Frequently Asked Questions

What does Cross Cultural Connections do?

The CCC teams live immersed and invested lives in key locations where there is war and crisis. In each location they are rooted in the local church. Yes, they meet emergency needs with everything from water to diapers, food to coats, medical care to winter stoves. But the vision is long term. The local church is the ekklesia of Matthew 16:18. Holy Spirit has blown on these hearts and summoned and gathered them together to have his heart for their region. It is in serving them in and empowering them unto their vision for the Kingdom of God on earth in their midst that our teams shine. 

Everything springs from the Love of God. So Truth is vital and empowered from Grace. Everyone has value and Justice is foundational. Respect is key, and Hope unlocks the future. All of this is found in Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Light of Life. 

What is Cross Cultural Connection’s history?

After decades of work in places like Albania, Haiti, Kosovo, Nigeria and travel with short term teams to other regions with needs, we moved to a large urban center with millions of people, including roughly one million refugees. Reality hit when we realized we lived with an active slave ship. It came into port three days a week, openly delivering women whose passports were being held hostage until they “paid back” what they owed to the men who had lied to them and offered them good jobs in a new land. Horrified, we asked God what to do. 

He said that this was Goliath coming against the vulnerable in society, and to come against him in the name of the LORD Almighty. (see 1 Samuel 17:45) Human trafficking defies and taunts God, for all humans were made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27 and 9:6)

God led us to some of the many whom He loves and values: Women fleeing honor killings and forced prostitution, and the men who sold them to pay debts. So we picked up five small stones, like David, and went out in the armor of the Lord. The stones were gemstones. God showed our daughter in a dream to design these into jewelry that these women could make. By giving them the opportunity to make beautiful things instead of selling themselves, women could choose to leave prostitution. 

From the beginning we partnered with the local churches who spoke the heart languages of the women being trafficked. These are the backbone of Hope in any community. As we equipped them, they reached the women, and side by side we saw God do miracles.

Next we teamed with Better Way Imports and created the Freedom Fighters. This gives women in the west to tools to sell items made by women rescued from human trafficking. Anyone can do this from their home or office and make money helping to rescue women. This work continues, and has expanded to include a network of items made by Freedom Businesses around the globe. You can also purchase items directly from our Authentic Justice shopping cart. Do justice for those due justice. This is not only simply fair trade shopping, this is specifically setting women free!

As we worked with them we discovered that the women were trafficked in waves. When the human trafficking ring was exposed, they shifted regions. The slaves ships stopped. But waves of Christians fleeing Iraq began to arrive. Then Pakistanis came. Then Ethiopians and Eritreans surfaced in the brothels. It became clear that wherever there was jihad, there was a resulting wave of human trafficking. A systematic killing of the men made innocent women and children vulnerable to a sweeping harvest, followed by profit to the traffickers. 

Ten years into this, the war in Syria spilled over it’s border. Jihadist went door to door culling any who did not agree with their belief system. Some were able to flee ahead of this atrocity. These were the ones our teams encountered. 

Almost all the wars on earth are jihad fomented. And every war is evil. That’s a given. But we see God do amazingly redemptive work from the rubble. Wherever His feet go and His hands touch, lives are transformed. Even jihadists meet Jesus and are turned around. And so our hands and feet teams are still going and doing what we hear Father God saying to. 

Who is Cross Cultural Connections?

CCC is normal people who have chosen to go out of our way to love. We listen to the heart of God, the Father, and seek to respond. CCC a 501(c)3, not for profit organization. It is managed by the Board of Directors. All finances are audited by accountants and reported to the IRS. Every team serving in our many locations is made up of committed people who have been consistently delivering love for the long haul. 

Where do you get your money?

All our funds are personal donations from normal, ordinary people, like us; like you. None come from any government. Families, children, churches, businesses and grassroots giving make it possible to put and keep these teams on the field.

To fund our work, we rely entirely on private donations. 

How do I know what my money is really going to?

The donation categories offered on the website are the same as those on our print materials. There is a code for each Impact Team. We track every donation and  digitally direct it towards the focus you choose. 

There are times when Cross Cultural Connections leadership, under the full oversight of our Board of Directors, reserve the right to use your donation to respond to a situation where conflict zones cause unpredictable events. However, even when a where-needed-most condition arises, all donations are used to implement the goals and commitments of CCC at all times. 

Does my donation really make a difference?

Everything that Cross Cultural Connections does is achieved because people faithfully give. There is no alternate source of income. Although we create income producing business situations for rescued women, we do this through their local church in an impoverished region. Every penny they make is given to them weekly, when they complete their work. All profit is turned into new work options on the ground there. Eventually they become independent and self-sufficient. But Cross Cultural Connections teams then move on to the next place where there conflict resolution is needed. As always, these poor we have with us, and the donations are the only source we have to leverage them out of the crisis caused by war and human trafficking. 

Click here to see a few examples of the impact your donations have made over the years!

Are there any costs that are not tracked or reported?

No. Cross Cultural Connections records every penny spent, and keeps current with reporting to the IRS. It’s important to us to honor you, the donor, and our government.

Can I donate through my bank, PayPal or check?

Yes, you can safely initiate direct deposit from your bank to Cross Cultural Connections.

Direct deposit is the most cost effective way to give. No deductions are made to process your giving.

You may also give safely via PayPal on our donate page.

You can also safely donate offline by mailing a check to:

Cross Cultural Connections
1001 Mayport RD #331156

Atlantic Beach FL 32233

Thank you for your faithful giving!

Can I get a tax refund for my donation?

Yes, all donations are 100% tax-deductible for donors in the United States. Each January you will receive a contribution statement in the mail. If you have questions, feel free to contact us. We are always happy to answer questions. 

How can I donate if I don’t live in the US? Can I still get a tax refund?

Wherever you are in the world, you can donate securely on our website by clicking here. Please note that because Cross Cultural Connections is registered in the US we can only process tax refunds in the USA. 

I want to do more than donate. What else can I do?

Thank you for your thoughtful desire to be invested personally! You can choose to do gift shopping through Authentic Justice.

You could host an event. Contact us to learn more about how this could look.

Your voice is powerful and what you choose to focus on is important! By sharing your interest in Cross Cultural Connection with others, you invite them to participate. Consider sharing our blog on social media. You could sign up for the newsletter. Come to an event if you are nearby. 

You can also raise funds for the Impact Teams. Contact us for more information. Thank you for your heart to serve!

Can I volunteer or visit your work?

We are not able to host visitors on the field. If you have a desire for longer term service, feel free to reach out and start a conversation. 

Can I send supplies to help?

Our Cross Cultural Connections staff and Board of Directors have served for decades in places like Kosovo, Haiti, Nigeria, the Middle East and other places where conflict or poverty run rampant. When it comes to supplies our experience shows that getting local supplies almost always is a win-win situation. It is more cost effective and benefits folks locally. To learn more about this read about Giving Supplies. 

Can I start my own fundraiser?

Totally! Thank you for wanting to! This is the kind of initiative that places and keeps our teams on the field!!!

How can I learn more about your work and what’s going on in the region?

Follow our blog for regular updates.  

Contact us if you have more questions. We love hearing from you!