>> WELCOME TO THIS EDITION

OF "CBN NEWS SHOWCASE."

I'M CHARLENE AARON.

WITH THE CONCERNS OVER

AMERICAN VETERANS

SUFFERING FROM STRESS AND

COMMITTING SUICIDE, THE

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS

PROMISING TO MAKE

TREATMENT OF OUR MILITARY

A TOP PRIORITY, AND

FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

ARE ALSO STEPPING IN TO

GET VETS THE HELP THEY

NEED.

AMBER C. STRONG BRINGS US

THAT STORY FROM

WASHINGTON.

>> Reporter: LYNNE

BALFOUR'S STORY IS ALL TOO

COMMON: 27 YEARS WITH THE

U.S. ARMY, A BRONZE STAR

RECIPIENT, MISSION AFTER

MISSION, TOUR AFTER TOUR.

>> MY FIRST DEPLOYMENT WAS

DESERT SHIELD, DESERT

STORM, AND THEN I DEPLOYED

IN IRAQ.

>> Reporter: A SOLDIER'S

SOLDIER, UNTIL HER LAST

TOUR IN IRAQ.

THAT'S WHEN SOMETHING

HAPPENED.

>> SOMEONE BROKE INTO MY

ROOM AND SEXUALLY

ASSAULTED ME.

>> Reporter: SHE

RETURNED TO THE STATES AND

DIDN'T TELL A SOUL, NOT

HER SUPERIORS, NOT EVEN

HER HUSBAND.

>> IN JUNE OF 2006, MY

HUSBAND AND I HAD A BABY

BOY.

A GORGEOUS, BEAUTIFUL,

BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY.

HIS NAME WAS BRYCE.

>> Reporter: SO HER LIFE

WENT ON.

SHE TOOK A JOB, BEGAN

RAISING BABY BRYCE, AND

TRIED TO IGNORE THE

NAGGING PRESENCE OF

ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

AND SHE NEEDED A REGULAR

ROUTINE IN HER LIFE, TO

KEEP THINGS GOING AND ON

THE SAME REGULAR BASIS,

WHICH HELPED HER TO AVOID

STRESS.

BUT THINGS TOOK A

DEVASTATING TURN WHEN A

BREAK IN HER NORMAL

ROUTINE LED TO TRAGIC

CONSEQUENCES.

>> MY ROUTINE THAT WEEK

WAS OUT OF CHARACTER AND

OUT OF ROUTINE, AND I WAS

IN A STRESSFUL SITUATION.

I DROVE RIGHT PAST WHERE I

WOULD NORMALLY MAKE A LEFT

TO DROP MY SON OFF AT

DAYCARE.

WHEN I GOT TO WORK, I WENT

INTO WORK, AND I HAD MADE

A STOP THAT MORNING AND

DROPPED MY HUSBAND OFF AT

WORK, WHICH WASN'T NORMAL,

BECAUSE HIS CAR WAS IN THE

SHOP.

SO I'M, LIKE, BABY IS

DROPPED OFF.

WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

LATER ON THAT DAY, I GET A

PHONE CALL FROM THE HOME

CARE PROVIDER ASKING ME

HOW BRYCE WAS DOING.

AND I SAID, I DON'T

UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN.

I IMMEDIATELY RAN TO THE

CAR, AND THAT'S WHERE I

FOUND MY SON.

>> OH, MY GOD, NO!

>> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH

IT WAS ONLY 66° THAT MARCH

DAY, THE TEMPERATURE

INSIDE THE CAR WAS HOT

ENOUGH TO KILL.

AND BABY BRYCE HAD DIED.

BALFOUR WAS TRIED AND

LATER CLEARED OF

SECOND-DEGREE MURDER

CHARGES.

AFTER THE TRIAL, SHE

VISITED A DOCTOR AND

FIGURED OUT THE ONE THING

THAT WAS CAUSING HER

DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND

LED TO HER CONSTANT NEED

FOR A REGULAR ROUTINE TO

AVOID STRESS.

SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH

SEVERE COMPLEX POST

TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

SHE SAYS THAT PTSD LED TO

HER INABILITY TO DEAL WITH

THE STRESS CAUSED BY THE

BREAK IN HER REGULAR

ROUTINE.

PTSD, FOUR LETTERS THAT

HAVE CHANGED THE LIVES OF

OUR NATION'S VETERANS.

IT AFFECTS EACH PERSON

DIFFERENTLY.

FOR SOME IT IS ANXIETY OR

LACK OF INTEREST.

FOR OTHERS IT IS A NEED

FOR ROUTINE AND CAN LEAD

TO DEPRESSION OR SUICIDAL

THOUGHTS.

HE IS THE C.E.O. OF "VET

REST," HELPING TO TREAT

THE EFFECTS OF THE

DISORDER DOES THAT CLAIMS

SO MANY LIVES.

>> WE'RE NOT A NINE TO

FIVE.

OUR COACHES AND

COUNSELLORS ANSWER THEIR

PHONES WHEN THEY RING.

>> Reporter: IN ADDITION

TO COUNSELLING, HE ALSO

USES FAITH AS A MEANS OF

HEALING.

>> A VETERAN DEALING WITH

PTSD IS DUE TO AN

EMOTIONAL STATE OR

EMOTIONAL FEELING,

EMOTIONS OF GRIEF OR

SOLITUDE.

WHY ME?

WHY THEM?

WHY NOT ME?

AND WHILE A COACH CANNOT

OFFER THAT VETERAN

ABSOLUTION -- YOU HAVE TO

FIND ABSOLUTION THROUGH

THE LORD, THROUGH GOD.

>> Reporter: BUT "VET

REST" AND OTHER GROUPS

LIKE IT CAN'T HELP ALL OF

THE VETS.

DR. SCHULTON IS WORKING TO

OVERTURN THE REGULATIONS

THAT LET CERTAIN VETS SLIP

THROUGH THE CRACKS.

>> 10% TO 15% OF SERVICE

MEMBERS WHO LEAVE THE

SERVICE LEAVE WITH AN

OTHER THAN HONORABLE

DISCHARGE, WHICH LEAVES

THEM WITHOUT BENEFITS.

>> Reporter: THE TRUMP

ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT IS

CRACKING DOWN ON THE V.A.

IN JUNE, PRESIDENT TRUMP

SIGNED THE V.A.

ACCOUNTABILITY AND

WHISTLE-BLOWER PROTECTION

ACT, WHICH CUTS THROUGH

THE RED TAPE AND MAKES IT

EASIER TO GET RID OF BAD

EMPLOYEES AT THE V.A.

IN THE MEANTIME, GROUPS

LIKE "VET REST" WILL

CONTINUE TO FILL THE GAP.

BALFOUR IS NOW A DIRECTOR

FOR "VET REST."

>> THEY SAY GOD DOESN'T

GIVE US MORE THAN WE CAN

HANDLE.

IF THAT IS THE CASE, HE

THINKS I'M THE STRONGEST

PERSON ON THE FACE OF THIS

EARTH.

I THINK WE GO THROUGH THE

EXPERIENCES THAT WE DO TO

BECOME TEACHERS.

>> Reporter: AND SHE HAS

MADE IT HER NEW MISSION TO

WARN PARENTS ABOUT THE

DANGERS OF HOT CARS AND TO

WARN THE WORLD ABOUT THE

EFFECTS OF PTSD.

AMBER C. STRONG FOR CBN

NEWS IN WASHINGTON.

>> Charlene: IF YOU OR

ANYONE YOU KNOW SUFFERS

FROM SYMPTOMS FROM PTSD,

YOU CAN FIND RESOURCES FOR

GETTING HELP AT

cbnnews.com.

>>> WELL, ANOTHER PROBLEM

FACING VETERANS AFTER THEY

COME HOME, BELIEVE IT OR

NOT, IS HOMELESSNESS.

HERE IS A LOOK AT ONE

EFFORT TO PREVENT A

GROWING CRISIS.

>> YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO

DO?

SOMETIMES I WISH I WAS

SEVEN, OR EVEN 22.

>> Charlene: AT THE AGE

OF SIX, CHRISTIAN HAS

ACCOMPLISHED MUCH MORE

THAN FIRST GRADE.

WITH THE HELP OF HIS

PARENTS, CHRISTIAN IS NOW

AN AUTHOR, RADIO HOST, AND

CO-CREATOR OF A CHILDREN'S

WEBSITE, kidsstuff.org."

BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN AN

EASY ROAD.

ONE YEAR AGO HE LIVED ON

THE STREETS WITH HIS

PARENTS, MILITARY VETS WHO

FELL ON HARD TIMES AFTER

SERVING IN GUAM.

HE WROTE A BOOK CALLED

"BEING FIVE."

>> WHAT HAPPENED IN THE THE

MELEE?

DO I GIVE UP ALL OF MY

TOYS, MOMMY?

>> WE COULDN'T KEEP UP

WITH THE RENT.

WE WERE SELLING OUR RINGS

IN ORDER TO KEEP THE

LIGHTS ON.

>> Reporter: HIS MOTHER

SUFFERS FROM LUPUS, A

DISEASE THAT FORCED HER TO

UNDERGO SEVERAL SURGERIES

AND BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS.

THAT LEFT STEPFATHER GARY,

A 12-YEAR AIR FORCE

VETERAN, THE SOLE

PROVIDER.

THEY EVENTUALLY LOST THEIR

HOME.

AFTER LEAVING THE

MILITARY, LIFE CAN BE

DIFFICULT.

>> YOU GO IN THE CIVILIAN

WORLD AND THAT CHECK IS

NOT THE SAME.

YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR

OWN MEDICAL, PAY FOR YOUR

OWN DENTAL.

YOUR GROCERY BILLS GO UP

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GO ON

THE BASE TO GO SHOPPING.

>> Charlene: YOU

PROBABLY SEE THEM EACH DAY

IN THE STREETS, UNAWARE

THEY ONCE FOUGHT FOR YOUR

FREEDOM.

NOW THEY FIGHT ADDICTION,

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS AND

ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS.

>> IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS

HARD.

WE BOTH SHED TEARS HAVING

TO SELL THINGS.

>> Reporter: GARY SAID

HE FELT EMBARRASSED,

SCARED AND HOPELESS.

>> YOU'RE IN A POSITION

WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO BE

HOMELESS -- IT'S LIKE YOU

DON'T WANT THAT, NOBODY

WANTS THAT.

ESPECIALLY BEING THE HEAD

OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND YOU

WANT TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR

FAMILY.

SO EMOTIONAL-WISE IT WAS

HARD.

>> Charlene: IT WAS JUST

AS HARD FOR THEIR THREE

BOYS.

>> THEY WERE IN SCHOOL

MOST DAYS, AND WE DIDN'T

HAVE MONEY TO BUY THEM

ANYTHING ELSE.

THEY COULDN'T GET SCHOOL

SUPPLIES OR BUY SHOES OR

DO WHAT KIDS DO.

AND THEY UNDERSTOOD.

THEY UNDERSTOOD WHY WE

HAVE TO BE IN McDONALD'S

CHARGING UP OUR PHONES

BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY

ELECTRICITY.

>> Charlene: STATISTICS

SHOW THAT VETS MAKE UP 17%

OF OUR COUNTRY'S HOMELESS

POPULATION.

IN 2010, NUMBERS REACHED

AS HIGH AS 76,000 ON THE

STREETS.

WHILE TODAY'S ESTIMATES

ARE CLOSER TO 40,000, WE

COULD SEE A MAJOR INCREASE

AS THOUSANDS OF TROOPS

PREPARE TO LEAVE IRAQ AND

AFGHANISTAN.

IT IS A POTENTIAL CRISIS

DRIVING THE V.A. TO BE

MORE STRATEGIC.

THE GOAL IS TO PLACE A

VETERAN IN PERMANENT

HOUSING WITHIN 90 DAYS,

BUT FINDING A HOME FOR A

FAMILY IS TWICE AS

DIFFICULT.

DR. PRISCILLA HANKINS WITH

THE HAMPTON V.A. SAYS

COMMUNITY AND FAITH-BASED

ORGANIZATIONS ARE STEPPING

UP TO HELP.

>> THE V.A. IS COMMITTED

TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS,

BUT WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE.

IT IS REALLY A COMMUNITY

ISSUE.

AND WORKING WITH COMMUNITY

PARTNERS, HOMELESS

AGENCIES, AND THE

COMMUNITY CHURCHES REALLY

COMING TOGETHER, I THINK,

HAS BEEN THE REASON FOR

THE SUCCESS WE HAVE SEEN.

>> Charlene: GARY AND

LAKEISHA BELIEVE GOD USED

OPERATION HOMEFRONT AND

THE OFFICE OF HUMAN

AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE FOR

THEM.

>> THEY GAVE US MONEY TO

MOVE INTO A HOUSE.

THEY PAID THE DEPOSITOR

AND THE FIRST MONTH'S

RENT.

THEY BOUGHT A TREE FOR OUR

KIDS.

THEY BOUGHT GIFTS -- THIS

WAS DURING CHRISTMASTIME,

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS

GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT IT CAME ALL TOGETHER

SO BEAUTIFULLY.

YOU HAVE TO TRUST GOD THAT

HE WILL TAKE US TO WHERE

WE NEED TO GO, AND HE DID.

HE INTERVENED AND STEPPED

RIGHT IN.

I BELIEVE THAT TEST

HAPPENED FOR A REASON.

>> Reporter: GARY AND

LAKEISHA NOW WORK AT THE

HAMPTON V.A.

THEY SAY THEY WANT TO PAY

IT FORWARD BY HELPING

OTHER HOMELESS VETERANS

GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.

>> I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO

NOT KNOW WHERE YOUR NEXT

MEAL IS GOING TO COME

FROM, BUT YOU HAVE A

SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT IS

ABLE TO HELP YOU, AND YOU

HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WILL

SAY, IT IS GOING TO BE

OKAY.

I CAN HELP YOU HERE.

>> Charlene: AS FOR HER

SON, CHRISTIAN, HE IS

>> Charlene: VIDEO OF A

NINE-YEAR-OLD INDIANA GIRL

MINISTERS OUTSIDE AN

ABORTION CLINIC IS MAKING

ITS ROUNDS ON THE

INTERNET.

BRIANNA, WHO'S FULL NAME

WE'RE NOT RELEASING FOR

PRIVACY REASONS, CAN BE

SEEN WEARING A HEADSET TO

AMPLIFY HER VOICE IN A

VIDEO THAT HAS BEEN SEEN

BY MORE THAN A MILLION

PEOPLE.

SHE IS SHARING THE GOSPEL

AND PLEADING WITH WOMEN

INSIDE THE CLINIC TO

CHOOSE LIFE.

I SPOKE WITH HER AND THE

FAMILY FRIEND WHO RECORDED

THE VIDEO ABOUT WHY SHE

WANTED TO TAKE A STAND FOR

LIFE.

>> WE ALL MADE A CHANGE TO

BE THERE.

>> Charlene: AND HOW DID

YOU GET THE HEADSET SO YOU

COULD TALK DIRECTLY TO THE

WOMEN INSIDE THE CLINIC?

>> I ASKED BRIAN IF I

COULD USE IT, AND HE

HANDED IT TO ME.

>> Charlene: WHAT DID

YOU SAY TO THE WOMEN ON

THE HEADSET THAT DAY.

>> I WAS ASKING THEM TO

COME OUT AND WE'D HELP

THEM.

AND IF THEY CHOSE TO KEEP

THEIR KID, WE'LL HELP PAY

FOR SOME OF THE THINGS.

AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO HAVE

THEIR KID ADOPTED, THEN WE

CAN HELP WITH THAT, TOO.

WE'LL HELP YOU AND

EVERYTHING.

THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> Charlene: AND WHY DO

YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT,

BRIANNA, TO SPEAK OUT

ABOUT ABORTION?

>> BECAUSE IT'S LITTLE

CHILDREN THAT ARE BEING

MURDERED AND KILLED.

AND THEY'RE NOT -- THEY'RE

ALIVE.

THEY HAVE A HEARTBEAT.

SO THEY'RE HUMANS LIKE US.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS

THEY CAN'T SAY NO.

>> Charlene: OKAY.

WELL, AMY, YOU ARE THE ONE

WHO PICKED UP YOUR CELL

PHONE TO RECORD BRIANNA'S

MESSAGE.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> I'VE KNOWN BRIANNA

SINCE SHE WAS A BABY.

I'M FRIENDS WITH HER

MOTHER AND HAVE BEEN FOR A

LONG TIME.

AND I'M ALSO AN EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR FOR LIFE, AND WE

DO COMMUNITY WORK, AND ONE

OF THE THINGS WE DO IS

DOWN AT THE CLINIC.

HER MOM SHOWED INTEREST IN

GETTING INVOLVED.

AND STARTED MEETING THE

WOMEN AT THE CLINIC.

AND SO BRIANNA CAME WITH

HER MOTHER, AND WAS IT THE

SECOND OR THIRD TIME YOU

HAD BEEN DOWN THERE WITH

ME?

>> SECOND.

>> SO WE LOADED UP OUR VAN

AND HEADED ON DOWN FOR THE

DAY.

>> Charlene: WHY DID YOU

THINK IT WAS SUCH A MOMENT

THAT YOU NEEDED TO

CAPTURE?

WHAT WAS IT SHE WAS SAYING

THAT MADE YOU FEEL LIKE

OTHER PEOPLE NEEDED TO

HEAR THAT?

>> BRIANNA ALWAYS HAS HAD

A BOLD PERSONALITY FOR HER

AGE.

SHE HAS HAD A VERY

INTERESTING LIFE SO FAR.

SHE HAD SOME MEDICAL

DIFFICULTIES.

SO THERE WAS ACTUALLY A

TIME WHEN HER MOTHER

DIDN'T KNOW IF BRIANNA WAS

EVEN GOING TO BE HERE.

PRIMARILY I HAD DONE IT

BECAUSE I WANTED HER MOM

TO SEE IT.

AND JUST BECAUSE I CARE

ABOUT THIS LITTLE GIRL.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A

BOLD MOVE FOR HER TO PICK

UP THAT HEADSET.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT I

HAVEN'T EVEN DONE.

SO WHEN BRIANNA GRABBED

IT, I KNEW SHE WAS GOING

TO SAY SOMETHING.

SHE SURPRISED ALL OF US, I

THINK.

>> Charlene: WOW.

>> I TOLD THEM HOW OLD I

WAS AND HOW...

>> SHE SANG A SONG TO THEM

AS WELL.

AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

>> Charlene: AMY, WHAT

DO YOU SAY TO CRITICS WHO

ARGUE THAT CHILDREN

SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO DO

SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT

THAT IS NO PLACE FOR A

CHILD TO BE?

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?

>> I THINK FIRST OF ALL,

THE FIRST FALSE THING IS

THINKING THAT BRIANNA

DOESN'T HAVE A MIND OF HER

OWN.

THAT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.

SHE HAS A PERSONALITY AND

THOUGHTS OF HER OWN.

I'M SORRY, IT JUST DOESN'T

TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO

FIGURE OUT THAT ABORTION

IS MURDER.

AND BRIANNA AND I TALKED

ABOUT THAT REALITY, AND

SHE WAS ABLE TO CONVEY

THAT TO WOMEN.

SHE WAS NOT COERCED OR

ANYTHING.

SHE DID IT ON HER OWN.

WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HER

FOR THAT.

I THINK ANY TIME YOU HAVE

GOOD WORK, THERE WILL

ALWAYS BE CRITIC.

AND ESPECIALLY THE GOOD

THINGS OF GOD, THERE WILL

ALWAYS BE PEOPLE THAT DO

NOT AGREE, AND THAT'S

OKAY.

WE STAND WITH GOD ON THIS.

AND WE'RE JUST SUPER PROUD

OF HER.

>> Charlene: TELL ME,

WHAT'S THE RESPONSE TO THE

VIDEO?

I UNDERSTAND IT HAS GOTTEN

OVER A MILLION REVIEWS.

PROBABLY MIXED REACTION?

>> YES, THERE IS -- THERE

HAS BEEN A MIXED REACTION.

WE WERE JUST SAYING

EARLIER, THE PEOPLE THAT

ARE AGAINST THAT VIDEO,

AND ANYTHING SIMILAR LIKE

THAT, TEND TO HAVE A VERY

LOUD VOICE.

AND PEOPLE ON THE AVERAGE

LEVEL TEND TO BE A LITTLE

MORE RESERVED WITH THEIR

THOUGHTS.

SO IT SEEMED FOR THE

LONGEST COUPLE OF HOURS WE

WERE GETTING A LOT OF

REACTION THAT WAS

NEGATIVE.

BUT THE REENFORCEMENTS

HAVE COME IN, AND WE HAVE

HAD A VERY STRONG POSITIVE

REACTION.

WE'RE VERY BLESSED.

>> Charlene: EXCELLENT.

WE WANT TO SAY KUDOS TO

LITTLE MISS BRIANNA FOR

BEING SO BOLD FOR JESUS,

FOR GOD, AND FOR LIFE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL

THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND ALL

THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.

WE KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO

SOME MIGHTY THINGS FOR

GOD.

THANK YOU, GUYS, SO MUCH

FOR BEING WITH US TODAY,

DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT.

>> Charlene: CUBA HAS

BEEN DOMINATED BY

COMMUNISM FOR MORE THAN 50

YEARS, BUT DESPITE THOSE

DIFFICULT TIMES, WE'RE

LEARNING THAT THE CHURCH

THERE IS DOING AMAZINGLY

WELL.

CBN'S HEATHER SELLS WENT

TO HAVANA TO SHOW US HOW

HARDSHIP PAVED THE WAY FOR

AN EXPLOSION OF FAITH.

♪♪♪

>> Heather: ON A TYPICAL

SUNDAY MORNING IN CUBA,

YOU'LL FIND CHURCH CROWDS

OVERFLOWING AROUND THE

ISLAND.

MANY ARE HOUSE CHURCHES

MEETING IN REMODELED

LIVING ROOMS.

OTHERS LOOK LIKE YOUR

TYPICAL CHURCH, WITH ONE

BIG DIFFERENCE: POLITICAL

RESTRICTIONS.

FAITH IS AN ISSUE FOR SO

MANY CUBAN CHURCHES.

FOR THIS PARTICULAR

CHURCH, THE GOVERNMENT

WILL NOT SELL IT MORE

LAND, AND IT'S GROWING, SO

IT HAS BEEN FORCED TO

BUILD UP.

ON THE UPPER LEVELS,

YOU'LL FIND SUNDAY SCHOOL

ROOMS, BUT FOUR SPILL-OVER

AREAS TO WATCH THE SUNDAY

SERVICE.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE 80 TO 100

PEOPLE IN AN APARTMENT, IT

IS HARD, VERY HARD, AND

NEIGHBORS GET UPSET.

>> Reporter: PASTOR

MIGUEL LEADS A HOUSE

CHURCH IN HIS YARD,

BECAUSE IT NO LONGER FITS

INSIDE.

THE PAST 20 YEARS, MORE

THAN 16,000 EVANGELICAL

CHURCHES HAVE OPENED THEIR

DOORS.

>> Through Translator:

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS

MADE US GROW IN FAITH HAS

BEEN THE LIMITATIONS AND

THE DIFFICULTIES.

>> Heather: PASTOR

NESTOR AND HIS WIFE, ROSA,

LIVE IN ONE ROOM ABOVE

THEIR TINY CHURCH.

ON SUNDAY MORNINGS AND

DURING WEEK-NIGHT

SERVICES, ONLY A FEW WILL

HAVE A REAL SEAT.

[SPEAKING A FOREIGN

LANGUAGE]

>> Through Translator:

PEOPLE HERE DON'T CARE HOW

COMFORTABLE THEY ARE.

THEY COULD BE EXHAUSTED

FROM WORKING ALL DAY, AND

THEY WILL SIT ON A BAG OF

ROCKS, A STITCHED UP

CHAIR, OR STAND THE WHOLE

SERVICE, AND THEY'RE OKAY

WITH THAT.

>> Reporter: PASTOR

FRANCISCO IS ONE OF

THOUSANDS OF CUBAN HOUSE

CHURCH PASTORS WHO FOLLOW

THE GOSPEL WITH TREMENDOUS

PASSION.

[SPEAKING A FOREIGN

LANGUAGE]

>> Through Translator:

WE HAVE EVANGELIZED

EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN THIS

AREA.

A NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE TO

EACH HOME.

WE CAN'T STOP.

WE WON'T STOP.

BECAUSE EVEN IF THEY WON'T

ACCEPT THE LORD THE FIRST,

SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH

TIME, WE CANNOT STOP UNTIL

THEY COME TO THE LORD.

>> Charlene: THE GROWTH

OF THE CHURCH IS EVEN MORE

MIRACULOUS GIVEN THE

COUNTRY'S POVERTY.

THE AVERAGE MONTHLY SALARY

IS $20, AND PROFESSIONALS

MAKE LESS THAN $50.

STILL, CUBAN CHURCHES ARE

KNOWN FOR THEIR GENEROSITY

AND WILLINGNESS TO

SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF

THE GOSPEL.

>> Through Translator:

WHAT WE HAVE, WE WANT TO

SHARE WITH OTHERS.

WHAT WE HAVE, NOT WHAT WE

HAVE LEFT OVER.

>> Heather: ANOTHER

OBSTACLE KEEPING CHURCH'S

FAITH IS SPIRITUAL WARFARE

IN THE FORM OF SANTERIA.

IT IS A BLEND OF WEST

AFRICAN RELIGIONS KNOWN

FOR ITS CEREMONIES.

THIS IS A WOODED AREA

WHERE THOSE PRACTICING

SANTERIA LIKE TO COME.

THEY WILL OFFER SACRIFICES

ON THIS ROCK.

PASTOR NESTOR FACES

RESISTANCE RIGHT IN THE

NEIGHBORHOOD.

DURING ONE SUNDAY WORSHIP,

A SANTERIA GROUP STOOD

OUTSIDE THE CHURCH,

BEATING THEIR DRUMS.

[SPEAKING A FOREIGN

LANGUAGE]

>> Through Translator:

IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A

SPIRITUAL FACEOFF.

THE CHURCH JUST STARTED

PRAYING, AND THEN WE

PRAYED FOR RAIN, AND ALL

OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS

THUNDER, SO THEY HAD TO

LEAVE.

>> Heather: CHURCH

LEADERS SAY THEY'RE

ENJOYING A NEW SEASON OF

RELAXED RESTRICTIONS.

IT IS EASIER TO EVANGELIZE

OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH, AND

THEY RECEIVED MORE PERMITS

TO HOLD SPECIAL EVENTS.

STILL, MOST CHURCHES

CANNOT EXPAND OR BUY LAND.

THEY CANNOT PRODUCE

CHRISTIAN RADIO OR

TELEVISION SHOWS, AND THEY

MUST WORK AROUND A

DYSFUNCTIONAL ECONOMY.

THE REMODELING PLANS AT

PASTOR NESTOR'S CHURCH ARE

ON HOLD INDEFINITELY,

UNTIL THEY CAN OBTAIN

MUCH-NEEDED CEMENT.

>> Through Translator:

SOMETIMES WITHOUT

SUFFERING, THERE IS NO

CHALLENGE.

AND WITHOUT THAT

CHALLENGE, THERE IS NO

VICTORY.

>> Heather: REPORTING IN

>> Charlene: WE ALWAYS

CLOSE "CBN NEWS SHOWCASE"

IN PRAYER.

PLEASE JOIN ME.

DEAR LORD, WE THANK YOU

FOR YOUR GOODNESS, YOUR

GRACE, YOUR MERCY, AND

YOUR LOVE IN OUR LIVES.

WE THANK YOU FOR OUR

FREEDOM.

WE THANK YOU FOR OUR

VETERANS AND THEIR

FAMILIES.

WE ASK FOR THEIR

PROVISION.

WE ASK FOR HEALING FROM

THE WOUNDS OF WAR.

WE ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE

SACRIFICE THAT JESUS MADE

TO PURCHASE OUR FREEDOM AT

THE CROSS.

AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, WE

PRAY OUR VETS WOULD KNOW

HIM.

WE THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING

LIFE FROM THE MOUTH OF

LITTLE BRIANNA TO THE

WOMEN AT THAT ABORTION

CLINIC, LORD.

WE ASK THAT ONE DAY LIFE

FROM THE CRADLE TO THE

GRAVE IS CONSIDERED

PRECIOUS IN AMERICA AGAIN.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE

EXPLOSION OF FAITH IN

CUBA, AND WE PRAY FOR

CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE

CHURCH HERE.

WE PRAY THAT PEOPLE MIGHT

COME TO KNOW YOU LORD

JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR.

IT IS IN YOUR NAME WE

PRAY.

>>> FOLLOW US ON

cbnnews.com, Facebook,

AND TWITTER.

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

GOD BLESS YOU.