Since the ministry’s founding in 2017, the Atualdo family has come together many times to support those who share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As we embarked on the latest project, I never imagined that equipping pastors with powdered milk as a resource would change everything. It not only became the tool pastors and leaders desperately desired to impact many lives, but it also established a replicable strategy for the future, no matter the resource or tool.
Early in the summer, we decided to focus on a distribution of powdered milk and planned to deliver 130,000 glasses of milk across 75 churches, allowing them to serve over 200 glasses per week on Sundays, during weekday events, and during sports ministry activities this summer. The government provides milk on an age basis, but you are no longer eligible once you turn three. More people drink powdered milk, referring to it as “white gold” because it’s hard to find and unaffordable. Because milk is essential to everyone’s nutrition—children, the elderly, anyone ill, and even healthy people—we decided to equip pastors with powdered milk. Also, since it needs no refrigeration, storage and transport are easy.
Like the previous water filter project, which served as an evangelistic tool, our plan involved equipping pastors who already had a Sawyer water filter with powdered milk and making the church a resource for the community across the island.
Led by pastor Oskel, in central Cuba, a distribution strategy was established to equip more pastors and share as much powdered milk with as many people as possible. Thanks to the distribution strategy in place and the leaders’ deep passion and eagerness for sharing the Gospel as the hands and feet of Christ, they reached even more people with a tool to do so. They fully embraced it, made it their own, and discovered new ways to reach people.
Countless pastors shared their gratitude for the powdered milk and how it impacted people in their community. One pastor made the milk, stopped people on the street to share the Gospel, and provided them with nourishment, spiritually and physically. Pastors have met other pastors they’ve never met, forming a connection and bond moving forward. People in hospital wards, the elderly, and children have all been impacted. Even the delivery driver came to Christ! Hundreds of pictures and stories of happiness were shared. Even more, I learned that if you just put something in the hands of those hungry for an evangelistic tool, they WILL make it work. And that’s just what they did.
Along with the countless stories of impact that poured in, we delivered over four tons (more than 8,600 lbs.) of white gold to 26 pastors. By Oskel’s calculations, these pastors distributed nearly 140,000 glasses of milk, sharing God’s love with over 15,000 people. He also shared that 1 kg of powdered milk can provide for a family of four for over 20 days. However, such a measurement falls short because God’s love is beyond measure!
Read some of the stories and testimonials shared by pastors and leaders from this project:
“After we gave this family, who has a child with kidney problems, milk, they began attending one of our cells (small groups) in that neighborhood.”
“We give grace to the ministry. With so much love, you gave us this packet of powdered milk to feed our baby.”
“This lady is very sick and lives with her husband, who is also ill. When I offered her a bag of powdered milk because she hadn’t had any for a long time, she began crying. She said that she didn’t deserve the milk and insisted it should go to people who are more needy.”
“She is a Christian, a doctor, and a specialist in pulmonology. She is very passionate and concerned about her patients and suffers when she knows that they are in the terminal phase. She testifies that she thanks God for the blessing she has received, knowing that God answers her requests, without knowing that she would be blessed with bags of milk. When she received the milk, she began to cry, declaring God fulfills his promises.”
One pastor is distributing powdered milk glass by glass to touch as many lives as possible and share the love of Christ with them. I believe he upgraded the milk by adding some chocolate.
Pastor Alfredo walks the street with the milk. This gentleman, along with many other elderly people, received a fresh.
“This lady passed by my house today selling beans to feed her mother, who is 89 years old and bedridden. She is not from Bayamo but from a municipality. She left her home at 4 in the morning, and it was three in the afternoon. She had not eaten anything and had to return home. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw the milk, and I was able to bring her the message of salvation.”
“Vacilio is 80 years old, blind, and has no family to help care for him. A few weeks ago, he passed by our house, and we went out to meet him and offered him help. Yesterday, we saw him again, gave him milk, and he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. This moment was shocking for us. God continues to do wonders, and this project allows the love of God to impact everyone.”
– Wayne S.