Staff Blog
It is no secret that there was an earthquake in the Philippines on Tuesday. There has been a lot of information shared over facebook, some of it an hour by hour update on our experience. Many people have spoken about the fear, the pain and the sadness they, or others they know, experienced.
I did not comment much about it then, but would like to say more now.
It is a very unnerving feeling to have every surface you are touching rumble and move beneath and around you. There is nothing to grab onto, there is nothing that can steady you. Also, the power shut off at the exact time the quaking began, so there is that shock to the senses. And then there is the noise. There is the rumble of the movement of the earth, some have described it like if a construction site were right outside your home. Then there is the noise of your fragile possessions crashing to the ground and breaking or the stones of your house falling from above. Scary. And it seems to go on for so long. Maybe because from the moment the shaking starts to when it stops you are unceasingly praying for it to end. And then after the shaking stops, you begin to hear the shouts and cries of the people and the dogs. In my neighborhood, the dogs had much to say.
You are really shaky yourself and you feel kind of weak, it takes a while to get your bearings. I had heard from Sandy---she, Marlys and Jenny were okay. I tried to reach Mitch, but there was no answer. I then went outside to check on some of my neighbors---everyone in my compound was safe, Shari and Marcel too, which was wonderful!
I returned home to some disarray and with the strong desire to get up to the shelter. My television had fallen from its stand and laid in pieces, a vase had met a similar demise. I left them as is, moved any other breakable items to a safer place and headed out, unsure what state I would find things in as I drove.
People were everywhere in the streets, there was an accident at the base of the road the shelter is on, so people and vehicles filled the space. I actually saw one of our house fathers there on his motorcycle. He couldn't hear my shouting over the din of everything else. I found out later that his wife, one of our house mothers, was out shopping with some of our older girls when the earthquake happened and he was going to locate them. Terrifying.
I made it up the road easily and quickly. The construction site next to our land even seemed to have made it through the quake alright. I honked once outside our gate, the door opened and I pulled into safety. I immediately saw Mitch's van and saw him walking around---all of us were safe and accounted for.
I was anxious to see how all of the kids were doing, so my heart was racing, but there was also just an overwhelming peace. I could see the kids outside on the grounds, gathered together, many of them crying. They ran and hugged me tightly. I didn't have enough body to go around. I moved around through the groups, checking them, checking for injuries, checking for tears, checking that they were okay. All of our house parents were also safe and accounted for. The house mother and the three girls who had been shopping during the quake had made it back safely---the girls were crying and one of them had lost her slippers in the panic---but they were back!
I stood in the middle of the yard and looked around and the buildings, the windows, the plants, the ground---everything looked as it had the day before---seemingly untouched by the 7.2 magnitude quake that had struck 20 minutes earlier. Praise the Lord!
I have said this many times in my 2+ years at CSC, but since I first stepped foot inside the gate I have felt God's hand on this land, on this ministry, on these kids, on these workers, on us. He always provides, He always protects, He always sustains.
The aftershocks continued the rest of the day, some feeling almost as strong as the earthquake, though they lasted less time. We kept the kids outside for the morning until everything could be checked, but they napped inside in the afternoon. For quite some time that day, every time an aftershock was felt the kids would run to the middle of the playground.
We had no power, so the generator ran all day, a noisy machine, but something we were grateful for. We lost water for a period of time in the afternoon as the continuous running of the generator overwhelmed the water pump. But that problem was solved quickly once it was understood. The nurseries were moved to the living rooms in the homes and all of the children slept downstairs for that night. The aftershocks continued through the night, the next day and the next and I am pretty sure I have felt some yet this morning.
While it remains a bit unnerving and you feel somewhat on edge---yesterday when I heard a loud rumbling noise, I looked for the nearest sturdy object to dive under should the shaking start, and it was really just a low-flying plane---there is no need to fear. God is good, ALL THE TIME! All the time, GOD IS GOOD!
Taking time for God
It isn't often that we can assemble all our employees in one
place at the same timel And we didnt accomplish that the other night at the
school. But we did get half of them at a time for a spiritual emphasis program
that featured visitors from Cambridge, MN, Erna Ahlmann, a former CSC resident
who is volunteering at our school this summer, and former Head Nurse Warlita
Manlon. The services, planned by Joel Reasoner and myself, started after school
on Tuesday, July 26, and again at 6:00 pm, with a nice meal served in between.
Dan and Andrea DeRushia from the First Baptist Church in Cambridge, MN, who are
visiting CSC with Dennis and Sharon Eicher, led the singing, Rianne Nijzink of
our staff sang "Children Need the Lord," and Erna Ahlmann gave a
testimony of her life before, during and after CSC, which was a great
encouragement to our workers. This was reinforced as Dan sang a special number
and talked about how impressed he was with their work and dedication. Warlita
talked about Moses, the first adopted child in biblical history and the way
that god spared him and blessed those who cared for him. She finished with a
short salvation message.
We are concerned with the spiritual health of our workers, and these services were inspiring and faith-building as they consider their important roles in the ministry of CSC.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | General News |
Saying Yes and No
We've taken in a few new kids in recent days. And we have had to say no to a few referrals, too. The fact is that we can't help every child who needs us. That is easy to say but tough to live with when the child is especially needy. But we only have so many beds, so much personpower and so much money. Sometimes its a matter of timing. Maybe we could have said "yes" to the tiny premature baby in the government hospital who needs an incubator and one-on- one care, probably for months, if the referral had come before we took in the malnourished baby from the other government hospital in town. He also needs one on one care. But we could say "yes" to two small sisters who were abandoned in downtown Cebu City and who were living in a drop-in center with other street kids. And we were able to take in a brother and sister who were living in the city dumpsite and whose parents were nowhere to be found. There is a lot of joy at CSC when we are able to take in new children. Not for the circumstance that led to our being needed for them, but for the opportunities to make crucial interventions in their lives and reverse some of the fear, abuse or malnutrition that they have endured. Thanks to the deal people who stand with us as we admit these kids to CSC, providing the material and prayer support that helps change their lives for the better.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | General News |
I'm Just a Kid
“I’m just a kid and you are a teacher.”
I laughed and I was amazed at the same time when I heard this statement from one of my students. We were doing our oral development activity when one of my students refused to make his own sentence using the new words we had learned that day. Other students were thinking hard and constructing sentences using the words, but this student was struggling.
I called on him and at first he
was very hesitant to share because he was not ready. He hadn’t formulated even
one sentence in his mind, so I gave him few more minutes to think. The class discussion had been really good;
other students were enjoying the activity and sharing their sentences.
Again I called on the student and I said, “Hey buddy, I think you’re ready to share your sentence with us. You look like you have been thinking hard.” He smiled and looked at his classmates. They cheered for him and encouraged him by saying, “Try lang.” (English-Cebuano for “try please”)
I stood beside him, cheering him on and praising him as well. He stared at me and said in a nervous voice, “Teacher, I’m just a kid and you are a teacher.” I caught myself beginning to laugh when he uttered these words.
Then I stopped and told the student and all of his classmates, “Yes, you are all kids and you’re still young and I was once a kid too. But let me ask you these questions: Where are you right now? Why are we here? Have you thought that maybe we both have the same goal and purpose?
We are here in school to study and to learn. This doesn’t mean that I’m a teacher and I know everything. It’s not as simple as that. Learning is a two-way process. You learn from me and I also learn from you. I’m here to help, teach, guide and mold you to be a better person in the future.”
After our conversation, the student was able to formulate his own sentence and everybody clapped for him. In the back of my mind I told myself I’m lucky to be a teacher. I may not be rich with jewels, but I’m rich with good and happy memories because of my experiences. I have a lot of memories already to ponder in the future.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | School News |
Fil-Am Friendship Day
A Day of Friendship
Every 4th of July is Friendship Day at Cebu Children of Hope School. On this day, there is always a special time set aside for everyone to gather together and have fun.
This year, the celebration was great. Everybody, especially the students, had fun. There were a lot of friendship games that taught them good values like cooperation and considering others. The highlight of the celebration was a parade as a finale with candy tossed to the kids. It was very special for the students. They all had fun picking up the candies and sharing with each other. It was a joyful celebration.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | School News |
Meetings galore
Meetings. Our ministry relies on lots of meetings. These mostly involve internal matters: staff and leadership meetings; school faculty meetings; social work, child development and nursing departmental meetings; referral meetings; counselor and house parent meetings and meetings with all the child care workers. We meet with adoptive parents when they come to get their children, highlighting their medical histories and developmental and behavioral progress . The other day our Social Work Director Klaris and I met to discuss a needed meeting with the Social Workers to prepare for another meeting. Wow. And sometimes, meetings just kind of happen. The other day I popped my head into Joel’s office and we got to talking about a bunch of stuff, and Willard joined in and pretty soon we had an unscheduled buta full-fledged meeting. We also have meetings outside of CSC, with government officials, adoption workers and sales persons.
But there are so many things to discuss and decide upon at CSC: case management; behavioral issues with the kids; schedules; health matters; counseling strategies and decisions about which children we should admit. Having meetings means that we value the input of others and that we need their counsel to make the best decisions possible. Our staff consists of people with wisdom, experience, enthusiasm and dedication - good participants in the meetings that help us steer a proper course for the ministry of CSC.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | General News |
