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CSW - everyone free to believe

Cuba

Country in focus - Cuba

7 Jan 2016

"God has faith in you"


This was the extraordinary and beautiful message in a card received by a Cuban pastor, in prison because he was leading a growing church network. Pastor Omar Gude Perez had been imprisoned because his church is growing so fast, it made him a target for Cuba’s communist government. When he was at his lowest, an encouraging card from a CSW supporter arrived to remind him that God had His hand over the situation.

Today Omar is free, and hundreds of you were inspired and encouraged by his story as he toured the UK with us in November, sharing his testimony of God’s grace and mercy!

Your faithful support made it possible for us to keep working on Omar’s case over the years he was in prison, ensuring the Cuban authorities knew we were campaigning for him. We lobbied the EU representatives in Havana, so he received weekly calls from them to monitor his case, and his health while in prison. 

Warned to stop their Christian activities

Pastor Omar was first imprisoned on trumped up charges in May 2008. A year later, he was sentenced to more than six years in prison. Omar and his family had already received threats from government officials, warning them to stop their Christian activities.  

The conditions Omar experienced in prison were brutal, and designed to break him and his faith in Jesus. During his imprisonment he was only allowed visits from his wife Kenia every three weeks. At times he was fed rotten food and at another point he was denied medical treatment for high blood pressure. While Omar was in prison, the authorities repeatedly threatened Kenia with confiscating the family home.

A huge wave of international support from people like you led to Omar’s release on ‘conditional liberty’ (similar to parole) in early 2011. But the government wasn’t finished with him yet.

The United States had offered the family asylum, but for the next 18 months the Cuban authorities blocked them from leaving the country. It was an incredibly frustrating time: Omar’s two teenage children, Daniel and Kelia, were barred from school, and Omar was prohibited from working as a pastor. 

The government eventually backed down under pressure, and Omar, Kenia and their family now live safely in the United States. Along with Kenia, Omar is a vibrant speaker, passionate advocate and prayer warrior.

 Omar and e

Knocking at every door we come to

Today, however, Cuba’s government continues to oppress Christians. When Omar left Cuba he officially signed the church’s property over to his nephew Yiorvis – it’s also the headquarters of their denomination. But the government has refused to recognise Yiorvis’ legal ownership of the property, and is threatening to evict them. 

Yiorvis told us, “It is necessary to keep pressuring [the government] through the media and human rights institutions, and to knock at every door we come to.” 

Omar’s story is one of hope and solidarity in the face of unprecedented obstacles, and it’s a testament to the value of persistence as we fight for justice. We rejoice that Omar, Kenia and the children are free today! Yet what Yiorvis is facing now shows that it’s still not safe to be a Christian in Cuba. 

We’ve been working on the religious freedom situation in Cuba for many years – something that’s only been possible through your support and prayers. Your continued support today will help us to knock at every door we come to, as we continue campaiging for Yiorvis’ right to live in the home he legally owns. 

To donate to our work, or go to www.csw.org.uk/donate  

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#2 CSW manifesto

We believe no one should suffer discrimination, harassment or persecution because of their beliefs