housing
His sheep shall not want
Assfu Halfon is one of the women chosen to receive a newly constructed house this year through Cross Catholic and the Daughters of Charity in Ethiopia. Assfu’s current housing conditions are better than some – which is to say she has a bed to sleep in (only since she inherited one from her deceased father), … Continue reading
Happy Homeowners
On our way through Nicaragua, we dropped by Villa Catalina to see how things have been going at the Cross Catholic homes from our recent Amigos for Christ house-construction campaign. When we last visited the village in February for the dedication ceremony, the fields were a sea of dust under the punishing midday sun that … Continue reading
How to be a good neighbor
At the remote village of Mina de Agua, I came across a dilapidated house that looked as if it might collapse into a pile of sticks before my eyes. Beside the house, an old woman lay on a mat in the sweltering midday heat, weak and struggling to speak coherently. The villagers explained to me … Continue reading
From Hurting to Healing
“I wish my mother was alive today to see this house.” That’s what David Massinga said through his tears when he and his sisters first moved into a new home given to them by Cross International Catholic Outreach and its generous benefactors through one of our ministry partners in Mozambique. The Massinga children were hurting … Continue reading
Progress at Pwoje Espwa
It’s always encouraging to see a tangible result of our donors’ generosity, especially in a place like Haiti that is in such desperate need of good news. One of those tangible results is the construction of two new girls’ dorms at Pwoje Espwa (Project Hope), an orphanage led by Father Marc Boisvert in southern Haiti. … Continue reading
Haiti Earthquake: One Year Later
This week marks the one-year anniversary of the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people and left 1.5 million homeless in Haiti. The images and stories pouring out of the Caribbean country — which lies a mere 750 miles off the Florida coast — were heartbreaking. The Haitian people have endured unimaginable pain, … Continue reading
Shelter from the cold
You know it’s going to be a cold winter when south Floridians kill the A/C and drag their furnaces out of retirement. Last night, our Florida office experienced temperatures around 30 degrees – frigid for us, but mild for those of you enduring heavy snow and strong winds up north. While Florida worries about damage … Continue reading
The All-in-One ‘Perfect’ Project
When a single project can house the homeless, create jobs for the jobless, protect the planet, and be self sustaining—all at the same time—Cross International Catholic Outreach would consider it to be just about the perfect project! That’s why we’re so excited about a special enterprise being launched in Haiti. It’s an all-in-one housing program, … Continue reading
“I hear the rain, I don’t feel the rain”
Claudner Pierre, 37, is a man who works with his hands. As a mason, he knows exactly how much hard labor goes into building the foundation, walls, and ceiling of a proper house. But even with that knowledge, he still didn’t have the resources or money to build a house for his own family. He … Continue reading
Housing Brings Hope
After more than two years of waiting and praying, Ana Briceño’s dreams came true. Her family was one of 50 to receive a sturdy home through a housing project we support in Nicaragua. “This is such a blessing from God,” Ana said. “Before our family was suffering because we were constantly moving from place to … Continue reading
