Update

CrossRoads Mission will be closed between Monday, February 23 and Monday, March 2. It will open on March 3 (our usual hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4: p.m.) as long as we have an occupancy permit and legal to be open to the public. If not on March 3, as soon as possible working with the City of Cedar Rapids inspectors. We are very close to ramping up to full services for those in poverty, impacted by the flood of 2008, and the increasing number of folks we are seeing who are falling into poverty as a result of the deteriorating economy.

We still have a lot of work remaining on our transitional housing apartment B, and when warm weather arrives exterior work; including installation of the remaining windows, exterior painting, tuck pointing new block installed, landscaping, and a North driveway with parking lot in the rear of the building all of which will require financial support and volunteer efforts. We want to thank all the congregations, businesses, individuals providing financial donations, and the volunteers (over 90 to date) who have stepped forward to share their skills of all kinds to help us in the rebuilding of CrossRoads Mission. More financial help will be needed just to complete the building, as well as helping those who "are the least of these" that so desperately need our help. We especially want to thank Al Millen who has been the focal point of the volunteer corps since October 1st when we purchased the building. Al was the guy, a strong Christian, that has been there six days a week, kept the volunteer logs, and performed a lot of the labor alongside everyone (contractors and volunteers) these past months.

More detailed thank you notes and letters will be forthcoming after the move, and after we have mailed our guest list that we have relocated. As I have watched CrossRoads Mission rise out of the flood waters, and written the checks, and looked to the fantastic Board of Directors we have for advice to guide my decision-making, watched our contractors, congregational partners, business partners, and all the volunteers perform God's work in building a new facility for CrossRoads Mission beyond anyone's expectations; it has exceeded my personal human vision and expectations. Numerous times I had said, "I don't have the money in the budget," and found volunteers laying down their tools to go out to raise more money. My prayers of thanksgiving, for the way God is working in so many ways in the flood zone through all of you, are without limits. We now need to look to the exterior of the building as the weather changes this Spring. God Bless!