LAC Sun Mar 18 '12 Dr. Elvin Rodriguez Living Letter.wmv

Dr. Elvin Rodriguez recounts his family’s harrowing 1971 escape from Communist Cuba to the United States, framing their survival as a testament to divine providence. Life under the Castro regime involved the suppression of religious freedom, meager food rations, and the constant threat of the state seizing young boys for indoctrination. To secure an exit visa, Rodriguez’s father and sister endured 32 months of grueling labor in a "concentration camp" style environment. Upon their sudden deportation, the family lost all possessions to the state and faced years of painful separation and censored correspondence. Despite these obstacles, the family eventually reunited in California by 1984. This narrative serves as a "Living Letter," illustrating how faith sustained the family through 13 years of displacement and uncertainty, ultimately transforming a series of impossible circumstances into a successful multi-generational legacy of ministry and service.