Staff Blog

Yesterday at Children of Hope School, we proudly celebrated the graduation of three teenagers, who will go on to high school next year, and five pre-schoolers who will advance to pre-K.  It was a special day for sure.  The three oldest graduates have faced a lot challenges and have accomplished much in their years at our school.  One of the graduates gave a speech.  I thought he might discuss all of the academic challenges he had faced.  While he mentioned those briefly, the larger message he shared was that of gratitude.  He was thankful for his teachers and all of the time they had invested in him.  He was thankful to the staff for their encouragement.  He was thankful to his house parents for their guidance and leadership.  He was appreciative of the support from the Aunties and Uncles in his life.  And he was even thankful for challenges as he was so proud of what he had learned from them.

Waiting in anticipation...

The proud graduates!

I was impressed with his words and touched by his message.  CSC is often described as a place of refuge for the kids that come here.  Many have left violent homes, chaotic living situations or have had no home to speak of.  We are proud to be able to offer our kids the basic things: food, shelter, clothing, a safe place to rest their head.  But we are blessed to be able to give our kids even more.  We have a beautiful school and a talented body of teachers who are willing to meet the individual needs of our kids.  Our teachers go the extra mile every day and our kids benefit greatly from their tireless effort.

Our talented teachers!

Praise the Lord for how he has blessed CSC!  Thanks be to God for how He brought each of these teachers to our school---for we are surely better for it!  :)

Continuing on with the theme of kites!  Recently, I spent an afternoon hanging out with the kids at the shelter.  Almost immediately, Jhaycob ran up to me with a tangled-up pile of string.  He wanted me to untangle it so he could use it to fly his kite.  I began looking around the yard and it was incredible how many kids were playing with kites.  Some were making them, and others were busy untangling strings.  Some of the kids were the "holders" and others were the "runners".  Toddlers dragged plastic bags across the yard, and the older kids and houseparents had huge, fancy kites flying high in the sky!  Some of the kites even had writing on them: "Fly CSC", "Cherne WOW", and "WOW CSC"!  Enjoy a video of some of the different activities that were going on that day!

Everybody gets to join in on the kite fun at CSC.  Friday was the preschooler's last full day of school.  Uncle Marcel came into their class and taught them all how to make kites!  They were so proud to each have on of their own!  Enjoy the pictures of the kids making and attempting to fly their kites!  

Whenever we're on duty, we help with putting the kids to bed. One of the things I love about putting the kids to bed is sharing bedtime prayers with them. The children are so surrounded by strong people of faith here at CSC - their house parents, staff, teachers, aunties, and counselors. Their prayers reflect what they've seen and heard modeled for them. They are thoughtful, sincere, and even eloquent.

Last night when we were on duty, there were prayers for lots of different things. Here are a few of my favorites:

• giving thanks for CSC
• giving thanks for the aunties and house parents
• giving thanks for hot dogs
• asking for a mommy and daddy
• asking for strength and wisdom on upcoming on final tests
• asking for healing for kids in "iso"

And the most touching prayer of all was a heartfelt request from one of the 12-year old girls in the house. She asked God to please comfort a family whose oldest sibling had recently turned 18 and could no longer be adopted. This was particularly moving to me because those siblings that she was praying for don't even live in her house at CSC. In that moment I realized what a supportive place CSC is - that all the kids and house parents and staff are praying across houses, across siblings, across ages, for God's presence in each of their lives.  What a cool thing to be a part of.

Summer is here!  What does that mean to an island that remains tropical all year round?  Good question!  It really only means that it is hotter-a LOT hotter!  And there is less rain.  And its hot.  And your umbrella is your most prized possession because it protects you from the fierce sun.  And then there's the heat.  But really, I'm not all that grumpy about it...just a little grumpy about it...   :)

The kids, however, are unfazed by the heat.  They still run and play without abandon.  I, however, sit in the shade and look on with amazement---my mouth hanging open.

The summer brings with it new activities.  KITE SEASON is here once again!  It is almost as if a switch turns on inside of them and they all decide today is the day for kite-flying.  And they MAKE them!  Watching them making them is a favorite pasttime of mine---again, I do so in the shade, in case you were wondering!  :)

They are making these kites from twigs from brooms, plastic grocery bags, and string.  Permission to be amazed granted!

In flight!

Other summer activities...

CHALK!!!

FUN IN THE SHADE---These wise girls are making crafts with flower blossoms!

What pure happiness looks like! 

He is our newest kid, but it already seems like he has been with us for quite some time.  God has blessed us and him with a smooth transition and we are happy to have him here with us!

 Its hard to be grumpy about the heat when you have this smile to look at!

Thank the Lord for these children that bless me every day and remind me of God's endless provision and goodness!

Glory be to Him always!