When a Simple Gift Becomes a Reason to Smile
Sometimes the simplest things can bring the greatest joy.
A stuffed animal. A soccer ball. A new school supply. A meal. A Bible lesson. To many of us, these may seem like ordinary things—small parts of childhood that we often take for granted.
But for families on the Big Island of Cuba, these simple gifts can be something a parent simply cannot afford to provide.
The conditions on the island have continued to worsen. A gallon of gasoline can cost between $13 and $28, while the average Cuban salary is only about $25 a month. When transportation itself becomes almost impossible to afford, reaching families in remote communities becomes an incredible challenge.
Yet, despite these hardships, our ministry leaders continue to find a way.
Going the Extra Mile
In recent conversations, Yaima shared with us how they are now using a horse-drawn carriage to travel into communities where they can share the love of Christ.
Just recently, they traveled 18 kilometers—more than 11 miles—to visit one community and minister to the families there.
The journey wasn’t easy.
They traveled along muddy roads and even had to cross a small river to reach the families waiting for them.
But they went anyway.
Why?
Because behind every difficult journey are people who need hope, encouragement, and the message of Jesus.
And when they arrive, something beautiful happens.
When a Toy Means So Much More
One young mother named Leidi, who has five children, shared her joy when her children received new stuffed animals.
For many children, a stuffed animal might be an ordinary toy—something they receive for a birthday or simply because they asked for one.
But for Leidi and her children, it was something much more.
She cannot afford to buy toys for her children.
When a family is struggling simply to put food on the table, a toy is not a priority. Parents are forced to choose between basic necessities, and something as simple as a toy becomes an impossible luxury.
And that is what makes these moments so powerful.
Every child should have the opportunity to experience the simple joys of childhood.
To hold a favorite stuffed animal.
To kick a soccer ball with friends.
To receive something new and know that someone thought about them.
To simply smile and be a child.
But there are parents who love their children deeply and would gladly provide these things if they could—yet they simply don’t have the resources.
That is where Hannah’s Toys of Hope comes in.
Through this ministry, children are receiving more than a toy. They are experiencing joy in the midst of hardship, and their parents are being reminded that someone cares.
And most importantly, these gifts create opportunities to share the hope of Jesus Christ.
Yaima expressed it beautifully:
“Thank you for every heart that God has permitted us to bring joy to, and every seed that has been planted through this beautiful ministry.”
Bringing Joy Where It Is Needed Most
Yarelis, who serves alongside her husband, Pastor Rene, also shared about the incredible joy children experience when they receive these gifts.
These moments may seem small from our perspective, but they are anything but small to the families receiving them.
Pastor Jorge and his wife, Rachel, continue to minister to children and families in the pediatric cancer hospital, bringing encouragement, compassion, and the love of Christ to families walking through incredibly difficult circumstances.
We are so grateful for every person who makes this ministry possible.
🤲 Extend Your Hands to Help
Every smile tells a story.
Every toy opens a conversation.
Every soccer ball creates a friendship.
Every Bible lesson plants a seed that can change a life forever.
Through Beyond Borders and Hannah’s Toys of Hope, your generosity is helping:
- 🎁 Toys
- ✏️ School supplies
- 🍞 Food
- 🙏 Prayer
- 📖 The message of Christ
- The smiles, the joy, the spark of hope—each one is a gift of God’s love made tangible.
Your generosity through Beyond Borders becomes a powerful channel of God’s grace—empowering pastors, strengthening families, planting churches, and filling children’s hearts with joy and the hope of the gospel.
- Plant and strengthen churches.
- Equip pastors and ministry leaders.
- Disciple new believers.
- Support struggling families.
- Provide food and school supplies.
- Bring toys, joy, and the hope of Christ to children across Mexico and Cuba.
What may seem like a simple gift often becomes the beginning of a transformed life.
🚀 Together, We Can Reach More
There are still communities waiting to hear the Gospel.
Families longing for hope.
Parents doing everything they can to provide for their children.
And children who deserve the simple joys of childhood but whose families cannot afford them.
This is why we go.
This is why we give.
This is why we keep reaching beyond borders.
Would you prayerfully consider making a special gift today?
Whether it is $50, $100, or $500, your generosity can help provide toys and supplies, strengthen families, equip pastors, support ministry leaders, and open doors to share the hope of Jesus.
You may never meet Leidi or her five children.
You may never travel those muddy roads or cross that river.
But through your generosity, you can help make that journey possible.
And somewhere along that journey, a child may receive a simple gift, smile for the first time in a long time, and hear that Jesus loves them.
That’s what your generosity makes possible.
Click below to give a special gift today. 
Thank you for your generosity and compassion in extending your hands to help.
In His Grip, Dave & Dawn Diaso
