Cuban believers receive shipment of 200,000 Bibles

HAVANA — The largest shipment of Bibles in the history of Cuba has been delivered by the American Bible Society and WorldServe Ministries, a missions organization with offices in Texas and British Columbia.

The shipment of 200,000 children’s Bibles is more than twice the size of the previous largest delivery, according to WorldServe’s Darryl Wright. Since November 2005, the organization and its partners have delivered 100,000 complete Bibles, 100,000 New Testaments and 500,000 copies of the Gospel of John to Cuba.

Bibles are scarce in Cuba, and few Cubans could afford them if they were available. The problem is compounded by the rapid growth of house churches in the country. In 1990, there were about 1,100 churches and house churches in Cuba, Wright said. Now the total number of congregations is estimated at close to 17,000.