Stories

After Hurricane Ian struck Cuba, Pastor Carlos Melia helped throughout the recovery and was truly the hands and feet on the ground coordinating relief efforts for his area. At first, Carlos couldn’t envision implementing such a task, but God knew he was ready. A long-time friend of Atulado’s, we met Carlos in 2011. In addition to being a pastor with...

Sometimes God opens a door to when and where you need to serve. That's how our paths connected with Teresa Agüero and the elderly ministry. During one mission trip to Cuba, I gave a testimony about my elderly father and grandparents, who recently passed away. Afterward, Teresa shared that she was moved by my passion for encouraging those at the...

When we decided to join a mission trip, we knew serving and helping others would be a big part of the experience. But we never knew how much we would get in return. Wayne and I worked together for years, and I’d hear stories about his mission trips. Then, I started giving monthly to support the mission and received the...

Have you ever met someone who can paint a striking resemblance of a photo on canvas? That's Daniel. I met Daniel about nine years ago. Back then, I'd walk through small towns in Cuba, take a Polaroid picture of a family, and give them the photo on the spot. It was a hit because many people didn't have a way...

I used to carry an old digital Polaroid camera on my early trips to Cuba. The photos I took meant the world to people because many had never seen their picture before. One family I met while I had that Polaroid camera is Ernestina, Pepito, and their daughter, Yaima. Pepito works in the yucca fields daily, and Yaima works with...

If you walk, you can only go so far. Traveling by foot takes an incredible amount of time for pastors and leaders in Cuba that need to visit and care for their congregation. But with a bicycle, they can share the word of God with more people and positively impact more lives. Several vehicles exist to take a person from...

Who would have known that an awkward conversation would turn into an opportunity to help a dream come true? But God knew. He opened a door for me to listen and for Atulado to support a vision that will touch the lives of others. Many women in Cuba don’t have the feminine products they need. The cost and even access...

What if your phone rang, and you learned a guest was on the way? How would you feel? Most people would feel panicked as they scurry around, getting the house ready for guests. When a pastor gets a call that we’re coming, the visit can happen within minutes. Of course, the pastor feels anxious to meet a stranger from America...

In the 80s, Russia started to support Cuba and times were relatively good. Then, when Russia fell, it was a disaster for Cuba. As a result, the government imposed a special period to ration items. For Cubans, the special period may have felt similar to the Great Depression for Americans. However, in America, children now only know about the Great...

I met Javiel and his family in October 2011 while on a mission trip to Cuba. He’s a pastor who loves and cares for his community and church. He appeared a little overwhelmed and nervous about meeting us for the first time because he was not accustomed to hosting Americans and wanted the best for us even though they had...