Leonardo Cabrera hangs his old uniform in his office. He says its a reminder of God's grace, which lifted him out of the poverty and despair he experienced as a Cuban political prisoner in the '90s.
These days, the pastor is regularly seen working on his weekly sermon while his kids stop by and visit.
In 1993, Cabrera was arrested and imprisoned by Cuban authorities for allegedly trying to overthrow the government. The truth, he said, was that he was preaching.
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Cabrera remained imprisoned until 1998, when a call for clemency by Pope John Paul II spurred the release of some political prisoners.
Other prisoners would create new lives for themselves in Canada and Miami; Cabrera and his family came to Kansas City.
"I believe God brought me to Kansas City," said Cabrera.
The Cabreras have been in KC for 17 years, and Leonardo Cabrera has been a pastor at Jesus Cristo El Buen Pastor church for the last 15 of those.
Cabrera became a US citizen in 2008. He is cautiously optimistic about the changing relations between the US and Cuba, and he hopes to visit Cuba as an American citizen by the end of the year.
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Jane Monreal can be reached at jane.monreal@kshb.com.
