Living in Gratitude on Our Way to Advent

A letter from Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri and José Manuel Capella-Pratts, serving as regional liaisons in the Caribbean

Winter 2024

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“I waited patiently for the Lord; [God] inclined to me and heard my cry. [God] drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. [God] put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” Psalms 40:1-3a (NRSV)

Participants in the Cuba Partners Network Gathering 2024. Photo credit: Kathy Wennerstrum.

Late summer and fall have been busy times in the Caribbean office. The hurricane season is still going until November 30, and we look forward to the end of the season with hearts full of hope and gratitude, with “a new song in [our] mouths, a song of praise to our God,” even in difficult times. We shared in our previous letter, “By Candlelight,” insights on the hurricane season, our hopes and prayers for those in the paths of the storms, and how the Church continues to act in love, contributing to recovery efforts. Find the letter at  presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/letter/by-candlelight.

As the hurricane season comes to an end, we reflect on the times lived giving thanks for…

• • Partners and siblings who have supported (and continue to support) the recovery efforts in the wake of the storms Beryl, Ernesto, Helene, Milton and Oscar. See Presbyterian Disaster Assistance response and opportunities to volunteer at https://pda.pcusa.org.

Visit to First Presbyterian Church, Champaign, Illinois

• • Visits and conversations on hope and resilience with our Caribbean and U.S. siblings.

• The Cuba Partners Network Gathering that took place in mid-September in Darien, Illinois. For times of worship, Bible study, and opportunities to listen, learn, engage in conversations, and share advocacy efforts.
• The members and the leadership at First Presbyterian Church in Champaign, IL (FPCC); for their hospitality, and for the initiatives and ministries they embody locally and globally.
• The Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois and the gifts of technology that made it possible for us to connect with them via videoconference.
• All the learnings and love experienced along the way.

¡Damos gracias a Dios!

As we head toward the Advent and Christmas seasons, we reflect on these times with gratitude, awaiting the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and looking forward to the year ahead.

With this, we invite you wait and reflect as well…

En la tormenta aún hay luz. Colored pencil on paper by Vilmarie. Advent at Home Resource.

This year, the Office of Christian Formation of the PC(USA) invited me (Vilmarie) to create the art pieces for the Advent at Home resource as part of their “Around the Table” initiative. I share with you the art piece I contributed that is connected to the word “Hope.” Focusing especially on Psalm 40:1, this piece is titled, “En la tormenta, aún hay luz” (In the storm, there’s still light). It is a colored pencil, red candle prayer created during Tropical Storm Ernesto. Without electrical power, while drawing, painting and praying by candlelight, we “waited patiently for the Lord,” trusting God would incline towards us and hear us. We trusted God would see us through. (Find the Advent at Home resource in English and Spanish at .

Dear siblings, what are you grateful for this season? What are your hopes for the seasons ahead? Write to us and share what you give thanks for and your hopes for the year ahead. We look forward to hearing from you.

Let us live in gratitude, trusting the promise that God, Emmanuel, is with us as we walk together with our Caribbean siblings in faith and friendship.

In God’s love,

Vilmarie & José Manuel