Staff Blog

We have about forty-five minutes left in the first day of school.  Whew!  The kids came this morning with new hair cuts and new shoes, all spruced up for the occasion.  Of course, the kids were wondering who their teachers were going to be in the morning and afternoon classes.  "Who is Teacher Lyrah?"  "Who do I have for Civics?"  After the kids went home for lunch, the teachers breathed a collective sigh, thankful the morning had gone relatively well.  With six new teachers, that was a good sign.  The day has not been perfect with one minor disagreement between two boys and a couple of scheduling snafus, but everyone seems happy to be here.  Carpe diem!  

I know many of you readers are quite familiar with birthday parties and how CSC works to make each child feel special on their big day. Did you know that staff often feels special as well when they celebrate their birthdays?

 I definitely felt that last night as it was my birthday!

I share a birthday with these two ladies and enjoyed my time with them. My family is also visiting and they were able to share in the birthday party, which made for a very special night for me! There’s really nothing like being able to celebrate your birthday with a bunch of kids AND your family on the other side of the world. I was greeted by many kids and heard echoes shouting through the playground as we walked up of “Happy Birthday Auntie Megan!” I received numerous hugs and even a card with a poem! 

As I reflected back on this time and think about the various and heart wrenching life situations the kids came from, I’m humbled by how they are joyful beyond measure. The kids are kids. They know how to play, run, learn, and explore even though they may not have had that opportunity before coming to CSC. They also have an uncanny way of making adults feel special, whether or not its their birthday. Almost anytime I’m hanging around with the kids, a hug or a greeting is one of the best things I receive. Acceptance and love exudes from their demeanors, and that was true even last night as these twins shared their birthday celebration. It takes a special personality for some kids to be excited about sharing the lime-light with an adult and well, these girls are definitely set apart and special!

I may never have another birthday like this one due to the fact that I’m living in the Philippines and experiencing life in a new way. I am joyful and grateful that God placed me here for this time in my life and that he has allowed me to experience the joy and love of these children!

Most of the kids at CSC speak some level of English which is great for me because I don’t speak much Cebuano. I’ve noticed that when one of the kids doesn’t want to answer a question or try to figure out how to say something to me in English, they appear to forget how to speak it altogether. They know I get lost in that language and they can usually squirm out of a question like “Did you just get called inside for bath time?”

The children here are very well behaved so this isn’t a huge issue, but I’m pretty sure a cute little kid smile and my lack of language skills have gotten me conned into letting a few youngsters get away with something they probably shouldn’t have.

I was playing around with a number of the kids the other day. We were running, chasing, playing tag, and giving piggyback rides. We were having a great time. At one point my friend here started stomping around and was beginning to speak loudly in whiny, mumbly half Cebuano half English. I knew she wanted a piggyback ride but I didn’t want to reinforce her behavior. In an unusual moment of how-to-deal-with-little-kid clarity I got down to her level and said “Please stop whining and tell me what you want”. 

It was incredible…in about 2 seconds the embellished poor-me behavior stopped. No more stomping, she opened the squinting eyes that were trying to produce tears and in perfectly clear English she said that she would like a piggyback ride. I thanked her and she rode off all smiles and joy (I had to ask her to stop screaming in my ear though)!

I get blown away at moments like that; when I can step aside from the look on a child's face and realize that sometimes its a false indignation meant to produce a result! I'm sure the practiced parents out there are laughing at my lack of skill here but it is clear to me that while I may be the adult, it’s usually the 4 year olds that have me figured out. At least, every now and then, I can peak around the curtain and realize how much I have to learn!

For quite some time, I tried finding ways to see someone who left Children’s Shelter of Cebu’s custody in 2007.  He was ten years old when he and his older sister left CSC.  It was everybody’s understanding, according to the agreement between CSC and the mother, that they would all live in the province.  It was not until a while later that we heard they came back to the city.  The sister was taken care of by the mother.  The boy, once again, lived in the same place he had lived before he had come to CSC.  It was hard knowing he would again be left on his own.  

I tried following up on him through his mother and older sister.  I asked many times to meet with him at the office.  For years, his mother did not have nice things to say about him.  The older sister, who was (and still is) under their mother’s care, seemed not to know how he was doing either.  She would only say she did not know what he was up to, or she did not know how he was doing.  She knew, though, that he was still living in the house near the market.  It’s not that she did not care for him, she just did not want to do anything to displease her mother.

I tried for years to get him to come to the yearly outreach Christmas party.  I even resorted to withholding his Christmas gift one year so he would come and get it at the office.  He did not come.  One year, when he was enrolled in grade four at a nearby school, I got him to come see me because I would not give him shoes if he were not the one to come get them.  So, I brought him to the store and got him the shoes and socks.  I even brought him back to the place he called home.  That was the last time I saw him.  

It has been quite some time.  I thought I lost that young boy.  But, God answered prayers.  Early this year, I heard of a place that caters to out-of-school youth that want to better themselves.  I talked, sent text messages, and visited some of CSC’s former kids whom I thought would benefit from the program.  And I sent a message and talked to this boy’s mother, too.  She told me she would tell him about this opportunity.  And praise God, she did!  I was very happy and thankful when he came to see me at the office to talk about the program and what it would mean for him.

I also could not believe it was him when he introduced himself.  The negative reports from the mother had colored my perception of him.  How could a drug-abusing kid look so clean cut and well-mannered as this young man seemed to be?  But I was glad he finally came back.  After all these years, he finally came back!

Now, this seventeen-year-old young man has been in training since the second week of May.  And as part of his training, he is working part time (and earning a half-day’s wage) through the social enterprise project of the organization.  He is also enrolled in the GED-like alternative school.  He hopes to pass the exams to either graduate from high school or to get into the high school level.  He only has a grade four education.  His main goal is to become a Filipino Marine.  He wants to serve his country and at the same time, help his family while doing it.

John Henry still has a long way to go.  Please pray with us for him.

Thank you, Lord, for this little miracle and answered prayers.   

Steps can be big or small and both big and small at the same time.  Baby steps are big.  Sometimes big kids make slow, hesitant steps.

There are always babies at the shelter.  First steps for a baby are always achievements.  Eyes are full of concentration.  Hands are doing all they can to balance and anticipate a fall. Feet are planted with a shakiness and uncertainty.  These steps are so far from mastery of balance and coordination, but they are some the biggest steps this child will take in the entirety of his life.  Congrats to him!

Big kids can make big steps in ways that might fly under the radar.  At CHS graduation, all the students received an award for some achievement or contribution.  They ranged from Best in Math to Most Helpful, from Best in Music to Most Cheerful.  The Most Improved in grade 4 went to his boy.  He had put in a lot of work this past year and it was bearing fruit.  He is more than capable, but lacked motivation and direction at times.  His teachers have helped guide and challenge him.  They expected more from him and he stepped up!

The Most Improved student in grade 3 was a girl who arrived at the shelter part way through the school year.  The shelter, school, everything was new to her and it was overwhelming.  At times when things in class got difficult, she would just stop participating.  Slowly over the second half of the year, she opened up and felt more comfortable.  She stepped out of her comfort zone!

Thank you for praying for all the steps, big and small, that are taken every day.