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!
Sign Language
“No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship.”
At first I was unsure and nervous about how to establish a teacher-student relationship with this sweet little girl. I had noticed she sometimes got upset when a lesson was hard for her. But with proper encouragement, motivation, and guidance, she now seems to have developed a readiness to face the challenges of our lessons.
It started off one day in Math when she called to me, “Teacher, ale.”(which means please come over here). I was puzzled about what she wanted. She whispered to me and said, “Can you sit beside me?” This gesture helped me realize she was having a hard time with the lesson.
As the days have passed, this has become our routine. When she needs me, she just calls my name and nods her head. Calling my name and nodding her head is our sign language and we both understand.
Recently one day during our Math class, I tried to sit beside her without having received the sign. She resisted and said, “No teacher, I know this.” I learned that day to wait for her signal.
Establishing a teacher-student relationship is very significant. It is how we as teachers establish trust and boost a student’s confidence. Perhaps, we are not only a teacher, but also a friend.
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The End of Second Quarter
We are halfway through the year at the Children of Hope School! This past week marked the end of second quarter. Students were diligently reviewing and preparing for their quarterly exams at the end of the week. Teachers were busy writing tests and helping their students review content they had learned over second quarter.
The idea of taking quarterly exams can be stressful for some students. Still, they persevere. Below is a picture of a student finishing her science test. The test was challenging for her, but instead of giving up, she took the time to review each question carefully. She asked questions when she needed clarification. This student has come a long way since the beginning of the school year. She is learning to be patient with herself when she doesn’t understand the material. She is learning to ask for help. When she finally came to the last question on the test, she looked at me and exclaimed, “Oh! Teacher! I know this one!” Ending her test with confidence was the best way for her to end second quarter.
This school year seemed to fly by so quickly! I can hardly believe how far we have come since June! Please continue to pray for teachers and students as we begin the second half of the school year.
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Dedication
Today was a special day. Today one of CSC's children was dedicated. CSC does not have the privilege of bearing witness to such ceremonies for all of its children, so when it does happen it is a treasured time. Of course, CSC staff and supporters, from all around the world (and around the clock) are constantly praying for our children. And in those prayers, God is given the authority to guide caregivers in how they care for each child, to draw His children closer to Him and to be under His protective care. And while those prayers are no doubt honored by God, there is something powerful and sacred in the ceremony of a dedication that is God-honoring.
In the book of Deuteronomy, chapter six, verses five to seven, we can read the commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Please pray for our houseparents and the very important job they have in raising each of CSC's children in the ways of the Lord. And enjoy the pictures from today's dedication ceremony!
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Jeepers Peepers
You
might be wondering what this picture is all about!
Each morning I have the privilege of meeting with this boy for 30 minutes of speech therapy exercises. Because of his cleft palate, he needs additional help with pronunciation and confidence with his speaking skills.
There are many activities that we do each day, but Jeepers Peepers is the last activity (and the funnest)! The rules of the game are as follows: one player at a time wears the “magic” glasses with a picture of an unknown object attached. The one wearing the glasses can ask as many questions as needed to identify the object, but they can only be “yes” or “no” questions.
Most of the time, this game involves quite a few giggles! At times, he asks for clues to help him guess. For instance, for this particular object, he asked if it was something his caregivers would use. When told that they would, he asked if the picture was of an umbrella. He is quite observant because umbrellas are a daily accessory for his caregivers; they of course use umbrellas when it’s raining but they also use umbrellas to protect them from the heat of the sun.
It’s
amazing how good he is now at asking questions. He usually correctly guesses half of the
pictures given to him, and the questions he asks are much more appropriate and on
the right track. Also, this kid has such
an upbeat personality---even if he doesn’t get it right, he still enjoys the
game!
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Charting the course forward
We recently had our annual board retreat. In a historical home on the edge of downtown Minneapolis, the board gathered to plan for the future of our ministry.
(Thank you World Mission Prayer League for the donated space)
These meetings don’t hold the emotional appeal that the kids in Cebu do. There are new residents finding their place at the shelter, and down-to-the-wire adoption dreams being worked on. Even the daily activity in the homes and at school trumps the appeal of a group of professionals gathering to pray, discuss and discern big-picture decisions. But, we also know how important that work is. As people who care about CSC you and I both want to know the ministry is charting a course towards the future that is hopeful and wise. I can see that we are.
Had you sat in on those board meetings, I trust you would have been impressed. Our members ask good, hard questions and wrestle with the direction they provide. We count on their wisdom, trust their collective savvy and lean on their prayers.
If you give to CSC to actively participate in providing a home to children, you give to a place that takes its leadership seriously. Everything that happens at CSC happens under a board that views themselves as stewards of God’s work. This is the best perspective we could ask for!
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