Stories of hope
Goods sent from Crossroads touch the lives of many, all around the world. Their stories tell of despair, courage and, crucially, hope.
The Middle East: No fairytale
Normally, the fairytale has it: rags give way to riches. Life in the Middle East is no fairytale, however, and Ahmad's story turned the story book upside down.
Philippines: Oasis in the slums
Little John-Leonard watched his father dying of lung and liver cancer. Even at 4, he realised medical care was out of the question. He had known for months that something bad was coming. He had watched it with growing fear, as their shanty home was small and there was no where for his dad to hide the worsening symptoms. John Leonard's family lives in the slums of Cavite, Philippines. The family's income, literally pulled together from collecting empty bottles, didn't even stretch to adequate food let alone the luxury of a medical consultation.
Nigeria: Dark night of the soul
In the most literal sense, the light in Joseph's world has gone out. Until very recently, he could see normally and live as an independent man, caring for his family, in his Nigerian village. Like many in his area, Joseph has wives and they, together with his 16 children, need him. Now, though, Joseph cannot see and there is almost no support in his little village for a blind man.
Fiji: Fighting crime with dignity
What was wrong with this picture, I wondered. The scene I was looking at did not match the words I was hearing. "That street is a hotbed for crime. It is very dangerous unless we carefully patrol it at night," a local Fijian leader told me. "It is typical of the need in my country."
Crossroads responding to Sichuan Earthquake
As the days wear on in the tragic aftermath of the Sichuan quake, the suffering deepens. 5 million survivors, now homeless, endure the daily battle with rain, exposure to the hostile elements and the threat of disease.
Bosnia Herzegovina: Finding glue for a broken community
Banja was starving. She traipsed from soup kitchens to charities begging for food, but was turned away every time. Each made excuses, even apologies, but the real reason was rarely spoken. She was from the 'wrong' ethnic group. Years before, Banja had fled Bosnia Herzegovina, when 'ethnic cleansing' had seen bitter conflict among Serbs, Croats and Muslims. Now, she had been told, it was safe to return.
