monday and early Tuesday in a brief but intense speculative frenzy fueled by rumors that new President Ra¿l Castro would end the island's reviled dual currency system.

Hoping to make a quick profit, many Cubans traded the country's valuable "convertible pesos" -- a currency primarily used by tourists, foreign-owned businesses, the elite and black-market vendors -- for the weak Cuban national peso, which is used for the salaries and pensions of nearly all Cubans. The speculators believed that Castro, who hinted about gradually changing the dual money system after being named president Sunday, would double the value of the weak national peso or abolish the stronger convertible peso.

The money swapping became so intense that some exchange offices ran out of national pesos, according to Cubans who stood in line at the offices and other observers. Faced with what amounted to a small-scale run on its banks, the government aired a report early Tuesday on the morning news program "Buenos Dias" emphasizing that any changes to the money system would be gradual.

As word of the report spread, the speculation seemed to end. Still, the episode illustrated the hair-trigger sensitivities surrounding money in Cuba, where everyone from janitors to Castro himself acknowledges that Cubans do not make enough money to maintain a decent standard of living.

"Look, those convertibles are practically worthless," said Victor Manuel, a parking attendant who declined to give his last name. "We're scared, and when we heard about Ra¿l's plan, it was an opportunity."

The money rumors began Sunday when Castro was named by the National Assembly to succeed his ailing brother, Fidel, who has not appeared in public in 19 months. In his nationally televised acceptance speech, Ra¿l said his government would "keep delving into the phenomenon of the double currency in the economy. . . . To avoid traumatic effects or inconsistencies, any changes related to the currency shall be made with a comprehensive approach."

In a somewhat cryptic passage, he seemed to imply there would be no immediate changes. Nonetheless, the Cuban rumor mill started to spin as lines formed outside exchange offices.

Although nearly all Cubans are paid in national pesos, many here have access to convertible pesos because they get tips from tourists or sell items on the massive black market. The convertible peso -- which is worth $1.08 -- was created in the mid-1990s when Fidel Castro opened the island to tourism to generate hard currency after the collapse of Cuba's biggest financial backer, the Soviet Union. A convertible peso is worth 24 national pesos.

Cubans cannot use national pesos in the island's best stores, which carry products -- such as beef, soap and cooking oil -- that are not available or are in short supply in state-run stores. As a result, the dual monetary system has created resentment among Cubans.

"I don't know any Cuban -- whether it's a businessperson, someone in the government or even the president of the Central Bank -- who doesn't want to change this dual system," Ariel Terrero, an economic columnist at the state-run magazine Bohemia, said Tuesday. "But it's in the best interest of everyone to do it slowly."

Terrero is widely credited here with tamping down the currency system rumors with his appearance Tuesday on "Buenos Dias."

"I am completely convinced that the dual money system will disappear," Terrero said in the interview. "But there is no way to predict when."