Rice -at the right time

A rice field is beautiful to behold. It billows with the wind and the sprig of rice gracefully adorns the stalk. It conjures images of what is to come—fragrant steaming rice at the table, shared family meals, full bellies. Unless you are the poorest of the poor and cannot afford a bowl of rice

That is why it was important for the farm in Mayajigua to plant the rice now, at the optimal time, so they would be able to provide rice—a food staple—to those in need in their community.

The biggest hurdle was to do it without hired laborers.  Usually they would hire laborers to do the work, but the U S sanctions have made it impossible for us to send remittances regularly, so they were without funds to pay laborers.

That’s where the men of the church and the missions came in. They responded to the call for volunteers to help their community, to provide sustenance. The rice got planted, the weather did its part, and rice plants are sprouting.

This is what we do together. Thank you

New Year, Same God

Though it is still the first month of the new year, we are already looking forward to the amazing things God will do through Aliento Cuba. Last year was difficult for many, Cuba included, but the Lord used our organization and the funds from our faithful donors to do some incredible things. Here are some 2020 highlights.

We have given funds to assist the elderly and others in need who were under strict Shelter In Place orders and unable to get vital supplies. We provided a pastor with a motorcycle, a precious commodity, so that he can reach more of his community and spread the Word of God. We have seen the fresh water Lifestraw we helped install last year become a ministry this year, turning into a center where people come to get spiritual and physical water. We helped fund a farm that has fed many in the village of Mayajigua after rations became so restrictive, even rice was hard to find. We also assisted a pastor with motorizing a bicitaxi, which he retrofitted with an electric motor and additional seating in order to better serve his town of Vitoria. All of these projects and countless everyday miracles were reported throughout 2020, made possible by the generous contributions of our donors and through God’s grace.

While we continue to work with several pastors on similar projects, one of our primary focuses for 2021 is raising $10,000 for the farm in the rural village of Mayajigua. This community farm was born as a result of the pandemic, which caused meager rations of food and supplies to become even more scarce. The community, led by the church, decided to plant and cultivate their own farm. Since the summer, 12,000 pounds of rice have been harvested and hundreds of pounds of vegetables. The church hopes to expand their farm to include meat by purchasing pigs and chickens.

In addition to the farm, our partner pastors consistently report the lack of adequate transportation. It is a major problem in Cuba, and has only worsened during the pandemic with limited public transportation. Our desire is to provide four of our pastors with an electric motorcycle to reach people in need. Motorcycles cost $2,500 and would allow many pastors and their communities to gain access to hospitals for medical care and places of worship for spiritual care.

Thank you for your faithfulness in 2020; we hope to continue our partnership with you into this new year. If you are unable to give monetarily, we ask that you would pray for the people of Cuba and that God would continue to lead our ministry. If you are able to donate or become a recurring donor, please visit our website alientocuba.org/give. 

Thank you for your prayers and financial support! We continue to seek and pray for God’s leadership into 2021, and we are hopeful for what the new year will bring.

Rooted in Love

The overwhelming effect of COVID-19 has changed the lives of everyone around the world, and collectively we have experienced loss, fear, and uncertainty. In spite of these difficult months, we have also seen communities bind together, neighbors look after one another, and an outpouring of support to those less fortunate. 

And so it is with the church in Mayajigua, Cuba.  The church recognized that they had an opportunity to be a positive force in their community in the midst of illness, economic chaos, and the increasing scarcity of food. Staples like rice and beans were nowhere to be found, even if you had money to purchase them. God prepared their heart and gave them the vision to farm a plot of land to provide food for their community. They started a cooperative and have planted root vegetables, rice, onions, garlic, and peppers. Eventually, they plan to raise pigs and chickens so their community can have meat. They did this with the little resources they had, rooted in their belief that this is where God was leading them. 

Most of the farming is done by members of the church who volunteer to do the exhausting work of tilling and tending the land in the hot tropical weather. Their desire to provide for their community overshadows the long hours of labor and the risk all farmers face of crop failure, largely because they are at the mercy of the weather. 

Volunteers weed the crops in Mayajigua, Cuba.

The Mayajigua church’s desire to care for their community is an expression of how God wants us to live: humbly, compassionately, and as servants who care for each other. 

We are a global community seen and loved by God as one, regardless of geography.  The church in Mayajigua serves as our example of how we can care for each other rooted in love that is selfless and generous.  We invite you to join us in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Cuba and to participate financially in this project or others that Aliento Cuba supports.

Participate in Giving Tuesday on May 5, 2020

This year, Giving Tuesday has come at a critical time for many around the world. Giving Tuesday is an international movement with a mission to “transform communities and the world.” In Cuba, the struggle to make a livable wage and have enough food to survive has only gotten harder with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and Shelter in Place (SIP) order.

One of our partner pastors, Yaisel, took it upon himself and his staff to assist more than 90 elderly community members who were struggling acutely. Many were unable to get enough food due to the strict SIP order. Maricela, a blind elderly woman, wondered how she would manage with a meager pension of only $10 a month. It was hardly enough to purchase food for the month, and with orders to stay at home, she wasn’t sure how she was going to get the supplies she needed.

Maricela pictured in her home in Cuba.

Yaisel and his team brought ground turkey, beans, rice, potatoes, spaghetti, bananas, mangoes, and soap to Maricela, as well as 92 other elderly and sick recipients. They were able to do this because of donations received from Aliento Cuba to purchase food and soap. Now Maricela can live comfortably without worrying about food.

While food shortages are always an impending difficulty in Cuba, the situation has worsened with the spread of the pandemic. Please consider donating to Aliento Cuba to join the food relief effort this Giving Tuesday!