Nope, grandparents aren’t grown here. Nor do grandparents do the farming.

Tucked away in the far western corner of Cuba is the province of Pinar del Río. It’s known by tourists for its “mogotes”, strange rock hills that look something like the landscape from the movie Avatar except they don’t float. It’s known by Fraternity of Baptist Churches of Cuba for its grandparent farm.

 

The grandparent farm is actually a social ministry started by Adonai Baptist Church as a response to the difficult situation many senior citizens face in Cuba.  Adonai was able to acquire property and, in addition to starting a church plant there, they’re raising dairy cows along with rice, sugar cane, squash, sweet potatoes, & other vegetables, fruit, & beans.  A portion of the harvest and milk are used to provide free daily meals for approx. 25 seniors or “grandparents” in the community. In addition to food, the seniors participating in the program receive psychosocial care, ensuring that their emotional & spiritual needs are taken care of in addition to their nutritional needs. A portion of the milk is sold to the government to provide milk for local schools & hospitals. The remaining harvest becomes salary for the 3 full-time workers & is shared with church members who are in need.

 

You ask me what I like most about this project? Besides the huge bull staring back at you in the photo, I love that it’s 100% Cuban vision, initiative, & effort. In partnership with the Fraternity, I’m part of a team exploring additional ways to encourage others to replicate the “grandparent farm” model in more churches & communities. Agriculture as ministry is a model that, unlike the rest of Latin America, is relatively new.  Several congregations are already involved in patio garden projects, but as private property & private business licenses become increasingly available there are growing opportunities to grow more & produce change in many lives and communities. We’re also exploring what other staple crops could be grown & how to improve soil quality through organic fertilizers.

 

Interested in supporting more “grandparent farm” and sustainability initiatives?  Don’t hesitate to send me an email.

 

Thanks for all you do to support Cuba, my ministry, and the World Mission Offering!

 

Kim

 

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