Cross International and its ministry partners in Guatemala are launching a major community building effort to help families displaced by the Fuego Volcano eruption. The effort aims to provide new housing construction for 1,100 families with donor support.

Because of the disaster, hundreds of people died and hundreds more remain missing. The thousands who fled struggled for days with hunger and homelessness, and most are now living in crowded shelters with little more than the clothing they wore when fleeing.

Plans are underway to build 200 homes on donated land in a new community to be named Nueva Jerusalem. The community will be in a “volcano safe zone.” There are plans for a school and a playground, plus resources and training will be provided to enrich the children’s lives and help them cope with the trauma. The homes will consist of cement block construction, zinc roofs, windows and doors.

Cross International’s disaster relief partner in the region has already allowed church leaders to access Cross-donated goods, including 27,000 doses of antibiotics to treat injuries, 6,000 tubes of corticosteroid cream for burn victims and nearly 180,000 nutritious meals to shelters housing the displaced.

For information, contact Mari Kraljic, at [email protected] or call 954-657-9000 ext. 264.