Caring for children and sharing the gospel in Cuba’s city neighborhoods.
In the crowded neighborhoods of the urban area we serve, life is tough and resources are scarce. Most families live on less than $20 a month, and putting food on the table is a daily struggle. Parents often go without meals so their children can eat.
Apartment buildings, long neglected, leak when it rains, causing mold that spreads illness and tension between neighbors. Nearby, a large garbage dump releases smoke into the air, adding to the health challenges families already face.
And yet, even in the midst of all this, something beautiful is happening. People are hungry for more than survival. The gospel is spreading, and many are opening their hearts to Jesus. This is a place of deep need, but also deep spiritual openness. It’s exactly the kind of place where the hope of the gospel is needed most.
In partnership with a trusted local pastor and his church, our program reaches over 250 children each week with nourishing meals and consistent discipleship. In this densely populated urban community, where instability and poverty touch nearly every block, these gatherings provide steady support by offering children the care, encouragement, and biblical truth they need to grow and thrive.
An additional outreach currently serves another 100-120 children weekly, with a vision to expand. Together, we’re helping children in Santiago experience God’s love, build lives anchored in faith and purpose, and raise a generation equipped to transform their community from the inside out.
Declaring and demonstrating the good news of Jesus Christ has always been—and will always be—at the heart of everything we do. Our program leaders are deeply rooted in the local church and integrate discipleship into every aspect of the program.
Children are the seeds of the future. When we invest in them, they grow into agents of change in their families and communities. Our program meets the individual needs of each child and extends outward to their whole environment.
We care for the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. Our program provides regular meals, safe drinking water, discipleship, evangelistic outreach, and a loving community.
Our leaders are Cuban pastors and community members with a deep passion for the next generation. We work closely with them to ensure strong relationships, cultural understanding, and wise stewardship.
Rev. Alexander Durán Fiffe and his wife Selene Ortiz Hernandez are pastors in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Both came to know and love God at an early age, and began serving in their local congregations. While Alexander was attending seminary, he met his future wife Selene at a youth camp held there, and graduated with his bachelor’s in Theology in 2000. They have served together in ministry for 27 years and have three wonderful children: Gabriela, Jasiel, and Carolina.
Currently, Pastor Fiffe and Selene lead the church congregation at Rio de Dios – River of God. Fifteen years ago, when they began, around 40-50 adults and 20 children gathered regularly. Today, the congregation gathers with more than 180 adults and 120 children in Sunday School. Pastor Fiffe and Selene are grateful God has allowed them to witness the blessing of seeing so many lives added to this congregation and to partner with Forward Edge in their outreach and feeding ministry to children. Philippians 1:8 has been their favorite verse throughout their ministry and their favorite phrase is “God is good all the time”.
What drew you to the mission of Forward Edge?
What attracted us to work with Forward Edge was being able to reach children and young people with the gospel and tend to their spiritual needs while also be a blessing to them physically and materially. We also saw that Forward Edge is a well-organized, focused, and fruitful ministry. Their years of experience and work speak of God being with them.
If you could have dinner with any person in history (excluding Jesus) who would it be and why?
Selene: Thomas Edison, to say thank you for his perseverance .
Pastor Fiffe: Mephibosheth, to make him happy and blessed again .
What is something about you others are often surprised to learn?
People are surprised to hear the story of the difficult places in the mountain where we serve, and to know the age at which we started pastoral work ; I, Selene, was 17 and Pastor Fiffe was 22.
Your gift enables our program to deliver life-changing resources, offer lasting hope, and equip children to discover their God-given purpose. Monthly giving provides steady support, but every act of generosity makes a difference.
$25 can provide a nutritious meal and the Gospel to seven children.
As a child sponsor, you provide nutritious meals, safe drinking water, education, healthcare, and spiritual guidance. Beyond meeting critical needs, you build a priceless relationship, helping them discover their true worth and God-given potential.
Because of the unique cultural context in Cuba, we invite you to contact us directly to learn how you can support children there through sponsorship. Email us at hello@forwardedge.org or call (360) 574-3343.
Teams of 10 or more are invited to go on a 7 to 10-night mission trip to our program in Cuba. You will be the hands and feet of Jesus as you serve children and their families, build relationships, and grow in faith.
Partnering with our program in Cuba creates a meaningful, long-term impact—for your community and for children and families in need. Could your church or school be part of what God is doing in Cuba?
