Staff Blog
I have been back in the Philippines for all of a week and a half. I was in MN when Typhoon Yolanda tore its path of devastation through this beautiful, but already struggling country. I should not even talk about my fears as I watched the huge swirling mass of red, orange, blue and green hover over the Visayas from the comfort of my sister's sturdy home, thousands of miles away from it all. Those that experienced it are still reeling from the trauma of it all I imagine. Truth be told, I was afraid. I feared for the safety of our children, for the staff, my friends and loved ones here. I was grateful that my family and friends in the US did not have to include me in their prayers for the Philippines, but really I was wishing I was here. To help. To make sure. To comfort. To do something.
Now I am here and I have some observations to share. The part of Cebu where the shelter is located, and where my home is, was not ripped apart, flattened or caked in mud like Tacloban or Ormoc were. I have heard stories of the smell of that mud and my heart goes out to those living in that. You might not even think that the most devastating storm in all of recorded history came through here if you didn't look closely. But things are different.
All of the trees in the front yard of our school were either blown over by the force of the winds or cut down to prevent damage to our buildings. There is no more shade there for our guard and it admittedly looks lonely. There are trees that are missing from the front of one of our houses also. Minor, but different.
There are other things that are different.
The malls are overflowing with people that are homeless, displaced from the areas most damaged. There are always a lot of people around, but now, everywhere, all the time---there are just more people.
And brownouts/blackouts---they are more frequent now. I have heard that areas are going without power to reserve or provide for the areas without.
Traffic is a lot heavier, jeeps are often incredibly full. Last night I saw a group of people start running toward a jeep that was slowing down, the urgency to get a ride was very apparent.
The list of waiting children has grown rapidly as families that were once able to make it on their own have lost homes or family members and can no longer care for their own. CSC's help is in desperate need.
I share these observations for a few reasons. The Philippines still need your prayers! The islands that were decimated are still greatly in need. CSC has created a Relief Committee and as you have read, there have already been two trips to affected areas and CSC will continue to determine how we can reach out. The need is far greater than something we can manage, but the grateful smiles and sighs of relief of those we are able to give food or clothing to are all the encouragement we need to continue helping in whatever way we can.
And though Cebu was not damaged, things in Cebu are different. I cannot begin to explain or understand why we were spared and others not and the effects from the storm for us are nothing to compared to those who lost everything. But I share these so that others may know that life is not back to normal for the Philippines. Prayers are still needed and greatly appreciated.
I know God is at work in this country. And I thank Him for His protection over CSC. Because we were spared, we can help others.
This was a heavier blog than I originally intended when I sat down at my computer. To end things on a lighter note, this is how I spent my morning!
Boomerang
boo·mer·ang
/ˈbo͞oməˌraNG/
noun
- 1. a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so as to return to the thrower, traditionally used by Australian Aborigines as a hunting weapon
verb
- 1. (of a plan or action) return to the originator
Over the last few years, former CSC children have been returning for visits with increasing frequency. Some families have brought their children back to the country of their birth, and to see one of their first homes, for a heritage tour. Other children---actually young adults now---have made the journey on their own, for a more independent experience.
One former child, who was the youngest ever to leave for adoption (at age 9 months) requested to celebrate his 10th birthday with the kids of CSC; it was his birthday wish! Another young lady, who was adopted as a toddler, was here this past October. She is now a senior in college, studying Early Childhood Development, and wanted to return to CSC to see firsthand how the children of CSC are cared for and loved on, since she was one of them too! Last month, CSC was happy to have one of its very first children return for her 3rd visit back to CSC; this time she and her husband were excited to show their little girl where her mom came from. And most recently, about 2 days ago, CSC welcomed back a young boy who left as a toddler exactly 4 years ago. His family brought him back to once again play on the playground with some of the same kids he used to play with (though he made plenty of new friends too!) and to spend time with his former houseparents.
For each returning child, their story is of course uniquely theirs. They all have different circumstances that bring them to CSC and they all have different life experiences once they leave CSC. However, there is a pull, like that of a boomerang, for many kids to return to CSC. To see a place that they might only have pictures of but for which they have no vivid memories. They want to see first-hand former caregivers that put band-aids on their skinned knee, read stories to them or rocked them to sleep at night.
CSC is happy to welcome back former kids because really, once you are in the CSC family, you are always in the CSC family!
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KCC
Kurume Christ Church, hence KCC, is a church in the city of Higashi Kurume in the greater Tokyo area in Japan. KCC is significant for a number of reasons, but one reason is that it is the only church in Asia that supports CSC on an on-going basis. Kurume Christ Church became aware of CSC many years ago through the friendship of Paul and Shari Reasoner and Taizo and Kimiko Morimoto. Taizo is the pastor of Kurume Christ Church. Pastor Morimoto wanted his church members to broaden their experience of helping people in need, so he suggested a team of people go to Cebu to see the shelter. Since that initial trip, a number of people who attend KCC have visited and volunteered at the shelter. A nurse came to help the nurses at the shelter, t-shirts were given to all of the workers and children at the shelter, a high school student volunteered in the medical department to enhance her pursuit of a career in medicine, and the church sponsors CSC children through the Foster Friends program. So KCC has been creative in its involvment with CSC.
Next week the Reasoner clan in Cebu (Joel, Jinkee, Ethan, Shari and Paul) is heading up to Japan to visit friends, family, Morimotos, and KCC. It will be great to update and thank the church people in person for their continued support of the shelter.
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We're baack!
We are back in Cebu safe and sound. It has been a joy to see the kids and staff and re-learn how to navigate here. Lots of changes, but the ministry remains the same. Thanks to all who prayed for us and gave encouragement during our extended furlough.
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How Does My Hair Look?
“How does my hair look? Does it look cool?” As I turn around, I see hair standing straight up, styled with gel, and filled will many different colors. Underneath it all, there is a young boy’s smile staring up at me. Many of the boys at the shelter enjoy styling their hair (sometimes even more than the girls do!). It has been fun to see all the “cool” hairstyles at the shelter. Even more than the hairstyles, the smiles on each face are priceless. Enjoy these pictures of some of the coolest hairstyles here at CSC!
Coloring and styling each other's hair
Purple hair!
That hair stands up so tall!
Look at those orange streaks!
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The Dream Class
The school days after Sports Fest have been filled with preparation for third quarter tests. Teachers are busy preparing for the exams and pupils are busy studying their previous lessons.
During one review session, one pupil told me, “Teacher, I am so excited to know who will get the highest score on our exams in all the subjects and, hopefully, it will be me.”
I smiled and told her, “Oh, that’s good. Maybe you will get the highest score or maybe one of your classmates will get the highest score. All of you have a great chance of getting the highest score if you listen to the teachers during the review and study hard.”
This conversation
happened in Level A-1 (kindergarten). The Level A-1 pupils are very amazing. We call them “the dream class.” These eight little girls follow instructions,
listen attentively, and they are adorable. It’s stress-free teaching. They’ll do a great job on their quarter
tests!
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