Cuba (MNN) — Citizens of Cuba face challenges on multiple fronts as the nation’s economy continues to flounder.
FARMS International offers interest-free loans to Christians to help them work their way out of poverty. Even with this backing, though, farmers in Cuba are struggling.
Scott Clifton with FARMS says, “We had someone who was planning to build an irrigation well that decided instead to pivot the business and to plant rice because of the immediate need for food.”
But then flooding damaged part of this man’s crop of corn.
“He said [that in addition to the flooding] they go without electricity 10 to 12 hours a day. They can’t get fuel or supplies. It’s actually gone backwards — so instead of using tractors for harvesting and for planting, they’ve had to go back to using animals,” says Clifton.
“They always find a way to make things work, but it’s taking double the effort that it used to take. It’s really a desperate situation that we can be praying for there.”
The bright side to this is that God has been building up the Church in Cuba.
“The Church is exploding in Cuba. It has been for the last decade or so,” says Clifton. “We hear reports about, ‘Oh, this church used to be one church, and now it’s grown into three churches.’ That’s happening all over the place.”
(Photo courtesy of FARMS International)
Clifton also says churches are having events where they supply food to their congregations to bless them. “It’s really something that God is using. In the crucible of challenge and hardship, He’s developing and growing the Church.”
Support believers in Cuba by praying for solid church leaders and for fruitful harvests.
“For this project that I mentioned, where they’re farming rice, now they’re hoping to quadruple the size of the rice paddy. They’re working on the business plan and logistics for that,” says Clifton.
Ask God to bring stability to Cuba’s government and continue to soften hearts and change lives in Cuba.
Learn more here about how you can come alongside Christians around the world with FARMS International.
Header image of Cuba courtesy of Jennifer Chen via Unsplash.
