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!
Typhoon Hagiput (Ruby) Update
Typhoon Hagiput (Ruby) is heading out of the Philippines. It closely followed the path Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) took last year, passing north of Cebu City. Children’s Shelter of Cebu braced for the worst over the weekend. Fortunately, Typhoon Hagupit continued to weaken as it traveled across the Philippines. The wind and rain were minimal in Cebu City.
Thank you for all your prayers of safety for CSC and Cebu City. Continue to pray for all the people affected by the storm.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | General News |
Recital 2014
People enjoy music because it can
be a way of expressing themselves, showing what they feel. Last week the CCHS
kids expressed their God- given talents at a recital praise night. It was a
very exciting and surprising night for everyone. The kids couldn’t wait to
perform and were so excited for the program, even the smaller ones. As one
student, Jhaycob, approached me he said, “Dugay pako teacher”? (How long will I
wait?)
CSC staff, teachers, and other
invited guests were also excited and wanted to hear what the kids had been
learning in music class and lessons. Many of the children are relatively new to
the shelter, so it was their first time playing an instrument. I can truly say
that it was really something out of nothing. Earlier in the school year, the kids
had no idea what music is all about or how to play an instrument. The kids were
amazing as they performed their pieces in front of an audience. It was also an
opportunity to really appreciate the effort of the music teacher teaching the
students in order for them to play the different instruments. With proper
guidance and training, the kids were able to show what they have learned with
style. Everyone was entertained and excited, especially with the drummers.
What happened at the recital was
not just entertainment. There is something that we need to ponder out of that
event. It's really a good thing seeing our kids glorifying God with their talents.
An example of this was Pretchy who composed a song about our Saviour, Jesus
Christ and sang it for us. We're also glad to see them standing in front of
many people with courage.
It is important for each person at
the school and shelter to help build the kids’ courage because it is a positive
attitude for them to have. The kids learned so much from the entire experience
and we can learn from them as well. Music
is pleasant to one's ear and it influences many people. We can be music also by
touching others’ lives for God. As
we inspire them, we're building up their courage. We can make a change in others’
lives if there is proper guidance. At the beginning, one takes a risk on how to
teach the kids, but they will really excel if there’s guidance. And it was proven
with our praise night.
God is working in our midst. He
heals the broken hearted and blesses each one of us. Let us be music that
touches others’ hearts.
-Abigail Oblianda, Instructional Assistant
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | School News |
Trade-offs
Life is full of trade-offs.We enjoy some things at the expense of others. That is really true for our CSC staff. And Marlys and I are feeling it in a big way. This is a great time of year, and we are enjoying spending lots of time with our family. But Christmas is an especially fun time of year at CSC in Cebu. We have lots of fun activities for the children and it is so great to spend Christmas with the CSC family. We will miss that greatly this year. Its a trade-off. Another is the weather. We miss the tropical warmth of Cebu but like the changes of seasons and the snow that Minnesota offers. We like being involved in the promotion of the ministry and fund raising efforts that support the ministry, but miss the daily work on the Cebu side.
Although the past 35 years of ministry have had a good share of difficulties, and we have missed out on a lot with our families, we wouldn't trade them for anything. We have had exciting lives directing CSC, and we have been blessed greatly seeing God's hand in the ministry. We have met so many terrific people, and had a chance to invest in the lives of hundreds of kids. We thank him regularly for giving us the opportunity to serve Him in Cebu!
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | Staff Reflections |
Men's Fellowship
CSC is full of great people caring for the children. Child care workers, house parents, counselors, teachers, social workers, office workers, therapists, management, nurses, and guards come together each day for the children. I am one of these workers, and, as a man, I realize that the men are outnumbered. For every man working at the shelter, there are five women.
Over the years, the men have started a Bible study just for the men. It usually takes some creativity to find a good time to meet since each person’s schedule varies. At times it has been a weekly meeting. Holidays that land on a weekday are also good days to do something a little different than a Bible study. When we are lucky to get this, the men usually join together for basketball and food. These mornings are a lot of fun. It is always good to spend time with co-workers outside of work hours.
When Matt Buley was in Cebu a while ago, the men were able to organize a morning of playing basketball. It was fun to see a part-time guard on the same basketball team as the president. No one in this group is a PBA (Philippines Basketball Association) star. We just enjoyed ourselves. Good plays were acknowledged by both teams. Mistakes were laughed off by both sides.
After several hours of grown men with mediocre basketball skills playing all out, it was time for food. The morning feast was spread out on banana leaves. This is a called a boodle fight. No utensils or plates. Hands were all you needed to get the food from the banana leaf to your mouth. It was a fitting way for a group of men to culminate a morning of fellowship.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | Shelter News |
Read. Eat. Play, Sleep.
When I was a kid, my family did not have the luxury of buying me books. I only received a book for my birthday or as a Christmas present—and even that was not every year.
The kids at the shelter are very blessed to have books within reach. From toddlers to teenagers, these kids are exposed to the beauty of what books have to offer. It is amazing to see how engrossed they are when they start looking at and reading books.
One of the kids I work with in therapy enjoys books. A lot. It is easy to tell how much he enjoys books just by looking at his facial expressions. Some of the physical therapy stuff I introduce when working with him is not received well. He thinks it is hard, uncomfortable or boring. But when we get to floor time and I incorporate books into the therapy, he does not care what he is asked to do. He will go on all fours, kneel, or sit cross-legged as long as he gets to touch, look at the books, and flip the pages.
Yes, this toddler’s day looks like this—Read. Eat. Play. Sleep.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | Shelter News |
