Equipping Many to Share the Bread of Life
After the success of the powdered milk project, we knew we had a replicable strategy with any resource to equip pastors and leaders to share the Gospel. Not only were they eager for more, but they were also ready to touch more lives. And just like He has so many times before in this ministry, God showed up—this time through a connection that would prove to be a true game-changer.
A mutual friend introduced me to Jeff and Suzanne Yoh, founders of Servants With a Heart. What began as an exploratory conversation about fortified rice and Cuba quickly became something more. Servants With a Heart wanted to add a partner to their fortified rice ministry, and thanks to the powdered milk project and our export license, we had a distribution strategy in Cuba to make it possible. Our missing piece was something meaningful to ship to the hundreds of churches across the island, and Servants With a Heart had that exact puzzle piece ready to go.
From our initial meeting on August 28, 2024, we shipped our first 11,520 pounds of rice into Cuba six weeks later, and it was delivered to the church in Havana in 34 days. Remarkable!
We quickly realized that when a 40-foot container arrives, it’s an overwhelming amount for a church to manage. Since the larger container is the most cost-effective, we needed a staging location to separate and distribute the resources across the island. To meet this need, the Atulado family is in the process of securing a house in Havana. This home will serve multiple purposes. It will store ministry supplies, offer shelter to leaders when needed, and function as our logistical hub. Also, it’s located right next door to a key leader in the church who will faithfully oversee the property and manage the resources
Since then, we’ve completed two more shipments—bringing the total to nearly 100,000 pounds of fortified rice. That’s enough for 610,848 servings packed with 21 essential vitamins and minerals, all nine amino acids, and 11 grams of protein.
To stay connected to the impact of the rice project, we created a WhatsApp group where today, over 70 pastors and leaders share photos, stories, and testimonies of how God is using and blessing this project. Through their updates, we witness both the hard realities of life in Cuba and the deep joy that comes when food arrives. The leaders in our distribution network know their communities intimately, allowing rice to reach even the smallest towns and the most vulnerable people. These meals help nourish children’s growth and provide essential nutrition for the elderly—one delivery at a time.
Leaders have shared the many creative ways they’ve prepared the fortified rice to serve their communities. Some add vegetables, garlic, and onion to create a hearty soup, especially beneficial for the elderly. When available, chicken is added. Others prepare congrí—a traditional Cuban dish made with black beans, peppers, onions, garlic, and seasonings like cumin. One pastor mentioned sautéing the rice and mixing it with whatever ingredients were on hand. They also make flavorful broths and soups with seasonal vegetables and serve them alongside a salad.
Remarkably, it costs the Atulado family less than three cents per serving today to deliver this food to the door of someone in need. The Servants With a Heart family donates the fortified rice packets, which cost 17 cents per serving today. To put it in perspective, could you walk into a grocery store with just $1.55 in your pocket and buy a pound of vitamin-rich, protein-packed rice and ship it to Cuba? Through God’s provision, we can.
This project reminds me of the Bible verse James 2:15-16. While it literally nourishes thousands, it also opens doors for the Church in Cuba to share the Gospel and offer the “Bread of Life.” So many people are nourished, and souls are coming to Christ.
– Wayne S.
Read some of the stories and testimonials shared by pastors and leaders from this project:
“Your work has greatly impacted the Jiguaní community, especially the elderly, AIDS patients, people with diabetes, children, and low-income families who are grateful for the rice they receive. A bedridden man whose daughter takes care of him told me it relieves his pain. I have an autistic granddaughter who likes to eat it without any preparation.
I also met a couple in the city dump looking for old sacks to carry coal. They live in a remote area and are very poor. They accepted the Lord and want to open their home to a prayer group.”
– Pastor Raulide from Gramma Province in the Jiguani community
“This blessing has reached people in need, especially the elderly, the sick, and the bedridden. We haven’t just delivered the rice; we’ve taken advantage of the moment and brought them the message of salvation, showing them the love and goodness of God.”
– Pastor Niuvis from Santiago de Cuba
“The rice has been a blessing—reaching the marginalized, sick, and those in need has impacted my life. Like manna from heaven, many have accepted Jesus. The distribution gave people purpose and made them feel blessed when they handed out the rice. We have seen the need for Jesus Christ and gratitude. We’ve shared rice with people outside the church, mainly underweight children, and many are thankful to God.”
– Pastor Alexi from Gramma
“Thank God and you for this ministry. I had two people receive this blessing: a man in a wheelchair who had five blood clots and was very dehydrated because he could not eat much and a blind person in a precarious condition. When the fortified rice arrived, we saw the sky open and the glory of God with respect to our prayers. Like everyone else, we, as pastors, were going through the test somehow. We fed our parishioners and our community by providing each one package of rice according to the families.”
– Pastor Juan from Havana
“The rice has been a tremendous blessing for everyone. We distributed it all! Just yesterday, a neighbor who is not a Christian but sick and does not go out on the street asked me if there was more and how much it cost. We took advantage of this question and shared God’s word with her!”
– Pastor Dianelis from Santiago de Cuba