Persecution, Purpose, and Perseverance: Following Christ in Any Circumstance
The story of a boy who defied oppression to become a world-renowned violinist, using his music to glorify God.
Jaime’s Cuba Growing Up
There was a time when Cuba's religious foundation was much like the rest of its Latin American neighbors - a reliable bastion of Catholicism. Then came Fidel Castro’s communist revolution in 1959 that shut down nearly all but the Roman Catholic church on the island declaring Cuba as an “atheist” state.
This was the backdrop into which Jaime Jorge was born. A world-renowned violinist today, Jaime spent his early years in a barrio in Santa Clara, Cuba, raised by devout Christian parents at the height of the communist crackdown on faith.
His father led a church an hour away from their home, ministering under the constant threat of the communist government’s retribution. In 1970’s Cuba, religious persecution was a very harsh reality. Castro’s regime painted Christians as enemies of the revolution, often imprisoning pastors alongside criminals, drug addicts, and prostitutes in forced labor and “re-education” camps.
Jaime remembers his childhood as a paradox of rich heritage and culture combined with the constant sense of fear and tension. It wasn’t unusual for him to be mocked, spat on, or publicly singled out because of his faith. But instead of breaking him, these experiences forged his resilience. He credits his upbringing for teaching him that his faith was non-negotiable, a lesson he believes might not have been as deeply ingrained had he grown up with the freedoms of his future home America.
Yet, amid the challenges, there was beauty. Music was the heartbeat of his family, a constant source of joy. His earliest memories were filled with singing and playing instruments of hymns from church. Recognizing his talent at just five years old, his mother who was an accomplished musician herself enrolled him in formal violin lessons, unknowingly setting him on a path that would shape his life’s mission.
But music was only part of how Jaime would profess his faith. From an early age, he learned that following Christ would make him a target not just among his peers, but from the authority figures in his life.
During his schooling years, every child in Cuba was required to wear a uniform, complete with a red scarf symbolizing their allegiance to the Communist Party. He and his younger sister, however, refused to and therefore stood out like sore thumbs. It became routine to be summoned to the principal’s office and interrogated about his absence of loyalty to communism and why he was a Christian. Yet, no matter how often it happened, the experience never lost its terror for a child.
In his book “No More Broken Strings”, he recounts another faith- defining moment from his childhood. He had been invited to represent his school at a talent show, where he performed “La Bella Cubana”. The judges later pulled him aside, praising his performance and telling him he had played so well that they intended to award him first place. At just nine years old, his heart swelled with joy after all the persecution, he was finally being recognized for his hard work.
But then came the condition.The judge said “You know that in this country, we cannot recognize or acknowledge anyone who believes in God. If you are willing to renounce your faith, we will gladly award you the prize.”
Looking back, he explains, “I didn’t understand everything at the time, but I took my parents’ words to heart: ‘It is better to obey God than men.’ So when they gave me a choice, I knew exactly what my answer had to be.” With great sadness he refused the prize.
But his talent was undeniable, and the offers didn’t stop there. A few weeks later, the same judge who had asked him to abandon his faith appeared at his doorstep with an even shinier proposal. “On behalf of the Communist government, we are prepared to give you the opportunity of a lifetime. We would like to offer you a scholarship to study at the best music school in the world, in Moscow.”
The school in question was the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, the institution that had shaped some of the most influential musicians of the century. It was an opportunity of a lifetime and a chance to escape the hardship of the barrio but he had to renounce his belief in Jesus Christ. And although he was just a boy the gravity of his decisions were not lost on him. In Communist Cuba, athletes, artists, and musicians were often used as propaganda tools. Accepting the scholarship meant not just a better life, but a different life, one of comfort, privilege, and fame.
Yet none of that mattered if it meant turning his back on God. Summoning all the courage he had, he looked the judge in the eye and declared that he would not be following the teachings of Lenin, Stalin, Marx, or Castro. As hard as it was he knew one thing with certainty - God was in control, and all things work together for good for those who love Him.
Coming to America
Jaime’s father, understanding that life in Cuba meant a life of persecution tried relentlessly over a period of 20 years to obtain exit visas to get his family to the United States. In a final desperate attempt, he decided to appeal directly to Fidel Castro himself. In 1980, he wrote a letter that would change their lives forever:
“I am a Christian minister, Mr. Castro, I have been trying to leave Cuba for the last twenty years because we are not allowed to pursue our religious beliefs here. My family and I are a nuisance and a bother to you, and we go through a great deal of pain and suffering for our faith. I am no good to you. I am not an asset to you, and I would like to ask you if you would be kind enough to allow me and my family to leave this country so that we can practice our faith and our belief in God and worship Him freely.”
In what can only be described as an act of divine intervention, Castro approved the request. On December 3, 1980, Jaime stepped onto American soil for the first time - a day he says he will never forget. Everything was unlike anything he had ever known. The roads were clean and wide, the colors vivid, and nothing looked broken or run-down. Even the people felt different. They were friendly, warm, and at ease. For the first time, he sensed that he could live in a place where he was free to worship without fear.
The Struggles of Adolescence
Though Jaime was disciplined in his music, he struggled to adjust to the new culture, often misbehaving simply because he didn’t understand the rules. He also had a streak of overconfidence and a desire to stand out, to show off, which frequently got him into trouble.
As he grew into his teenage years, his rebellious streak took a darker turn when he developed a habit of shoplifting.
Jaime describes how stealing became a thrilling game for him. The adrenaline of taking something without being caught was irresistible, though he wasn’t always lucky. On several occasions, he was caught and faced serious consequences, including the threat of expulsion. Each time, he would repent, only to fall back into the same behavior.
The turning point came when he stole batteries for a portable TV he loved to watch football on. This time, he was caught, but instead of calling the police, the security guard called his father. Jaime braced himself for the worst, expecting anger, punishment, maybe even shame.
But his father didn’t yell. Speaking with love and concern, he sought to understand what was driving Jaime’s behavior. That moment became a revelation for Jaime. He realized that his father’s unconditional love mirrored the nature of Jesus, not as a punisher, but as someone who loves deeply despite failures.
For the first time, Jaime understood that faith wasn’t about following a strict list of rules but about having a relationship with a loving and forgiving Father. This newfound understanding marked the end of his stealing and set him on a lifelong journey to learning the depth of God’s grace.
Medicine or Music
Throughout high school, Jaime continued to play the violin, performing with various orchestras and in places like the famed Carnegie Hall in New York. By then, he had played for mayors, dignitaries, and heads of state, an experience he says gave him an outward sense of confidence and charisma. People were naturally drawn to him, captivated not only by his talent but by the way he carried himself.
It was during this time that he recorded his first music album, one of what would eventually become eighteen. To everyone around him, his path seemed obvious, he was meant to be a musician.
But Jaime had other plans.
Despite his success, he was adamant that music would not be his career. He disliked everything about it except performing. He loved the way music moved people, how it stirred something deep within them. But in his heart, he believed he was meant for something greater. His dream was always to become a missionary doctor. So, without hesitation, he pursued medicine.
Yet, through college and into medical school, he had a quiet but persistent feeling that perhaps this wasn’t the path God intended for him.
During his second year of medical school, a seemingly random conversation changed everything. He was playing at a camp in Washington when a physician friend approached him after his performance and said something that struck a chord with him:
"Jaime, tonight, through your music, you reached more people for God in a single night than I could have reached in twenty years of medical practice."
Those words stayed with him. That nagging feeling that had followed him for years could no longer be ignored. That night, he prayed, "God, are You trying to tell me something?"
At the end of that school year, still searching for clarity, he made a bold request - "Lord, if it is Your will that I leave medical school and devote my life to full-time music ministry, I ask that someone call and tell me so."
Ten minutes later, his phone rang.
On the other end, a friend’s voice spoke with certainty: "Jaime, I feel impressed to tell you something. I really think you should be doing full-time music ministry, not medicine."
As much as the call shook him, Jaime wasn’t willing to stake his entire future on what could have been an uncanny coincidence. Like Gideon in the Bible, he asked God for another sign.
That sign came in the form of an unbreakable lease one that legally bound him for another year. But after renewing his contract for just one month on a one-year lease, something inexplicable happened. He was released from it without penalty and without hassle.
That was all the confirmation he needed. Jaime made his decision.
He would devote his life to music ministry, using his talent not for personal gain but to serve God and reach people through his music. And from that moment on, there was no looking back. Since then he has gone on to perform more than 2,500 concerts across North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia.
Of Doubt and Revelation
Fast forward twenty years, I’m interviewing Jaime who’s in Argentina at the moment, taking a short break before resuming his tour in two weeks. As we talk, he shares what life looks like for him these days. For most of the year, he travels the world, playing his violin and preaching, using his music as a ministry. He also tours in support of his nonprofit, Healing Music, an initiative that has now expanded to include music schools in Tennessee, Nicaragua, and Havana, Cuba.
These music schools are more than just places to learn an instrument, they are lifelines to impoverished communities. They provide talented children in underprivileged communities with the opportunity to hone their skills while also supporting their families, impacting the lives of two to three thousand people. Jaime sees these schools as a way to give back, to pass on the same gift his mother recognized in him when he was just five years old - the gift of talent, nurtured and encouraged.
When I ask him what life has been like since he first said yes to God, he smiles. Looking at his life now, he can’t imagine doing anything else. But he’s also honest about moments of doubt he’s had in recent years.
During the pandemic, when the world stood still and he could not travel to perform, the questions started creeping in again. “Had I really heard God that night in 1996? Was this truly my calling?”
Over the years though Jaime has learnt that being a Christian doesn’t mean sauntering through life without struggles. While his challenges may look different now than they did in Cuba, trials still come. But through it all, his revelation of God remains unshaken - "God loves me, no matter what. He will never leave me nor forsake me. That’s not a license to live however I want, it’s an invitation to understand just how deep His love really is. A love so unwavering that He’s willing to stick with me, even when I stumble, because He has a plan for my life."
If Jaime’s life and ministry have inspired you, visit his website here to learn more about his tours and organization.
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