Continue Work in Cuba

When my family left Cuba in 1980, anyone could get arrested and/or go to jail simply for saying “Jesus” in a public place.

But by God’s grace, things began to change, albeit slowly, and in 1999, the doors began to open up. While there is still tight control on religious activity, people are able to worship God freely, as well as share their love for Jesus with others, without the fear of persecution or imprisonment. Praise God!

Over the last 19 years, hundreds of thousands of Cubans have come to know, and have given their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ. We have been able to support projects that bring people to our Lord and Savior. Some of these projects include evangelistic efforts, printing of Bible lessons and other Christian literature, sponsoring pastors and lay pastors, establishing home churches, sports leagues to reach children and young people, and a Music School that we started in 2019.

We have coordinated and sponsored dozens of evangelistic efforts that have helped bring thousands of people to Christ! Our first effort “Cuba, Jesus Te Ama” (Cuba, Jesus Loves You), yielded over 7,000 baptisms!

The Cuban government doesn’t permit people to bring in significant quantities of Bibles when they travel to Cuba (in February, 2020, I tried to bring in a box with 20 Bibles, and they were confiscated by customs). We are able to purchase Bibles for around US$4 when the government allows large organizations to donate and bring into the country (for a price, of course) thousands of Bibles in shipping containers. Most of Cuba’s printing press equipment is VERY old. In the past, we’ve even turned used motor oil into ink in order to print Bible Lessons and other tracts, booklets and Christian literature.

We have sponsored thousands of pastors, lay missionaries and Bible workers since 2001. These dedicated workers got paid as little as $20 a month to work full-time in knocking on doors all over the island and offering to help, pray with, and study the Bible with willing Cubans.

It’s not easy to build, or even remodel churches in Cuba (the government seldom gives permission to build a new church). By supporting the home-church project, we are able to help create small congregations, which we like to call “points of light” all over the island, making it easier for people all over Cuba to be within close proximity of a place of hope, salvation, fellowship and worship.

Many churches in Cuba have sports programs and leagues: baseball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, as a way to reach children and young people. Rachelle, who loves sports, nutrition, fitness and optimum health, takes duffel bags full of new sports equipment so that the churches she’s able to help can have good resources to offer the children. Over 1700 young people were baptized last year through these sports programs alone!

Through a series of miracles, including incredible doors God has opened for me to perform in some of Cuba’s most prestigious concert venues and with some of Cuba’s greatest classical musicians, we were able to open a Music School in Havana in May, 2019. We have 3 teachers and a Director, and already, some of these children are not only excelling, but they and their families are attending church and coming to know Jesus! Our goal is to have 25 students every year until we reach 100!

We are excited to be a part of God’s great work in Cuba, where a little goes a long way!