This December marks the end of the third full year of schooling at Crossroads Springs. Each year the care center becomes stronger and more stable, and we cannot thank you enough for your continuing support.

The Crossroads Springs children and staff sang and danced their welcome to a group of North American visitors in June. The group of 11 volunteers from New England included teenagers and their parents. Sarah Fennel, 16, describes the first day: “The first day we got to the school, Ari and I noticed a girl holding up a really large stick. ‘What is she going to do with that?’ we thought. Oh, chuck it at another girl -- it was their way of playing when there was nothing else to do. That was when we got out the balls we had brought, and for the rest of the weeks we had a blast playing outside whenever we could.” Sarah also recounts her admiration for one of the teachers, Elias, who lives in a crumbling stucco house and has just a small gas candle for lighting. “He maintains the happiest attitude every day.”

The New England volunteers played and worked; they helped paint the building, teach classes, and install posts for growing passion fruit. They also bought a cell phone-Internet connection for the school.

Deb Naybor of Both Your Hands was part of the June volunteer group. Having been to Crossroads Springs before, she reported improvements to the main building, including new landscaping, new paint, tables and benches, bunk beds, and beautiful classroom posters made by the teachers. “Helen and Meshack are looking forward to opening the dorms,” Deb said, “It will keep the children safer and also provide some income from boarding students that will help pay the bills.”

With your necessary and valuable help, we continue to fundraise for Crossroads Springs. We’ve established a Crossroads Springs Sustainability Committee of nine members and two consultants; the committee has two goals: sustain a program of care and education, and raise funds over multiple years for a new building. In September, Meshack and his staff broke ground for the new classroom building, so that Crossroads Springs can house a full primary school, pre-K through grade 8.   Children who do not have the opportunity to at least complete elementary school, and have no family to support them, often end up on the streets. We are determined that this will not happen to the children nurtured and educated at Crossroads Springs.

In this season of Thanksgiving, sacred holidays, and planning for the New Year in North America, please consider giving a gift to Crossroads Springs. While $300 provides for one child’s needs for a year, a gift of any amount is significant in their lives.  You may designate your gift to “building fund” or “orphan care.” With the current need for classrooms, an extra gift for the building fund would be greatly appreciated.

 In Peace and Hope! Alison and Arthur Hyde