Throughout our history we have faced changes that have made us think about the future of the ministry. Some have been planned, like new buildings and programs. Some have involved losses of staff or board members that make us realize just how significant these people are to this ministry. Sometimes children will leave and we will think or say, "Wow, things will never be the same around here again!"
In these days we are experiencing all of these losses and emotions. In the next few weeks, six of our children, from two different sibling groups, will be leaving for adoption. A group of four, Jonjon, Jocelyn, Jovan and Jeralyn, will be the first to go, after more than five years with us. The youngest two came to us as babies, and have been with us for important health and developmental milestones. We have great memories of all of them in school, Christmas programs and musical presentations, as well as their exploits in the nursery, playroom and playground.
Another group of two, Sheena Mae and Angelica will also be departing soon for adoption. The have been at CSC for five and a half years. We have seen them grow into beautiful young ladies, and we think of all the joy that they have brought to our lives. It is hard to imagine life at CSC without them. The same has been true for so many children that have left. A couple years ago we had a sibling group of nine leave, followed by another of six within a few months.
We also have a beloved staff member who will be leaving within a few months. Tammy Vosika, who has taught for eight years in our Children of Hope School, will be moving on. She has been such an important part of our school, and has had a great impact on many students and other teachers, that we wonder how we'll ever replace her and what things will be like after she is gone. The same is true for short-term staff like Bjork and Lindsay Ostrom.
Of course, we've gone though all of this before. We know that God will fill the empty places and bring the people we need into CSC. And we know that God has a great plan for the lives of these children and staff. In the future, children will be leaving who have not even come into CSC yet, who we will wonder how we will replace. And staff members will retire or move on to something else, and we'll feel just like we do about Tammy.
The fact is, nobody is totally replaceable. Everyone, staff, children, workers, supporters and volunteers, has a special place that nobody else can fill. Our history has been one of God providing these people at the right times and for the right period of time, to help accomplish the work of CSC.
It will be exciting to see who the new children, staff and volunteers will be, and how God will bless and redirect those who are leaving CSC.
40 Years of Fun
CSC will be celebrating 40 years of ministry on June 28 and 29 here in Cebu City. Plan to be with us for this exciting and meaningful look at how this ministry has grown and thrived since our inception in 1979. We will be celebrating the goodness of God and the contributions of the many people who have given of themselves to make many good things happen here. Check out our videos that give a taste of the celebration.
Video Trailer 40 Years of Performances
40 Years of Great Kids 40 Years of Twins
40 Years of Adoptions 40 Years of Fun
Math and Science Day at CCHS
What an exciting event last Friday! CCHS hosted our annual Math and Science Day where students individually competed to show their skill and knowledge as well as worked together in small teams. CCHS students had a chance to participate in the following events: Math-Science Scholastic Bowl, Math-Science Dance contest, Games, Science Experiments, and Awarding.
CCHS is very grateful to the teachers who made this activity fun for our students, to the students who gave their best effort in all of the activities, to our judges on the dance contest, and our visitors. We give God the glory and honor for a successful event.
Here are some pictures showing this great event!
Math-Science Dance Contest
Math Science Scholastic Bowl – It was a great opportunity for our students to showcase what they have learned in the classroom. The students answered questions from easy to challenging.
Preschool Counting Activity – Match that Number
Go Preschoolers!
Level A Measuring Activity - Jumping Frog
Keep that frog jumping!
Level B Gravity - Cotton Blowing
Blow more! Keep blowing! Don't let it drop!
Level C Balancing – Bicycle Racing
The ultimate winner of this event was the contestant who had the longest time consumed to reach the finish line.
Volcano: Watch carefully for the volcano's eruption! Don't blink your eyes on this one.
Balloon: Shake, shake, shake until it inflates!
Egg: Wrap the egg well so that it does not break when it falls from a high elevation.
Rubik's Cube: This was the most mind boggling event. We all waited for the first one to finish and hit the bell. Cherry Mae (in the green shirt) solved the cube in 48 seconds!
The Underground River
This week, my Level A2 students finished the topic about the natural sceneries of the Philippines. One of the natural sceneries talked about really amazed everyone: the Underground River in Palawan. During the discussion the students asked many great questions.
Here are some of them:
1.) Is it scary inside?
2.) Are there lights around?
3.) What animals can be found inside?
4.) What if an earthquake happens, will the cave collapse?
5.) Is there a ghost inside?
6.) How did the water enter the cave?
7.) Can we go inside the cave just by swimming?
8.) How many bats are there in the cave?
9.) If the boat we are riding in turns upside down, what will happen?
10.) Is it okay to make noise inside the cave?
After the questions were answered, I asked them to raise their hand if they wanted to visit the underground river soon. Out of five, four raised their hands and one was undecided. The other students tried to convince her to raise her hand but she didn't. I then asked her why. This was her reply: I'm scared to go in the river!
The class was then given a culminating activity which was to draw a picture of an underground river. At first I thought the students would find it hard to do but I was wrong. All of them couldn't wait to start drawing their picture!
Green CSC
Check out the changing look of CSC. Solar panels have been installed on the roofs of the Cherne and Eicher Homes and at the school. This will save us thousands of dollars in electric bills every month. It has changed the look of the houses, especilly the Cherne Home. But the savings will soften the blow a little. At CSC we want to be good stewards of the money that God has entrusted to us and that comes from friends like you. Money saved here will be available for food, medicine and the education of our children.
Tools!
It is really nice to dream about something big. It gives you strength to achieve your desired goals in life. One goal our preschoolers have is to live in a loving home surrounded by their family. But, if you look closely at a home, it takes a lot of work to build, just like our dreams.
During a recent art class in preschool, we introduced the students to different tools we use to build things. It started from reading a story (which they really loved!) to a coloring activity and our last activity for them was to have a first-hand experience on how to use the different tools. We went to the shelter and, through the help of Uncle Cio, the students were able to saw, hammer, and measure. We let our students try each tool one at a time to avoid chaos and to ensure safety. Clearly, their eagerness overflowed as they patiently waited for their turn and the whole activity was filled with so much fun!
As teachers, our ultimate goal is to help our students build a strong foundation so they can achieve their dreams and aspirations in life. At Cebu Children of Hope School we have a huge supportive team around the world who support the ministry so us teachers can help our students dream dreams of what their lives could look like. We, together, are all building a fantastic future for these kids!