Changing Lives
Our students are men and women who have experienced difficulties in life. They are experiencing brokenness, grief and distress due to the overwhelming obstacles of living in poverty. Most of them are on a course that has been set for many generations. It takes a lot to get a person on a path of correction because the tendency is to continue down the same old road. On the journey of life, our students come to us for
guidance, safety, and hope.
At the Cross Training Center we know that education is the ticket out of poverty and we are here to help our students change the path they are on. With education and training, they start on a journey of hope, restoration and change. We help them change the course for themselves and their family by making education and career choices. We celebrate those who work hard to change their circumstances. I hope you're inspired by these stories of real people, real lives and real change.
At the Cross Training Center we know that education is the ticket out of poverty and we are here to help our students change the path they are on. With education and training, they start on a journey of hope, restoration and change. We help them change the course for themselves and their family by making education and career choices. We celebrate those who work hard to change their circumstances. I hope you're inspired by these stories of real people, real lives and real change.
It was a Tuesday morning when the call came in from Bernice. She had seen a flier about our computers for sale. After explaining to her the cost was $100, she hesitantly asked “Is it a real computer”? She then explained that her son was turning 13 and wanted a computer for his birthday – it would be the first computer the family had ever owned. As a single parent with 3 children, she was barely making ends meet and the idea of being able to afford a computer was a huge stretch.
Her and the kids showed up the next day – when the boy realized they were choosing a computer to take home; he was ecstatic. He hugged us and jumped up and down with excitement. He kept saying thank you and asking if it was really his. The younger girls were just as ecstatic and wow what a proud mom Bernice was. Tears fell as she thanked us and gathered the kids in the car and off they went.
Her and the kids showed up the next day – when the boy realized they were choosing a computer to take home; he was ecstatic. He hugged us and jumped up and down with excitement. He kept saying thank you and asking if it was really his. The younger girls were just as ecstatic and wow what a proud mom Bernice was. Tears fell as she thanked us and gathered the kids in the car and off they went.
Chad had been homeless and trying to find
a job when we met – a challenging objective with his background of spotty
jobs, no education and a felony. Alcohol and drugs were well
in his past and he just wanted to be able to care for his family without
relying on goverment support.
We moved him out of the homeless shelter and into our men’s home and he began working in our recycling department and keeping our warehouse organised. As we began to develop his career goals, we asked a key question, 'If there were no obstacles in your way, what would you want to do?" “That’s easy”, he said, “I’d build decks”. He went on to explain how he had once had a job building decks and how he thoroughly enjoyed it. It was many years ago and bad choices had taken him on many paths since then. Going from the drugs scene and then one job to another and never finding his way back to the one thing that he really enjoyed doing.
It was just a matter of a few weeks, and he was enrolled in college courses for business management. He's now back with his wife and kids and on his way towards owning his own business of building decks.
We moved him out of the homeless shelter and into our men’s home and he began working in our recycling department and keeping our warehouse organised. As we began to develop his career goals, we asked a key question, 'If there were no obstacles in your way, what would you want to do?" “That’s easy”, he said, “I’d build decks”. He went on to explain how he had once had a job building decks and how he thoroughly enjoyed it. It was many years ago and bad choices had taken him on many paths since then. Going from the drugs scene and then one job to another and never finding his way back to the one thing that he really enjoyed doing.
It was just a matter of a few weeks, and he was enrolled in college courses for business management. He's now back with his wife and kids and on his way towards owning his own business of building decks.