You can try contacting the National Council of Churches - on the down side they look the other way when Fidel gets nasty with his subjects, but they are always going to Cuba - maybe they can give you some advice on how to go - or you can hook up with them on one of their Cuba trips as a volunteer or through some of the Main line Protestant church groups. They might even pay your way if you volunteer.
www.ncccusa.org

Another info source is the quasi religious posse Pastors for Peace - they work very closesly with the Cuban dictatorship - they are partly financed from Havana at times and Rev. Walker knows Fidel personally - give him a call - they go to Cuba every year and they are a fast and easy way to get into the island without any visas.
www.ifconews.org

www.cubalinda.com/English/S...CubaUS.asp

Skip any US Visa or permission.

Fly to Mexico City and from Mexico City to La Habana. Make sure Cuban immigrations do not stamp your US passport (They are very good about this usually but do make mistakes since they automatically stamp every one elses passport. If they DO stamp it, you will have to report is lost at the Embasy in Mexico City when you return.

If you are going to make Ocha, what could be better than a tramposo entrada?

I go to Cuba regularly and have never once entered with a US Visa.

NOW if youi are interested in a CUBAN visa, then you can buy those at the Mexico City Airport or upon arriving at Jose Marti International in La Habana. It's really a simple system