In January 2026, a fuel blockade was imposed on Cuba by U.S. Executive Order. What resulted from this were fuel shortages that have threatened food supply, hospitals and water systems (Wikipedia Contributors, 2026).
Isamar Cordero-Vazquez, a Puerto Rican national and member of the Fargo Adventist Church in Fargo, North Dakota, was invited on a mission trip to Cuba scheduled for October 2026. However, she decided to pass on the opportunity, having just returned from a mission trip in Northern Uganda, Africa, with the Adventist Mercy Initiative.
By early March, Isamar grasped the severity of the fuel blockade as Cuba faced intertwined economic, health, humanitarian and environmental crises.
During a lunch break at work, Isamar recalled a conversation with a friend who knew an acquaintance sending boxes to friends and family in Cuba. From this, a new mission came to life: Cajas de Amor (Boxes of Love).
With an open heart, she requested support for Boxes of Love. Donations and supplies poured in from her coworkers in the Sanford Children’s Subspecialty Department and from family, friends and members of the Fargo Church.
On March 29, a group from the Fargo Church (including church members from Cuba) came together to pack essential household and food items such as diapers, sanitary napkins, toiletries, rice, milk, beans, first aid items, medicine, wash cloths, drawstring bags and powdered detergent into each box.
Finally, the boxes were ready to be sent, but they were notified that the selected shipping company had closed and gone out of business.
With prayer and the help of the Cuban recipients, a new shipping company was found. Five boxes were sent the first week of June and received at the Cienfuegos Adventist Church in Cuba on July 15.
The Cienfuegos Adventist’s youth sorted the items into the drawstring bags, assembling 67 bags for distribution in the community—a blessing to multiple families. We may be separated by land, sea, or even language, but in Christ we are close, connected, and consecrated for His purpose. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2 NIV)
Isamar and the Fargo Church hope to continue this ministry as they help Cuba’s residents remember that God is not absent in this chaotic and uncertain time. This ministry demonstrates how much we can reach others in need when we heed and respond to the nudges of the Holy Spirit.
Pearlene Woolcock is a member of the Fargo Seventh-day Adventist Church and holds a degree in communications from the University of Phoenix. She enjoys writing about faith and life and shares her work on Substack at https://pearlygatesx.substack.com/
