In 2012, Cuba was among the 50 countries where Christian persecution was most rigorous, but this year it did not make the list. This does not mean that the country is more open to the preaching of the Gospel, just that there are some changes as to how the nations were classified in ranking.

To better understand how difficult it is to preach the Word of healing and salvation to the Cubans, Assistant *Rachel Miranda – who was born in Cuba, but now lives in another country – visited her country and now comments about the difficulties servants of God encounter to take the gospel to those who are suffering.

“I traveled to Cuba to meet with a pastor that is originally from Venezuela. He is in Cuba doing evangelistic work for the Universal Church. He met a man that lends his house to do meetings, which take place on Tuesdays and Sundays.

During one of these meetings, the pastor asked me to share my testimony, because I am Cuban, they would be able to identify with someone that knows first-hand the problems they encounter.

I said that, like them, I had been involved with witchcraft and idolatry. I noticed that they were very attentive. After this, many manifested when the pastor performed a strong prayer. He ordered all the evil to be expelled from their lives. Then, we sought the Holy Spirit.

After, we went to the house of the mother-in-law of an assistant from West Palm Beach, because she also lent us space to hold another meeting. We agreed to go back on Monday at 8pm – she lives 40 minutes from downtown Havana, where we held the meeting on Sunday – and so, we went out to evangelize. We walked around her whole neighborhood and stayed there until 8:30pm. It is noteworthy to say that, the leaders of another Pentecostal church also attended the meeting, we invite them and they gladly accepted.

They said that we would need to apply for a religious license to protect us from Cuban authorities and this way, we would be able to carry out our evangelistic work without restrictions.

We began by preparing the outside of the house for the meeting, and those who were already present helped by bringing their own chairs.

As promised, at 8:30pm the meeting began. The pastor asked me to share my testimony, and after reading the Word of God, he prayed for everyone’s health. Many were healed from pain in their legs and other illnesses – even children asked for prayer.

People were asking us when we would return and they confirmed that they would also come because they enjoyed learning about what the pastor preached.

Around 9:30pm, we finished and returned to where we would sleep for the night. The next morning (Tuesday), at 9:30 am, we traveled to the village where I used to live (4 hours away), and arrived around 2pm.

After some time, we went out to invite people to a meeting on Wednesday at 8pm. On the morning of that day, a woman that had a wound on her arm heal since the last meeting came to visit me and met the pastors.

She said that the sister of a man, who had come to the meeting, was bedridden for more than 9 years and asked if we could say a prayer for her. We said yes and immediately went over there.

When we got to her house, we were struck by her despairing condition. She told us that she was very afraid and nobody wanted to help her. We told her that Jesus was going to help her and we were also going to help too. We prayed and after some time, we asked a family member to bring in a chair. With our help, she sat in front of the house and wept for joy because she explained that she hadn’t seen the front of her own house in years.

We invited her to the meeting that day, and she came. We were amazed when she arrived, because she was still so weak. Only a miracle would have brought her to the meeting, and her countenance was already different!

The meeting began and the pastor explained that we couldn’t accept sicknesses and that they are not a punishment or test from God. But the Lord Jesus took all sicknesses, pains and burdens when He died. Therefore, we do not have to suffer these things again, for He has done it for us.

The woman that was healed from the wound on her arm gave her testimony and, right after, the pastor prayed and lay hands on everyone.

When the meeting ended, we asked how each person felt when they first arrived and how they felt after the prayer. Everyone commented about how they were feeling very well – even a 5 year-old, who asked for a prayer because he had pains in his legs. He was now running all over the place, feeling happy, because he no longer felt pain.

The leader of a local church commented, after shaking our hands and thanking God for sending us to help, that no one had ever seen work like ours in Cuba, and acknowledged that this was what all Cubans needed.

Bishop, the truth is that my second trip opened my eyes even more and I saw the actual need of the Cuban people. I realized that the faith of these people is pure, and the only thing they need is to awaken it.

Once again, thank God! He used us to bring hope and relief to such suffering people that were in dire need of Jesus. I hope to have another opportunity to return and continue being used to help people.

Bishop, God bless the Universal Church and all the pastors, assistants and everyone in general.”

Sincerely, Assistant Rachel Miranda.

(*) The author of this report had to change her name to preserve her identity