Stories

Pastor Abel Pérez Mederos and his wife, Diana Torres Reyes, are two of the humblest people you’ll ever meet. Married for almost thirty years, they view challenges and hardships as opportunities and always face them with a smile. For instance, they consider caring for family not as a chore but as a privilege. They’ve cared for her 57-year-old uncle with...

Most Americans who travel to Cuba stay in a 5-star resort along the breathtaking beaches of the country’s north shore or at the Hotel Nacional in Havana. However, that's not the real Cuba. I wanted to go on my most recent mission trip to strengthen my faith. While I've traveled to Cuba several times, my trip in 2024 revealed something...

Your typical neighborhood grocery store may carry twenty or more types of milk, including dairy and plant-based options. With selections ranging from coconut to almond, soy, 2%, fat-free, organic, chocolate, and beyond, powdered milk might not come to mind when you’re perusing the milk aisle. Yet, for people in Cuba, it’s often the preferred choice over fresh milk. Before delving into why,...

Imagine putting your surgery on hold because your doctor didn’t have the necessary medical supplies to operate. Although we’ve always known about the medication shortage in Cuba, which includes basic over-the-counter items like Neosporin or aspirin, it took probing deeper to grasp the full extent and level of need for medical supplies. From syringes for a penicillin shot to cure...

How many times have you moved? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime. Now, what if you had to move 26 times in six years? That’s a lot of packing and unpacking! Yet, this was the reality for a pastor and his wife in a small community in Cuba. Through each move, they remained...

I traveled to Cuba for the first time in 2009, and January marked my 40th trip to support what God is doing through His Church in Cuba. Throughout this incredible journey, I encountered canceled flights, countless delays, and so many Customs inspections, to the point where I became recognized as a regular. I experienced diverted flights to the Bahamas, lots...

In the classic movie, A Christmas Story, Ralphie desperately wants a Red Ryder Range BB gun for Christmas, despite everyone's warning, "You'll shoot your eye out." As Ralphie’s last gift on Christmas morning, he unwraps the gun from his father, loads it, and darts outside. His first shot backfires, and Ralphie’s glasses fly off his face. Panicked, he blindly searches through...

If you can join a mission trip to Cuba, just do it!  The hospitality of the Cuban people makes you feel at home even when you’re hundreds of miles away. Joining a mission trip is an experience that will change your life, just as it has mine.  I had been to Cuba several times with my church before COVID-19 and wished...

Many describe him as a gentle giant. Pastor Reinier Núñez Pérez towers over six feet tall and weighs about 330 pounds. While he may appear to possess the strength of a warrior, Núñez’s humble spirit, kindness, and love for the Lord radiates with everyone he meets as he shepherds the congregation entrusted to him and faithfully serves God in all...

Since the beginning of this ministry, the challenge has always been getting resources to Cuba efficiently with scalability. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot of lessons, tried many hacks, and modified plans as policies changed, but nothing made the process efficient, let alone scalable. Except now, thanks to an export license issued by the Department of Commerce and having...