CrossWay International began in 1997 while the Chollar family were living as missionaries in Belgium. They wanted to expand their mission outreach to other countries and decided to base their new mission organization in the States. This decision was made in part to be closer to family who needed assistance, and also because international flights would cost less from the US. In the first years, the main focus of the ministry was evangelism and training overseas, with some preaching and training in the States in between mission trips. Another aspect of the ministry was the identification of coworkers in various countries, so that we could help support them and their ministries to varying degrees as we worked together. Although evangelism and training remain a top priority for CrossWay International, the ministry has since grown to include several new and exciting means of reaching out to the lost.
In an effort to empower the nationals in underdeveloped countries, Dean focuses on setting up “Income Generating Projects” that train workers to preach the gospel effectively in their native lands, and at the same time provide them an opportunity to earn a living by providing needed services to the community. Such projects include English Schools for Evangelism, Christian Resource Centers, and on the drawing board right now, a coffee export ministry out of Africa. These projects include Guyana, Ethiopia and, Sudan, with Liberia, Nigeria, and Pakistan on the drawing board, etc.
Another focus of CrossWay International is to bring badly needed humanitarian aid to remote and impoverished areas where the larger NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are not willing to go. Dean has traveled to many such areas, and though he is physically blind, he tells of hearing the children cry from the pain of stomachs bloated from water-borne diseases and malaria. Many children have pin-, screw- and tape-worms, and in November, 2008, one of our 549 orphans (which we care for near Darfur, Sudan) died from cholera. CrossWay International is privileged to take medicine, food, and the gospel of Jesus Christ to these remote and needy areas.
After much prayer, CrossWay International has moved into the area of water well drilling. Within a few months, CrossWay International helped to drill 3 wells in Adoor, Sudan. For the first time, this village of around 2200 people has access to clean drinking water. Other wells and water distribution systems are being planned for Ethiopia and Sudan.
In addition to the wells, CrossWay International is setting up medical clinics in both Meki, Ethiopia and Adoor, Sudan. Dean has traveled to these areas several times with our Medical Consultant, Dr. Katie Buck, and has brought much-needed medical aid to these villages. We are working on establishing a permanent clinic in both places where the people can receive more consistent medical treatment.
Another facet of the ministry involves coming alongside national coworkers overseas. They play an essential role in helping us develop and extend our ministry throughout their country and the world.
We pray that God might use all of these various ministries as a platform for helping and reaching out to the truly impoverished of our world. Dean believes strongly in opening doors for sharing the gospel by bringing humanitarian aid to the impoverished and downtrodden of the world. Indeed, Dean has lost his eyesight but not his vision.
