Historical Vignette: ‘Don’t Give Up Cuba’

The present population of Cuba is about 11.2 million and 2.3 million of those live in Havana. The Republic of Cuba is 42,800 square miles and about the same size as the state of Tennessee. Standing on the beach at Key West Florida, Baptists are reminded that Cuba is only 90 miles away and close to the heart and ministry of every Florida Baptist Church.

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In the summer of 1878 T. J. Sparkman, who served in the Peace River Association, went to Key West on a business trip. On landing, he was informed that yellow fever was in the city and he made every effort to leave the island. Due to adverse wind and the tide he had to stay on the island a few more days. He found a little pastorless Baptist church that had earnest, faithful, praying members who were seeking a pastor.

Returning home Sparkman wrote a letter to W. N. Chaudoin (1829-1904) who published the letter in the Florida column of the Georgia Index because Florida Baptists had no paper at that time. W. F. Wood of Fernandina read of the need in Key West and agreed with Sparkman and Chaudoin that this could also be an open door to Cuba. Wood felt called to Key West and Cuba, and plunged immediately into the work.

A Fales family left Cuba in the 1868-1878 uprising and settled in Biloxi, Mississippi. The family was exposed to the Gospel and the mother and oldest daughter joined Biloxi Baptist church. Adela the youngest daughter was too young for church membership but attended Sunday school and worship faithfully with her family. The family returned to Cuba and then later moved to Key West.

When W. F. Wood went to Key West he met Adela Fales and led her to Christ and church membership. In 1884 Wood presented a resolution to the Florida Baptist Convention for the Gospel to be “preached to the Cubans”. The convention immediately opened a mission in Key West led by W.F. Wood assisted by Adela Falls.

In 1885 the Cuban population in Key West was nearly 5,000. In less than two years, forty people had been baptized and many of them returned to their native land. They insisted that Wood go to Havana to assist them, and in August 1885, he did.

Wood found Alberto J. Diaz there who was already preaching the Gospel to several hundred people. Wood and others questioned Diaz and then ordained him at Key West on December 13, 1885. Wood and Diaz then went back to Havana and organized the first Baptist church in Cuba at Havana on January 26, 1866.

Florida Baptists currently have a five-year partnership plan in place with Cuba and $120,000 of the annual Maguire State Mission offering is used in this ministry. There are now over 850 house churches in Cuba and the Cuba Baptist Seminary has an enrollment of 85 students.

William F. Wood was called of God to serve in Key West in 1884. One day while walking in the Key West Cemetery he found the burial plot of J. E. Vanduzar, a Methodist minister who died in 1880. The tombstone of the pastor read, “Don’t give up Cuba.” Many Florida Baptists have this same admonition engraved upon their hearts.

This is ninth in a series of vignettes.