Helping Without Hurting
Rather than creating dependency, The Overseas Initiative (TOI) partners with Cuban churches and believers, so the help comes from Cuban Christians in their own communities.
TOI is a 501(c)(3) Christian nonprofit in Birmingham, Alabama. Cubans lead the work, and our board covers all overhead.
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Why no American is on the ground when the food goes out. 2 min.
From George Shamblin's YouTube. George is TOI's Executive Director.
We believe the Cuban Church is strong, faithful, and uniquely equipped to serve its own communities. Our role is not to come in and do ministry for them, but to come alongside them: to encourage, equip, and support the work God is already doing through the local church.
We gift food and medicines to our partner churches. In turn, those churches distribute the provision to their neighbors, thus making them the beacons in their own communities, not the Americans.
Training first, then Cuban trustees approve seed funds. What comes back launches the next business.
Cuban trustees decide who receives seed funds, Cuban pastors decide where the food goes, and Cuban teachers deliver most of the training. We supply, we mentor, and we get out of the way.
Our philosophy of ministry is to have no American on the ground when food is distributed. That is by design, so that Cuban Christians and churches can be the beacons in their own communities. It keeps their dignity intact: Cuban Christians are the heroes in their own neighborhoods, not the Americans. We believe it is a healthier way to do missions.
Mission trips to Cuba are paused for the same reason. Our main concern is our Cuban team. An American group on the ground puts a spotlight on them, and right now that spotlight endangers them more than anything else.
From the beginning, TOI's way of helping was shaped by Toxic Charity and When Helping Hurts. True help begins with listening, building relationships, and partnering with local believers. The most meaningful help is not a handout. It is an opportunity.
Where your gift goes
TOI's Executive Director receives no compensation.
TOI's American staff is one part-time employee.
Our Board funds all overhead expenses.
We did that by design, so that 100% of donations go directly to Cuba.
The Overseas Initiative is a 501(c)(3), EIN 92-0668947. We receive no government funding, and TOI complies with all OFAC regulations.
Give nowIf this way of helping makes sense to you, stay close to it. The box here brings you one short note a month, written from Cuba.
What Cuban churches are doing, what to pray for, and how the food and seed funds are going.
Watch your inbox for news from Cuba. While you wait, here is one short lesson from the mission field.
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TOI works only in Cuba. Two of these short videos come from mission trips our Executive Director, George Shamblin, has taken with other ministries in the Dominican Republic and Honduras. They are not TOI programs, but they teach the same lesson that TOI's own work in Cuba teaches: the people we go to serve have so much to teach us.
A team prays over the residents of a nursing home in the Dominican Republic. 43 sec.
From George Shamblin's YouTube
Families who live by the city dump in Honduras, and the joy so many of them have. 36 sec.
From George Shamblin's YouTube
Our Director of Cuban Relations on what the work means in Cuba. 50 sec.
From TOI's YouTube
More videos from our Executive Director, George Shamblin: YouTube ↗ · Facebook ↗
Pray. For the Cuban churches who serve their neighbors, and for our team in Cuba.
Give. 100% of donations go directly to Cuba.
Give nowStay close. One short email a month from Cuba. Get updates ↑
