The Cross - Stories of God's Love in Action - Winter 2025

Once an orphan and now a guiding lightMoises’ story comes full circle.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

ROMANS 12:10-12

Prayer is foundational to all that we do at Cross International. From reaching out to partners for support to planning new humanitarian missions to taking out the trash and making coffee. In fact, the entire Cross staff meets together every week to pray for the specific requests of our donors and partners by name.

And every year, we hold Cross International’s Annual Day of Prayer. This is an entire day set aside to come before God to lift up our partners, supporters, and beneficiaries before His throne. If you have something you’d like us to pray for on our Annual Day of Prayer, please submit your request at: crossinternational.org/dop25.

USA: Volunteers with Cross’ local partner gather to pray outside of a flooddamaged church in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

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Cross International’s VP of Programs, Zach Oles, visits with school children in a Dominican classroom.

ZAMBIA: World Clubfoot Day is a celebration at Cross partner Hope Walks!

Moises’ life began with little promise. Born into poverty and a broken home in Managua, Nicaragua, his first decade of life was harsh and rife with abuse. Young Moises suffered from malnutrition and an abusive and often drunk step-father. His older brother and sister were both removed from their home and by the time he turned 10, it was Moises’ turn.

Though it was difficult to leave his mother, Moises found new hope and a new life at Arms of Love, Cross International’s home for abandoned and abused children in Jinotepe, Nicaragua. For the first time in his life, Moises had the food and clothing that he needed, and the chance to go to school. “Cross International and Arms of Love gave us everything,” Moises recalled. “Shoes, books, food, balls to play with. It was amazing.” With the help and support of his house parents at Arms of Love, Moises began to excel in school. Even better, he started getting to know Jesus Christ as his Savior. “Our house parents helped us with our homework, read scriptures to us, and told us about God and who Jesus is,” Moises remembered. “They shared the gospel with us.” Soon, Moises made a

decision that would mark him for the rest of his life. “One day I accepted Jesus into my heart,” he told us. “I experienced a change in my heart. It was the best decision I ever made. Who I am is because of God.”

The seeds of love sowed in Moises’ heart continued to grow and bear fruit. Upon graduating from high school, Moises was awarded a college scholarship. He studied English for five years and became an English teacher. Things came full circle when he returned to Arms of Love to teach English to the children there. “I want to love the kids the way I was loved,” Moises said.

Now 24 years old, Moises teaches English both in a local public school and at Arms of Love, where he once came as an orphan. He recently got married, has reconnected with his mother, and is helping her. Moises’ life could have been so much different if it weren’t for the love and compassion shown to him by so many people along the way, including YOU and the other faithful supporters of Cross International. And Moises has a message for you: “Don’t stop helping the kids, you are protecting them and changing their lives completely!”

Christian Education

In Haiti, a quality education is often out of reach for impoverished children. Nearly half of all Haitian children never get to attend school. But at Cross International partner Divine Shelter Schools (DSS), a network of twelve Christian schools across Haiti, kids are welcomed in, regardless of their family’s income level. Thanks to the generous giving of Cross International friends, fees for tuition, uniforms, and supplies are waived or steeply reduced for families of DSS students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to send their kids to school.

Seven-year-old Christ-Naïda is one of those kids. Like most of her fellow first-graders, she comes from a family stuck in destitute circumstances. She currently lives with her godmother. Christ-Naida still dreams that one day she and her parents will be together as a family. In the meantime, school is a refuge, a place of belonging.

Each day, Christ-Naïda and her classmates receive a hot, nutritious lunch, which in many cases is their only substantial meal of the day. The nutrients are vital to their overall health and also give them the energy they need to focus on their studies.

In the classroom, Christ-Naïda is eager to learn. She wants to be a nurse when she’s older, so she can care for those in her community who are sick. Christ-Naïda has taken to heart Jesus’ instruction to “love your neighbor as yourself,” which she’s learned during regular Bible lessons at school. She finds the account of Jesus’ life “fascinating” and enjoys memorizing Bible verses. Every DSS location is connected to a local church, and along with providing a quality education, communicating the message of the Gospel is a primary objective.

While there are no simple solutions to the challenges facing Haiti, progress is being made. Christian education is helping break the cycle of poverty and opening doors for the next generation of Haitians, for kids like Christ-Naïda. With your help, Cross International remains committed to fueling lasting change in Haiti.

Reaching Those

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to serve the poor and suffering alongside Cross in Jesus’ name. With your help, Cross International will continue reaching those in deepest need with life-changing relief and the love of God.