{"id":2273,"date":"2011-12-11T20:28:54","date_gmt":"2011-12-12T01:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onemonthofwisdom.com\/wisdomblog\/?p=2273"},"modified":"2013-03-28T15:43:09","modified_gmt":"2013-03-28T19:43:09","slug":"pastor-leonardo-diaz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onemonthofwisdom.com\/wisdomblog\/2011\/12\/pastor-leonardo-diaz\/","title":{"rendered":"Pastor Leonardo Diaz and His Final Act Of Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Friday morning I received a shocking email announcing the death of Pastor Leonardo Diaz, District Superintendent and Pastor of the United Methodist Church in Manzanillo, Cuba.<\/h1>\n
\"Pastor<\/a>
Pastor Leo at the Pulpit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I First met Pastor Leo when he visited the United States and spoke at Temple Terrace United Methodist Church in Tampa, FL.\u00a0 I really got to know him on my recent trip to Cuba.\u00a0 Pastor Leo and his wife led the delegation that met our mission team at the Santiago airport when we arrived, and escorted us all the way to our destination in Niquero.\u00a0 He was charismatic to say the least… a better description, a character!<\/h3>\n

At first, the details were sketchy.\u00a0 We were told a bus collided with his car.\u00a0 He and his driver were found dead at the scene, his wife was seriously injured.\u00a0 It was not until Sunday morning that I received an email with more detail.\u00a0 I wanted to share that message with you because it speaks volumes regarding the faith and perseverance of the Cuban people, and of the final acts of a leader who was loved by many and will be sorely missed.<\/h3>\n

<\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n

Pastor Leo lived his faith and gave his witness up to the very moment of death.<\/h1>\n

The message that follows bears witness to that faith and so much more… <\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

Greetings and blessings to all our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus:<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve tried to write to all of you at the same time to tell you about Pastor Leonardo and Mercedes\u2019 accident.\u00a0 You may already know some of what I am writing to you but not all the details.\u00a0 We were so busy and distraught with the news that we didn\u2019t know what we were saying or doing, repeating just what we heard.<\/h3>\n
\"Pastor<\/a>
Pastor Leo addressing our team and the seminary students upon our arrival in Niquero<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yesterday, at the wake\u00a0 in Cienfuegos, Bishop Ricardo Pereira gave more information: There were 2 cars parked on the side of the road and Leo\u2019s car was on its proper lane. A bus passed both cars and swiped Leo\u2019s car.\u00a0 Leo and the driver died instantaneously. Mechy\u2019s body had to be taken out from the back\u00a0 since the trunk was completely sealed.<\/h3>\n

Bishop says that when they took \u00a0Leo\u2019s body he had his Bible open on his lap and had written a paper saying \u201cChrist loves you\u201d. Bishop also told us that there were other writings all over the car with all sorts of promises, such as:\u00a0 \u201cChrist for Cuba\u201d, \u201cWe want Cuba for Christ\u201d, \u201cAll nations are for Christ\u201d, and many more.\u00a0 As Bishop talked he was crying and we were all crying with him. There were more than 600 persons at the service.\u00a0 The coffin had to be placed in front of the cafeteria and near the close family members.\u00a0 There were so many people that there was no room between the enormous patio y the inside porches. There were people from all denominations, friends and relatives.<\/h3>\n

Bishop divided the people of the church (Methodist brothers, pastors, leaders, Superintendents, His Cabinet) into 3 groups: One group went to Leo\u2019s funeral, another group went to the driver\u2019s funeral in Manzanillo, and another group was with Mechy (in the hospital).\u00a0 <\/em>She is under the care of a doctor who belongs to Bishop\u2019s church and he is working directly with her.\u00a0 She has someone with her at all times, informing the Bishop of her health conditions.<\/h3>\n
\"Pastor<\/a>
On the way to Niquero, Pastor Leo got out of the car in a terrible storm to pull the suitcases off of the car roof. Miraculously, although all of the clothing in the suitcases were soaked, the electronics we were carrying remained dry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Pinar del Rio pastor cried as he was giving his testimony since Leo had been with him that week preaching in his church and had been traveling with him throughout Pinar and Havana.\u00a0 Later on he preached at Bishop\u2019s church.\u00a0 Everyone was crying saying that it seemed that brother Leonardo was saying goodbye to all of us.\u00a0 Bishop said, \u201cAll my pastors are distraught and the brothers and sisters also\u201d.<\/h3>\n

It rained and rained and the Pinar pastor said that it seemed heaven was also crying for Leonardo.<\/h3>\n

This morning we were told that Mechi is doing better but she has not been told yet of Leo\u2019s death since she\u2019s been operated on her jaw. I believe she will undergo another operation soon since the clavicle is pinching her lung and not her rib.\u00a0 Her condition is serious but stable.<\/h3>\n

Brothers\/sisters, the funeral was very, very large.\u00a0 Cannot tell you how many buses and cars there were. Also cannot tell you how many tears of pain fell in that place, knowing that our brother Leo was gone. We were moved to see his son Luis Miguel (15 yrs old) crying by the tomb\u2026. Everything was sad and painful.\u00a0 Pastora Baby placed some flowers in his hands and he placed it on the tomb crying but he behaved like a man.\u00a0 We also know that Leo is in a holy place.\u00a0 What more, I imagine he\u2019s one more of our Lord\u2019s angels.<\/h3>\n

Well, my children and dearest brothers and sisters whom remember with much love, take care of yourselves and pray every time your leave anywhere, placing that day and night in the hands of He who created us. We cannot forget that He who made the heavens also made us.<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And so I do not say “goodbye Pastor Leo”, but rather “until we meet again!”<\/h2>\n

Blessings & Adventure,<\/h3>\n

Lynn “lynnibug” Rios<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

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