Congregation & Community Support Programs

ADOPT A CUBAN PASTOR

If a pastor does not have a sister church, then the pastor does not receive a salary. More then 60% of Cuban pastors do not have a sister church.

On a recent trip,  one day at the end of our trip we traveled to many churches within the district. Today we were going to three churches that did not have a sister church. The first two went as expected, but the third stop made me so proud of the Southwest District. 

Upon arrival, the pastor, his wife and children were waiting at the front door. Before I could say a word, the pastor was telling me about the greatest day in his life. Because of the Adopt a Pastor Program, he had received his first monthly salary check. He thanked me over-and-over and showed me his new shoes, plus his wife’s new shoes. With the pastor’s voice breaking up and tears running down his face, he showed me the new sandals their children were wearing.   

Bibles for Cuba

At the present time it is very difficult to purchase Bibles in Cuba. You can approach us with what your intension are but it will take time, maybe a year.

Do you know there are pastors in Cuba that do not have a Bible?  We can buy Bibles in Cuba for $4. For $6, a study Bible can be purchased for a pastor. Taking the funds into Cuba is by far the most cost effective way to serve this need.  We can't take in large amounts of Bibles into Cuba because the cost of the weight makes it prohibitive. The Bibles For Cuba program is a good project for Sunday school classes, Vacation Bible School and any other Christian group.

For the average U.S. family, one stop at a fast food restaurant will cost $20 to $25. Give up one stop, and that $24 will buy 12 Bibles in Cuba. 

The Foundation

The Foundation was formed out of “shame.”  On a recent trip, a group of travelers were talking with a Cuban pastor in a remote church in the Guantanamo mountain range. We were the first American travelers to visit.

The pastor said, “For three hundred dollars, or a little more, I could put a floor down and fix the roof, so when it rained it would not drip on the people.” At the time, we didn't have the funds to help. We had to walk away.  On the way down the mountain side, three Southwest District Board members made the pledge that this would not happen again. 

The Foundation was formed and the funds are for church repairs, to relocate churches to a better location or to enhance the growth of church membership.

In October 2016, the Guantanamo District had severe damage from Hurricane Matthew. Some of the first funds from the Foundation were donated to the Guantanamo District.  Currently, there are 25,000 homes without a roof in this district and conditions continue to be very difficult.