CubaGroup Mission Trips

Cuba trips combine four kinds of activity, and your EM field staff set the daily plan with each partner:

• Learning about the church in Cuba - Splitting into groups, visiting local congregations, and hearing how churches serve their neighbors
• Work projects and farm work - Joining partners on construction projects and farm work led by local leaders
• Visits with families - Spending time with and encouraging families of children with disabilities
• Kids Club - Leading games, crafts, and lessons with local children

Individual trips may vary, so check the details for your specific trip. Opportunities can differ from week to week, and EM cannot confirm your daily activities until your team arrives.

Kids Club

Children's ministry is an important part of every Cuba trip, and teams should expect to take part in Kids Club in several settings. EM provides the curriculum and emails it to team leaders ahead of your trip. Teams bring the craft supplies for their specific crafts and should budget for them, and EM provides scissors, staplers, and paper hole punches. Games such as soccer, frisbee, and jump rope also help teams connect with local children.

Work projects and farm work

EM works closely with local leaders to identify work projects and ministry opportunities that address real needs in the community, and local leadership makes nearly all decisions about the nature of the work. Come with a servant's heart and a willingness to adapt.

What will we learn?

Cuba teams spend the week with Cuban Christians whose faith has been shaped by decades of restrictions on religious life, and teams hear stories of resilience and hope from local people. Expect to listen more than you talk. Experience the reality of life in Cuba that's different than the simplistic stories you have heard before.

Submit an Interest Form

Cuba at a glance

Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea, slightly smaller than the state of Pennsylvania and home to about 11 million people. EM trips take place in central Cuba, and teams fly into Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport (VRA), formerly Varadero Airport.

Church life

Cuba's churches have lived through decades of government restrictions on religious life. Cuba's constitution described the state as atheist until a 1992 revision made it secular. Many congregations meet in church buildings that were established before 1959, and many Cubans worship in pop-up house churches.

Daily life right now

Today Cuba is facing a severe energy crisis. Fuel shortages have continued since early 2026, power outages are frequent, and officials have reported nationwide grid failures. Cell phone and internet service can be disrupted during outages, and some airlines have reduced or suspended Cuba flights because of fuel shortages.

Climate and hurricane season

Cuba is tropical, with hot, humid weather in summer. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and hurricanes coming up from the south often have Cuba in their sights. EM field staff monitor storms, and teams are told what to expect before travel.

Submit an Interest Form

Each morning includes time for devotions and quiet time. EM strongly encourages every team member to spend that time with God, journaling thoughts and experiences as the days unfold. EM provides a physical or printable devotional journal for teams.

In the evening, your team is encouraged to lead Evening Gathering, a time of debriefing and a short devotional. EM provides an outline and discussion questions, and your team leaders guide the conversation. Musical worship time each evening is encouraged as part of a meaningful mission trip. If your team cannot help with music, it may not be part of the trip.

An average week runs like this:

Day 1 is arrival and orientation:

• 11:00 am-3:00 pm - Groups arrive at the airport
• 5:00 pm - Leaders' meeting
• 6:00 pm - Dinner
• 7:00 pm - Orientation meeting
• 8:30 pm - Team time (time for your group alone)
• 10:00 pm - Lights out

Day 2 introduces the church in Cuba:

• 7:15 am - Breakfast
• 7:45 am - Devotions and quiet time
• 8:30 am - Team leaves for church
• 9:30 am - Groups divide and visit local churches to learn about the church in Cuba
• 12:00 pm - Lunch
• 4:30 pm - Arrive at your lodging
• 5:00 pm - Leaders' meeting
• 6:00 pm - Dinner
• 7:00 pm - Evening Gathering
• 10:00 pm - Lights out

Days 3-6 follow a steady rhythm of service and reflection:

• 7:15 am - Breakfast
• 7:45 am - Devotions and quiet time
• 8:15 am - Group prayer
• 8:30 am - Teams leave for Kids Club or work day
• 12:00 pm - Lunch
• 3:30 pm - Finish work for the day
• 4:00 pm - Break and clean-up
• 5:00 pm - Leaders' meeting
• 6:00 pm - Dinner
• 7:00 pm - Evening Gathering
• 8:30 pm - Team time
• 10:00 pm - Lights out

Teams who add the optional Havana day (see FAQs) spend Day 6 there instead.

Day 7 is for cleanup and goodbyes:

• 7:15 am - Breakfast
• 8:00 am - Cleanup and packing
• 9:00 am - Pictures and goodbyes

Times can shift based on partner needs, power, and transportation, and local Cuban partners will confirm the details at orientation.

Submit an Interest Form

Lodging

Teams stay at a church with comfortable housing or at a guest house in Central Cuba. Each option has bunk rooms with multiple beds per room, and EM can arrange custom housing for large teams. Showers and flushing toilets are available.

Power in Cuba is unreliable. Rooms may have A/C or fans when power is available, and showers may not always run warm.

Food and water

Local Cuban staff and community partners prepare your meals, including local cooks who prepare Cuban dishes. Expect much the same meals each day because Cuba has limited food variety.

Because of that limited variety, EM cannot guarantee safe meals for nut or seafood allergies, so please contact EM before you register. See EM's mission trip food policy for general basics that apply to most mission trips.

Purified bottled drinking water is provided for all team members at your lodging and at worksites and ministry sites each day.

Flights and transportation

Teams book their own flights. EM asks teams to book flights into Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport (VRA), formerly Varadero Airport. If flights into Havana are much cheaper, teams may fly into Havana for an additional $50 per person to cover transportation. Because of fuel shortages, check with your airline and EM Support Staff for current schedules and rates before you book.

After you arrive, EM includes all ground transportation during your mission trip.

Visa, insurance, passports, and parental consent letters

Each team member applies for Cuba's electronic visa and completes the D'Viajeros online entry form before travel. EM will send step-by-step instructions after you register. Cuba requires medical insurance for travelers, and many airlines include it in the ticket price, so check with your airline.

Each team member needs a valid passport that does not expire until at least six months after the trip. Team members under 18 must carry an original, notarized letter of parental consent. EM can provide a sample letter. Because requirements can change, review the latest information with the U.S. State Department and EM's Cuba travel FAQ.

Money and phones

Bring U.S. cash for personal spending, since U.S. cards generally do not work in Cuba. Cell and internet service is limited, and EM provides teams with the phone number of local staff before travel. It is recommended that most team members leave phones at home or safely stashed away in luggage to be used for flight travel only.

Submit an Interest Form

Questions about a Cuba trip? Start here. For questions that apply to every EM trip, see the general EM FAQ.

Is it legal for U.S. citizens to go on a mission trip to Cuba?

Yes. U.S. law allows travel to Cuba for a full-time schedule of religious activities, and EM trips follow that schedule. Tourism remains prohibited. EM keeps records of each trip's itinerary and activities. See EM's Cuba mission trip travel FAQ for details.

How many people do we need for a Cuba mission trip?

Cuba trips need at least 6 people. EM can host teams of up to 50. Teams can include high school students, college students, and adults.

How long is a Cuba mission trip, and when do we arrive?

Cuba trips are 7 days and run year-round. Teams arrive between 11 am and 3 pm on the first day. If your team cannot arrive in that window, contact your mission trip support person before booking airfare so EM can arrange transportation.

What grades and ages can go?

High school students (9th grade and up), college students, and adults are all welcome to join, including mixed-age groups. Every team needs at least one adult leader age 21 or older, and high school teams need 1 adult for every 7 students. EM prices trips per person, so the cost is the same for students and adults.

How much does a Cuba mission trip cost, and what does it include?

The listed cost is $895 per person for the 7-day trip. It covers lodging, meals, ground transportation in Cuba, work project materials, support for local partners, EM field staff, and EM's year-round trip coordination. It does not cover airfare, your visa, or medical insurance if your ticket does not include it.

Is Cuba safe right now?

As of November 2026, the U.S. State Department lists Cuba at Level 2, "Exercise increased caution," for crime and unreliable electrical power. EM field staff and local partners monitor conditions and adjust team activities and locations accordingly. See Health & Safety and the State Department's Cuba advisory for current guidance.

What happens if flights are canceled or fuel runs short?

EM monitors conditions and contacts team leaders if a week is affected. If a trip is canceled or rescheduled, EM will follow our registration and payment policy. Check with your airline before you book flights, because schedules can change with little notice.

What will our team do in Cuba?

Teams join local churches and partners for a mix of construction and farm work, visits with families who have children with disabilities, and Kids Club (a VBS-style program that can be done anywhere). They also spend time learning about the church in Cuba. Individual trips may vary, so check the details for your trip.

Will we work with children?

Yes. Kids Club is a regular part of Cuba trips, and most teams lead it in several settings. EM provides the curriculum for your group. Teams bring craft supplies for their specific crafts and should plan a budget for them.

Can our team add a day to see Havana?

Teams may ask about an optional Havana day, which costs an additional $50 per person plus the cost of your meal there. Legal requirements may inhibit the types of activities your group is able to take part in while visiting Havana as U.S. citizens. Ask EM Support Staff for more details.

Where will our team stay?

Teams stay at a church with comfortable housing or at a guest house in Central Cuba, in bunk rooms with multiple beds per room. Showers and flushing toilets are available, and power can be unreliable.

Are meals provided?

Yes. EM staff and community partners prepare all meals, and teams eat Cuban dishes. Because of Cuba's limited food variety, EM cannot guarantee safe meals for nut or seafood allergies, so contact EM before you register. See EM's mission trip food policy for basics that apply to most EM trips.

What paperwork does each team member need?

Each team member completes a registration form and liability waiver, and every adult must pass a background check. Each team member also needs a valid passport that expires at least six months after the trip, Cuba's electronic visa, and the D'Viajeros online form. Team members under 18 carry an original, notarized letter of parental consent. See EM's background check policy.

Is medical insurance required?

Yes. Cuba requires medical insurance for all travelers. Many airlines include it in the ticket price, so check with your airline. If it is not included, you will be required to procure travel medical insurance for your team members before flying.

What should we bring for money and phones?

Bring U.S. cash for personal spending. Cell and internet service is limited, and EM gives you the phone number of a local staff member to contact during travel.

What does our group leader do, and what does EM field staff do?

Your group leader prepares your team before the trip and oversees and leads the group on the ground, both relationally and logistically. EM field staff prepare the trip in Cuba and handle lodging, food, and ministry project details.

Is cross-cultural training available?

Yes. EM offers optional pre-trip cross-cultural training and strongly recommends all teams go through it together. It is designed to help your leaders and team members prepare to serve in a healthy way that honors the dignity of others, alongside EM's local partners. Learn more about EM's Approach to Missions.

Have more questions about EM trips? Check the general EM FAQ or submit an interest form to connect directly with EM Support Staff.

Submit an Interest Form