CROSS STREET: Rice for Christ

Greetings from the Philippines!

My name is Czen Escalada, I am part of CROSS STREET, a volunteer organization.

On behalf of it, I am gathering support for the current issues to help The 50 families of our Cross Street kids in Brgy. Carreta, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines.

About "Cross Street " organization

Cross Street envisions a God-centered generation that leads to transforming the nation. We believe that the children today are the hope of our future.

Cross Street started in early 2019 when we reached out to the underprivileged kids outside a mall in Cebu City where our church is located. We were meeting 5-10 kids on the streets across the mall every Saturday.

Later on, the kids were not showing up anymore in the usual place, so we decided to go to their area. In searching for the kids, we discovered their playground - a Chinese cemetery located in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City.

Our weekly schedule for the kids to learn together

Every Saturday since June 15, 2019, we have been engaging the kids in this area. We played with them, told them stories, encouraged them, taught them values, and trained them to become leaders. We also served them snacks every session.

Starting with 5-10 kids, they became 20, then 30, then 40, then 50, and just before the quarantine started, we were engaging 60 kids weekly on average.

For more than a year of seeing the kids, we’re slowly seeing positive changes in them. Their words aren’t that harsh anymore. They are not that physically hurting each other anymore. And they now listen and are more attentive to us.

The amazing thing about them is that they don’t care what food/snack we bring to them. There were times we could not afford food and we just brought chocolate sticks and candies and it did not bother them. They value more that people like us are coming to them and showing them love and care, more than the material things we bring.

COVID-19 affect our program

We were able to talk to some of their parents and heard about the positive impact the program made on their kids. One mom said that her husband has always been against the kids joining us but upon seeing the change in them, from their performance in studies to doing the chores and praying before meals, he eventually allowed them to join.

The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has heavily affected our program. Our weekly sessions with the kids have been suspended since March 15, 2020.

COVID-19 also make the family of the kids faced difficult situations

But more than affecting our program, this pandemic has affected the families of these kids more. Most, if not all, of the parents of the kids we reach out, are day wage earners.

They’ve lost their jobs due to the ECQ. Over the last couple of weeks, the situation in their area even got worse as the adjacent sub-village has been heavily affected by the spread of the virus.

Even with the suspension of our weekly program with the kids, Cross Street has been finding opportunities for us to still spread love in the area. With the help of some partners, we were able to give relief food packages to 50 families. Those relief food packages helped them get through for a few days during this difficult situation.

Help us to continue spread help

We are hoping to give another batch of relief packs to them, especially that the ECQ will be extended for another 15 days in Cebu City.

Partner with us in helping and giving relief packages to 50 families in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City.

The funds collected will be used to purchase at least 50 sacks of rice, one for each family. There is no gift too small if it is given with love.

Your generosity will go a long way. Thank you so much in advance! God bless you! ?