Staff Blog

I think the CSC banquet is always going to prompt a time of reflection for me, at least since attending in 2014. Last year wasn’t my first time there, but it has changed everything.

One year ago my wife Megan and I sat at the CSC banquet pleased to be donors and planning to ask Matt Buley out for coffee to see if there were any other ways we could help; we were picturing something like stuffing envelopes.

This year we watched the CSC banquet from the Children of Hope School library in Cebu through a live feed. We’ve been here 4 months. We did get to stuff some envelopes, but we also ended up moving to Cebu.

Looking back, I’m not really sure how it happened. I had a good job that I enjoyed and Megan was just completing grad school, we weren’t really looking to move to the other side of the world. As best as I can figure, God just had a different plan and it kept getting clearer to us that we needed to listen. We had this growing feeling that God had taken the reins and we were now along for the ride.

I know I’m in God’s hands whether I’m in St. Paul or Cebu City, but it’s felt a little different since the banquet last year. My hunch is that this is a normal feeling around CSC. This ministry has been relying on God to sustain it since Marlys Healy came in 1978. I’m just one of the latest people to get wrapped up in what God is doing here. Through CSC, God is generously providing opportunities for all of us to labor, laugh, donate, and share in the work He is doing in the world. It was hilarious to see the video of Paul and Matt looking for Jared Gustafson and a special treat to see the tribute video about Sandy’s work at CSC, then to look over and see her sitting a few feet away smiling (appreciative, but not particularly thrilled about all the fuss being made over her). I loved watching Pastor Gustafson mark off the banquet attenders on his fingers who were going to donate an extra $100 just so we could set a new donation record.

Thank you for being engaged in this work too! I wonder where the next year will take us!

This year’s theme of our annual banquet was FRIENDS and this rang true for the entire event. What an amazing group of friends we have at CSC. Almost 800 of our close friends came together to pray for, celebrate and financially support the ministry. We watched videos, heard from former residents, recognized adoptive parents and rejoiced with updates and happy news. 

We also shared about the Foster Friend program and offered the chance to sign-up that night. We had many banquet attendees who joined the program that evening. One donor walked up to me and handed me a foster friend sign-up card. She wanted to support one of our children, Shelanie. I got the chance to share with her about this little bubble of energy named Shelanie and what a joy she is to everyone at the shelter. I asked this new donor how she was connected to CSC. She explained that just a few months ago, her dear friend died. It turns out her friend was a dedicated foster friend and long-time supporter of CSC. With tears in her eyes, she said “I realized with her gone, someone needed to step in to fill her role. So I want to do that.” 

We are so thankful for everyone who steps in to help Shelanie and the other children at CSC.

This little boy came to CSC in 2011. He was not healthy, he was scared.

I worked with him not knowing how to start. He showed a lot of concerns in so many areas.

With the everyday schedule we have for therapy, he and I formed a bond.

If you have been to CSC, you know that it is hard not to have a favorite, but this little guy captured my heart.

Last year, Joel and I went to the States for a one year furlough. It was hard to leave the kids behind, especially the ones I had been working with everyday for 6 years. When we came back to CSC, I was amazed with the many positive changes the kids showed. One especially was this little dude.

He continues to receive therapy at present and is very eager to come to his sessions. Just the other day, he kept on bugging an auntie that he needed to go and see me for therapy. It was in fact not his scheduled time, but what do you do with an eager child? Yes, we did our therapy and we had a great time cutting playdoh!

Now, every time he sees me, wherever he is – at school or at the shelter, whatever he is doing, he calls and shouts out my name, “Teacher Jinkee!!” That, for me, is the most rewarding part of my job.

Over the past three months, the afternoon cooks in both Cherne and Duterte homes have been recovering from surgery.  Auntie Mayflor and Auntie Sonia each had an operation which required lots of rest and recovery.  In their absence, other child care workers jumped in to cover the afternoon cook duties.   Of course no meals were missed and tasty food was always on the tables.

Last week Auntie Sonia returned to work!  

This week Auntie Mayflor also returned to work! It is good to have them back in their respective kitchens.

As Auntie Mayflor enter the shelter gate the children from the Cherne home were walking up to school.  When they saw Auntie Mayflor, the line they were walking in suddenly morphed into a mob.  The children ran shouting “Auntie Mayflor!” racing to hug her. 

The aunties’ impact in the lives was on full display in the moment of Auntie Mayflor’s welcome back from the children.

Keep the all CSC employees in your prayers.  They do everything for the children and their good health is essential. 

I like to eat.

I nibble on my feet.

I pray before I eat.

I don’t know how to feed myself yet,

So I depend on my auntie’s hand.

I open my mouth wide

And welcome my tasty food.

Blended, pureed, squashed,

Smashed and crushed.

The way I like it.

The way I want it.

I don’t usually look like this,

I know.

There’s something on my face.

I know food goes to my mouth,

Not on my cheeks or forehead or ears.

What’s the use of a bib

If I eat like this?

At the end of my meal time,

Burp says this tummy of mine.

Aah…

What a treat!