(f) z 0 ~ N z <( CJ a: 0 SPREADING THE GOODNEWS GOOD NEWS SINGERS GO TO CUBA WORDS Anna Holland I I PHOTOS Jeff Montgomery The Good News Singers visited Cuba in August 2017 in hopes · of spreading God's word, not with sermons and Bible lessons, but in their own special way. After Harding Lectureship in 2016, the singers were asked to visit the numerous churches in Matanzas, Cuba, from Aug. 2 through Aug. 11, 2017. Junior Ross Smith was one of the vocalists who went on the trip. "I thought it might happen to a future group," Smith said. "I never expected us to go so soon, especially since it hadn't even been a year." Smith and the other members went to share God's promise, and they had the opportunity to meet Cuban Christians who have dedicated their life to spread God's word throughout the country. During the Good ews Singers' time in Cuba, Jeff Montgomery, director of photo services, visited to photograph all the Harding events happening in Matanzas, including when the group had the opportunity to go to a Catholic church to praise God together. "There was a Cuban choir from the churches there that sang before Good ews Singers," Montgomery said. "The president of one of the churches said, 'This is a great day when Cubans and Americans can praise God in song together."' Chuck Hicks, assistant professor of music and director of Good ews Singers, led the singing group to Cuba. He had three different objectives while on the trip. "Our original stated goal was to encourage the young Christians at the Cuban Youth Conference," Hicks said. "Our secondary goal was to encourage the churches located across the island. Our tertiary goal was to share the good news in song and harmony to as many Cubans as possible." Good ews senior Emily Kilgore was thankful for the impact that Cuba left on her. "I learned a lot from the people we met in Cuba," Kilgore said. "The people we met didn't measure how blessed they were by the number of things they owned or [the] money they made. It was rooted deeply in their love for Jesus and desire to follow him. I hope that I can also place my faith where theirs is." I During the trip to Cuba in summer 2017, Cuban preacher Juan Monroy speaks to Good News Singers and friends on Aug. 3, 2017. According to Good News Singers Director Chuck Hicks, Monroy played a huge part in founding the churches of Christ in Cuba, which the group spent time performing for and fellowshipping with.// Photo courtesy of Jeff Montgomery The Good News Singers perform for an audience in a Catholic church on Aug. 6, 2017. Audience members enjoyed their performances and captured the moment with pictures and videos.// Photo courtesy of Jeff Montgomery
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==