Stories

If you’re in the U.S. and need to stay in the hospital, while you may not look forward to staying, at least you know it's a safe place to heal and recover. That experience is much different in Cuba. Many non-medical caregiving tasks fall on a family member, such as changing bedpans or bathing, whereas nurses and hospital staff perform...

Who will be the future leaders of the Church in Cuba? It’s evident if you attend a ministry event or worship gathering - the church's youth and often the leaders' children. Their natural curiosity draws them to the pulpit during a service, they're cradled to sleep by the beautiful melody of worship music, and when they're old enough, they're eager to pitch...

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...