Restricted Nation: Cuba

It's been awhile since we've reminded you to pray for one of the Restricted Nations that we have highlighted on our Restricted Nations page.  Today, I wanted to remind you to pick a nation and pray for the people of that nation.

I'm choosing Cuba because it is one of the most communist countries on the map.  And communism is the number one persecutors of Christians.

A little history about Cuba:

Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, threatening Cubans with socialism or death. In February 2008, as his health declined, President Fidel Castro turned power over to his brother Raul Castro. Observers hoped the change in leadership would bring more openness, but some Cuban Christians say it has gotten worse.

Category: Restricted Nation
Religion: Christian 46.88%, Non-Religious/Other 35.47%
Ideology: Communism
Head of State: President Raul Castro Ruz

In the 1960s, Castro promised to rid the country of religion within 10 years. Forty-eight years later, there are eight times more Christians than before. Out of the population of 11 million, nearly one million are believers. Strict regulations against house churches went into effect in September 2005, prohibiting a church from being located within a mile and a quarter of another of the same denomination and restricting meetings to three per week. Other regulations require building permits for constructing new churches, and these permits are never granted. Christians circumvent these rules by building churches without walls. In 2009, 30 pastors were arrested in Santa Cruz del Sur, Camagüey, for planning a convention for 200 other pastors. Pastor Gude Pérez has been in prison since May 2008 on charges of human trafficking. Most people believe, however, that Pastor Pérez is being targeted for his role in a fast-growing Christian organization. The prosecution accused the pastor of “counter-revolutionary conduct and attitudes” and “illicit economic activity.” He faces a seven-year prison sentence.

Please share who you will pray for today.