Since the collapse of aid from the former Soviet Union a decade ago, Cuban churches have begun offering social services the government can no longer provide.

"In some neighborhoods, the government has even assigned a number of aging persons to churches and asked the churches to take care of them," Babun says.

The more Cuban churches serve their communities with humanitarian aid, the fewer restrictions authorities impose on them, say aid officials and Cuban church leaders. Thus the best way to encourage religious freedom in Cuba is to strengthen the ability of churches to serve their impoverished communities by sending them humanitarian aid and by supporting Cuban seminaries.

Humanitarian aid to Cuba is exempt from the U.S. embargo on trade with the island, but the sender must obtain a license from the U.S. Treasury Department—even for cash donations. For information on providing aid or obtaining licensing, contact:

www.echocuba.org
305.379.1234
P.O. Box 561954
Miami, FL 33256

U.S. Department of Commerce
Bureau of Export Administration
www.bxa.doc.gov
202.482.4252

To voice concerns about religious freedom in Cuba, write to the Cuba Council of Churches. Theologically liberal but including some evangelicals, the council is a governmental body that has the ear of authorities concerned about how Cuba is perceived abroad.

Dr. Reinerio Arce Valentin, President
Consejo de Iglesias de Cuba
Calle 14, No. 304, entre 3ra. y 5ta.
Miramar, Havana, Cuba
e-mail: iglesias@ip.etecsa.cu

Pray for courage for believers in the face of capriciously applied religion laws, and for strengthening of congregations and their leaders.

—Jeff M. Sellers