School Archives - Cross International

A Life-Changing After-School Program in Rural Malawi

June 16, 2025 by Cross International

Six days a week, hundreds of children pour into a large fellowship hall in the remote village of Thanganyika in southern Malawi. This hall is so much more than merely a building. It represents hope. It’s a place of refuge, a sacred space. The joyous sound of kids singing and laughing often echoes through the room. Children are taught the Word of God here, and for many, this is where they receive their only substantial meal of the day.

Nine-year-old Tamala and her siblings used to venture to neighbors’ houses in a desperate attempt to obtain food. Despite working hard, Tamala’s single mother struggled immensely to provide. The family also lacked access to clean water, leading to constant sickness from consuming contaminated water. Tamala was heartbroken when she had to be pulled from school because fees were too expensive. She ultimately missed over a year in the classroom. But God had a different plan for her future.

Because of her difficult situation, Tamala was welcomed into the after-school program that’s run in the fellowship hall by Cross International ministry partner Ambuya Development Center. She’s given a nutritious, daily meal and clean water to drink, and her health has vastly improved. As part of the program, Tamala’s educational expenses are paid for, allowing her to resume school! While schoolwork is sometimes challenging because of the lost classroom time, Tamala is steadily progressing and receives extra help with her studies from the center’s staff. She loves to learn and dreams of becoming a teacher when she grows up.

Tamala used to wonder whether God really cared about her, but her faith has grown as she’s experienced tangible expressions of His love through the program in the fellowship hall. She enjoys the regular Bible lessons and fun activities and has made many new friends. Tamala’s favorite Bible story is the account of Esther. She admires Esther’s courage and the way the young queen trusted in God, praying and fasting on behalf of her people.

When ten-year-old Pemphero walked into the fellowship hall for the first time, his attention was immediately drawn to the chairs. They’re not fancy chairs, but Pemphero was not used to having a chair to sit in. He and his siblings live with their single mother in a flimsy, temporary shelter. The fragile structure is all his mother can afford. Like Tamala, Pemphero’s family has very little food and no access to clean water, and he was also out of school before being accepted into the after-school program and having his academic fees covered.

Pemphero was thrilled to return to the classroom! He likes a variety of academic subjects, and though he’s young, he already understands that education is key to eventually being able to start a career through which he can support his family.

Learning scripture has left an impression on Pemphero, who now sees God as his provider. He’s grateful for all of the blessings he’s received. “I did not know that I could be in school…that I would be getting free, good food six days a week…to be using a hall like this one and chairs we do not have at home. All this is a miracle to me. May God be praised.”

The opportunity to go to school and the daily after-school gatherings in the fellowship hall are a lifeline for kids like Tamala and Pemphero. From healthy meals to academic support to Bible lessons and interactions with caring staff members, what’s happening in this space is truly special. When you partner with Cross International, you provide critically needed physical and spiritual nourishment to kids in rural Malawi and beyond in the name of Jesus.

Christian Education Paving Pathways in Haiti

February 28, 2025 by Cross International

Energy fills the classroom as the teacher patiently instructs her exuberant young students. The kids are learning, laughing, and growing. They’re acquiring knowledge and skills that will be foundational to their success later in life. A variety of classroom settings around the world would fit this description, but there’s something special about this particular classroom and the school it’s a part of.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The Haitian people have endured a myriad of hardships that have further weakened an already fragile economy, from natural disasters to cholera outbreaks to the rampant gang violence and political instability plaguing the nation today. Yet amid the adversity, there is resilience and hope.

In Haiti and elsewhere, a quality education is typically inaccessible to 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 afford 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. Her father is not around, and her mother struggles to provide, to the point where Christ-Naïda was sent to live 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’s instruction to “love your neighbor as yourself,” which she’s heard during regular Bible lessons at school. She finds the account of Jesus’s life “fascinating” and enjoys memorizing Bible verses. Every DSS location is connected to a local church, and along with providing a nationally-accredited 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. Cross International remains committed to fueling lasting change in Haiti. Will you join us?

The power of education transforms lives

October 26, 2020 by Cross International

A 2018 study from the UNESCO UIS reported that about 263 million children worldwide (or one in every five) are not in school. The UIS figures confirm that across sub-Saharan Africa one in every three children are out of school – with girls more likely to be excluded than boys. For every 100 boys of primary school age out of school, there are 123 girls denied the right to education.

Together with our ministry partners, our school programs seek not only to provide a place to learn, but to serve as a pillar in a community that offers a stable food supply, a community shelter for emergencies, and a space to find good counsel, learn about the gospel, and find hope. Our philosophy is that an integrated Christian education is more than teaching children about Jesus and His ministry, it is laying the groundwork for a commitment to lifelong learning and service.

Our Thriving Kids educational initiatives help fill the minds, hearts, and bellies of children around the world.

Our education programs include:

Primary school/elementary school services
School operations are funded so children can attend for free or nearly for free. Most of these programs include a nutritional program or food assistance.
Educational infrastructure support
Beyond just funding tuition, Cross supports educational programs in other ways – helping with stocking libraries, new technology in classrooms, repair and construction of school buildings, and paying staff salaries.
Supporting higher learning
Cross increasingly shifts our focus to include how students are best served after completing primary education, like technical/vocational training.
Providing for unique educational needs
To support the full spectrum of educational needs to those facing the challenges of systemic poverty, we support unconventional and unique situations. Some of these have included a night school program for teens who must work during the day, providing support for children with disabilities, support for court-appointed orphans, and adult literacy programs.

With support from our generous donors, Cross International provided grants to 11 programs, supported 83 schools, and provided education to 7,222 students in 2019. We employed 249 teachers and 147 staff members, purchased 1 support vehicle and built 1 school.

Right now, COVID-19 threatens the stability that children find by impacting access to school and in turn, availability of food and hygiene education. In response to COVID-19 in Haiti, we have distributed 54,000 fortified rice meals to 500 children and their households at local school partners. We remain hopeful as we continue to provide emergency hygiene training, food, and technology to communities we serve.

We pray you’ll join us in this mission.

Education helps children rise up from pain into purpose.

Join our mission

Following Jesus’ example in teaching and compassion

August 20, 2020 by Cross International

Jesus was not only a carpenter, He was a teacher. In the gospels, Jesus was called “teacher” more than 60 times. This was the title used by both the disciples and the crowds. John 13:13 records Jesus’ own reference to Himself as teacher when He said, “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and rightly so, for that is what I am” (NIV). The world was His classroom, and Jesus spent His life teaching others about the nature of God, how to hear His Father’s voice, and to love one another.

We also know Jesus loves children. In the gospels, we see His willingness to devote time to them, His recognition of their importance in the Kingdom of God, and His passion for protecting them from harm. As a great teacher, His attention to children was remarkable and surprised many.

Jesus’ example in His love for learning and His tenderness towards children is at the heart of our education initiatives. We believe that it is our responsibility as followers of Christ to meet the multifaceted needs of those struggling to survive poverty — including their need for education — and we work with ministry partners around the world who share in this passion.

Our Christ-based school programs fill more than a child’s mind with knowledge. We nourish their bodies, hearts, and souls in a place that gives them freedom to learn, grow, rest, and dream. By meeting the basic needs of vulnerable children while teaching hope in Jesus’ name, we create a foundation for a life committed to learning and service.

The book of Proverbs encourages us to value learning and understanding. In Proverbs 22:6, we see how learning impacts generations. “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (NIV). Education is transformative, and our programs have a truly long-term and sustained impact on families and communities. Children with a rich foundation of learning have better options for employment and are better able to lead financially stable families and strong communities when they grow up. When adults can support their families, their children are more likely to attend school … and the multi-generational impact can continue.

Together with our ministry partners, we’ve witnessed Jesus use the power of education to transform lives from the inside out. We’ve watched families shape their own opportunities and find hope for the future. Join us as we follow the example of our Great Teacher Jesus to love vulnerable children around the world by supporting education and the Thriving Kids ministry.

Our Philosophy: The gift of education to transform lives

August 11, 2020 by Cross International

In everything we do, we seek to serve the whole person: physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. Whether addressing the needs of a vulnerable child, the challenges facing a family in poverty, or the issues preventing a community from thriving, we deal with specific problems with the understanding that each issue interacts with and impacts others. In this series, we focus on one specific facet of the complex challenges facing those in need around the world.

For most of us, going to school was something to be endured while we waited for life to “truly begin”. But for many of the world’s most vulnerable children, going to school is the key to unlocking life opportunities that can break their community’s cycle of poverty. Education is powerful; so powerful it can transform lives for generations.

Education has a long-term and sustained impact on a family and community. It’s the foundation for getting a job. Jobs fight the root causes of poverty by providing families consistent income. When adults can support their families, their children are more likely to attend school. Children with a rich foundation of learning have better options for employment and are better able to lead financially stable families and strong communities when they grow up. In this way, a strong education has the power to accelerate generations out of poverty.

According to a report from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), about 263 million youth worldwide (or one in every five) are not in school — a figure that has barely changed over the past five years. The UIS figures confirm that across sub-Saharan Africa, one in every three youths are out of school — with girls more likely to be excluded than boys. For every 100 boys of primary school age who are out of school, there are 123 girls denied the right to education.

At Cross International, we understand the challenges of poverty are interrelated. When a child is sick, hungry, or worried about where to sleep, focus — and hope — is lost. That’s why our educational initiatives are multi-faceted. Together with our ministry partners, our school programs seek not only to provide a place to learn, but to serve as a pillar in a community that offers a stable food supply, a community shelter for emergencies, and a space to find good counsel, learn about the gospel, and find hope. An integrated Christian education is more than teaching children about Jesus and His ministry, it is laying the groundwork for a commitment to life-long learning and service.

To provide the greatest impact, we often focus most heavily on providing educational opportunities to those who would otherwise have no option. For example, over-aged children who are too old to enroll in primary school, but who still need a primary school education. By focusing on those who are the most marginalized, we can offer education to those who have no alternatives available to them. Our educational programs offer a full spectrum of options, including primary and elementary school services, educational infrastructure support, higher learning opportunities and vocational training. We also provide for unique needs like night school, support for children with disabilities, and adult literacy programs.

We believe children shouldn’t just survive, they should thrive. These educational efforts have a unique power to transform lives from the inside out. Education is the key to equipping children and families with the intellectual tools they need to shape innovative solutions and find opportunities of their own. While a lack of education and illiteracy can contribute heavily to the generational cycle of poverty, education can have an equal and opposite positive impact on generations.

By giving children a strong education and the hope of the gospel, you give them the opportunity for stable families and strong communities as they grow up. Your prayers and partnership in our Thriving Kids ministry makes that possible. Will you join us in offering education to those in need so they can transform their lives and communities for His glory?