Staff Blog
I met someone the other day. Sometimes I go where she works and she had helped me once before, but that time it was just a transaction. This time we started talking and it wasn’t long before we were engaged in rich conversation. Somehow it came out that I am a Christian, and she is too.
She told me how hard it had been to find a church lately, and that she had been hurt by her church years ago. At the time, she was married with school-aged children and tragedy turned her world upside down. Her husband took his own life. It had been years, but her voice revealed how much it still hurt.
Even that painful admission couldn’t prepare me for what she said next.
After navigating the early days of the terrible loss, she sent her children back to school, which was run by the church the family attended. On that first day back one of her children’s teachers taught a lesson on why those who commit suicide go to hell.
I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. I stared at her with my mouth open before finally mustering, “that’s awful.” I had a depth of response that is hard to explain. I felt sad, and angry, and to be honest, ashamed. I felt ashamed that a fellow Christ-follower could do something so outrageous.
I wanted to apologize. In a situation that begged for grace, this teacher had cast judgment and embarrassment on a child who was still reeling from the death of a parent. It’s brutal. I found myself wanting to distance myself from this person who believes in the same cross-bearing, life-giving God that I do. I couldn’t make sense of it (then again, can I make sense of the sins I commit?).
As I drove home and reflected on this long talk I realized something. I was hit by a deep sense of gratitude for CSC that has nothing to do with being its leader or an employee or a donor. I was proud that this is what Christians do. CSC is a group of people who take in children who are hurting and alone and give them a second chance at life and family. There is something about CSC that transmits God’s love in profound, consuming and vivid ways. At the very root of all this is devotion to Christ--to doing what would please him. I love that one response to following Christ is this sacred work at CSC.
What we’re doing here, you and I, and all who care, is something to be proud of…if I dare say so myself.
A rainy day...
Yesterday was a glorious day! It was overcast, breezy and there were intermittent bursts of rain. It was welcome relief from the unrelenting heat of this summer, but also, I just love a good storm! Because of the rain though, outside activities were at a minimum. Normally at 3:35pm, any available space in the yard, on the driveway or on the playground equipment is being utilized. I decided to document this rather rare occurrence...
It was definitely a riding kind of day...
Even for our Aunties! :)
And a coloring kind of day....
And a looking at books kind of day...
And a taking silly pictures kind of day...
Pretty much my favorite part of ANY day! :)
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Thank You
In a few days, Bjork and I will head back to Minnesota. There are so many mixed emotions that we have as we get ready to see family and friends as well as saying goodbye to the kids, staff, and CSC family.
I have been so thankful for the opportunity to work with such wonderful people this year. Here is a little glimpse at the American staff and some of the things that we appreciate about them.
Amy: Inviting, Relational, Adaptable
Lindsay: Thoughtful, Trustworthy, Insightful
Tammy: Fun-loving, Reliable, Optimistic
Sandy: Nurturing, Dedicated, Positive
Marlys: Dedicated, Compassionate, Inspiring
Paul: Dedicated, Hard Working, Loving
Thank you to all the American and Filipino staff and workers who have helped us and inspired us this year. Thank you to the kids for being cooler than we could ever put words around.
THANK YOU supporters from all over the world for making it possible for these amazing people to do such life-changing work.
And thank you to our God for working miracles through this place!
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Ew...
A new craze has hit the shelter. And it is one I cannot understand in the least. The current trend on the playground involves beetles.
Step 1: Catch the beetle that you fancy most.
Step 2: Attach string to the leg of your choosing.
Step 3: Run!
There is NOTHING about that that is in any way appealing to me.
Okay, okay, if I could get past touching the beetle for the length of time it would take to tie a string around its leg, it MIGHT be kind of cool to have a pet on a leash that would fly alongside me. Operative word being might.
And yet, it is an activity that currently captivates the attention of many of our children!
Check out the pure joy on the face of one of our newest kids!
The beetles (yes, more than one) are on his finger here...
In flight...
Mind-boggling happiness...
Happy Summer all! May yours be filled with joy...and bugs, if that is what it takes!
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Expression
Our kids are incredibly gifted in many forms of expression. They dance with a fluidity that astounds, and tumble and flip in a way that looks effortless. They pick up song lyrics crazy fast and belt out those lyrics without abandon. They smile readily and are prone to giggles.
We have some talented artists among us as well. Recently the kids were having fun decorating our driveway. Many were content with just autographing the cement, others were more focused in their artistry.
My favorite decoration, however, was the one you see below. "Marty love Jesus." That was written, not entirely grammatically correct, but quite neatly, by a 5-year-old. You can see his proud little feet at the top! :) I was taken aback when I spotted this message among the flowers, butterflies and names that surrounded it.
The message was so simple, so sweet...so perfect.
As adults we worry about raising the children around us in the right way, being a good witness and teaching them about Jesus. This message was fulfilling for me---this little boy gets it, if he does not get anything else in the world, he knows the most important thing.
And to tell you the truth, I was humbled in that moment as well. I was brought back to the heart of why we do what we do here at CSC. We do this work because we love Jesus.
Lindsay love Jesus too! :)
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"Juggling"
Our kids go in waves with their favorite activities. For quite a while, everyone was into waveboarding. Sometimes it's playing marbles and sometimes it's rubber bands. The current craze is a game called "Juggling". The kids take turns kicking a ball in the air. The first person has to kick the ball once, the second person kicks it twice, and so on. They have up to 3 tries to get the desired number of kicks in. Sometimes they also have contests to see who can get the most number of kicks in one try. I haven't asked everyone, but the highest number I've heard is from Maricris. She kept the ball in the air for 60 kicks in a row! Amazing!
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