About Cuba

Cuba is narrow but stretches a great distance - roughly as far as Miami to New York. At about 42,000 square miles, it is similar in size to Tennessee.

Cuba is governed by a communist regime and is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The average income is about one dollar for an eight-hour workday, while food remains costly. Gasoline can exceed ten dollars per gallon when available. Families often survive only with financial support from abroad, and many Cubans face severe hunger.

Electricity is typically available for only two to three hours a day and may be unavailable altogether. Garbage collection is infrequent, and mosquitoes spread dangerous viruses. Hospitals lack medicine and equipment, leaving patients with little access to effective care.

Many children have few toys and play in unpaved streets. Older children try to sell roots and homegrown vegetables. Cubans also face restrictions on the crops they may grow and the animals they may raise.

Of Cuba's 10 million residents, about 2 million are children. Many have never eaten at a restaurant or had a soft drink or even a piece of candy.

Most Cubans are Catholic - about 6 million people. Roughly 1 million are evangelical Christians, while most of the remainder are nonreligious.

Despite communist rule, churches and Bible clubs have enjoyed relative freedom since the Pope's 1998 visit to Cuba.

Approximately 150,000 children attend about 1,000 Bible clubs led by 2,000 volunteers. The nondenominational Christian organization behind this work, Child Evangelism Fellowship, operates in nearly every country worldwide.

Please pray for Cuba, especially its children. Jesus offers them purpose in this life and hope for eternity. The Cuba Candy Ministry can make a meaningful difference, so please consider supporting its work with a gift of any amount.