Cuban Exiles

In 1979 and 1980, Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro decided to get rid of its prisoners. He also gave anyone who wanted to leave permission get on the boats. Thousands were placed on the boats. But when they left, Castro allowed them to take nothing except the clothing they were wearing.

Stories were told by refugees as to how their mouths were checked for gold. And if any were found, they were yanked on the spot. Among the exiled prisoners were convicts and criminals. But included in the cleansing were Christians that had been numbered among them.

One translator aiding in Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, was informed that among the 20,000 refugees at the camp were fifty Sabbath-keepers. He and his wife proceeded to try and locate them but discovered that finding them among 20,000 other Cubans was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Though he enlisted the aid of soldiers who spoke Spanish, the search was futile. Then while sitting in their car, they prayed and asked God for His help.

When they finished praying, they noticed a group walking on the other side of the fenced enclosure. The husband said, “Let me ask them and see if they might know.” Then approaching the fence, he called out to get one of the women’s attention.

Somehow, having a sense that this was the group, he asked, “Are you a Seventh-day Adventist?” Cautiously, she asked, “Why?” “Because I am a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, and I have been looking for them,” replied the pastor. Caution turned into excitement.

Turning to the small group ahead of her,, she yelled, “They’re here!” To this the pastor turned to his wife still sitting in their car and shouted, “It’s them!” The group turned and hurried back to where he was. “I understand there were about fifty of you?” said the pastor.

“We are actually fifty-four,” was the reply. “Where are the rest?” the pastor inquired.

“They are at the barracks. But tonight, we will have prayer meeting, and all of us will be together,” said the woman.

“Do you have a Bible?” asked the pastor. “No, some of us have not seen a Bible for at least ten years. They were taken away from us when we were thrown into prison,” was the sad reply.

“Well, I have a Bible in the car. I will go and get it,” the excited pastor said.

Then he fetched the Bible and brought it back to them. Reaching over the fence, he offered it to them. Without hesitation the oldest man in the group (about eighty years of age) leaped forward, grabbed the book, pressed it to his chest, and rocking from side to side, he held it tight to his chest as tears of joy streamed down his face.