Staff Blog
Something I saw the other day touched me and has stayed with me ever since. I was driving down a busy road, a road I often travel down. I was looking straight ahead, intently focused on my final destination. I don’t usually look around on that road as it is quite familiar to me, and while driving---let’s just say that there is way too much going on to do that without dire consequences! There was a lot of traffic so I had to come to a stop.
I looked around then. To my right was an open space where once there had been trees and dilapidated storefronts. There was a new strip of concrete, about 4 feet wide probably and about 25 feet long. I think it will someday be connected with the road I was driving on---the eventual plan is to expand that road---however, for the time being it was set back about 6 feet from the road.
On that skinny strip of concrete, there were about 7 kids, boys and girls, ranging in age from 4 to 12 probably. They were playing a game, a game that looked to me to be a combination of baseball and kickball. There were no marked bases---the kids just seemed to know. And they did not have a bat---they alternately used their arms or legs and they used wadded up paper for their ball. There were not enough kids to have teams really, but they were definitely playing hard and having fun.
I watched all of that in a matter of a few seconds before traffic began to move again. I had a mix of reactions to that scene. I was impressed by their creativity and their energy. I was saddened by the small and ill-equipped “playground” they were using. I was aware that there were no adults around and that very small children were playing dangerously near a very busy road. I was happy to see the smiles on their faces and the excitement they had for their play!
Then I thought of our kids. They played like this before they came to CSC---for many, it was in even worse conditions. Sometimes they talk about it---games they played, kids they played with or that they didn’t really play because they were begging or helping their family members earn money for food. And then I thought of how they play now and where they play now. They have grass to run in or to crash into when they are still too unstable to maneuver around on Rollerblades! They have swings and slides and bikes and scooters. And helmets! They have jump ropes and soccer goal posts. They have adults to sit next to, hold on to or talk with.
Visitors have often described CSC as an oasis, a haven. When the green gate opens and you enter the facility, what you see is very different from the dirt, and chaos of the busy, city streets of Cebu. The streets our kids are all too familiar with---the streets that were their playground, their workplace and their home.
Thanks for caring about CSC. Thanks for giving to this organization. Thanks for making this oasis an everyday reality for our kids. They have a safe place to live and play because of you! God Bless you!
On Being Fruitful
How do you know if what you're doing really matters? Does the same effort always produce the same results? How do you quantify the investment you make in someone's life? These are all questions that never seem to have a concrete answer, but nevertheless they consume our thoughts on a daily basis.
In reading a devotional recently, I was reminded that the culture and society we live in today is focused on success. We're constantly being asked what we've accomplished, how many "wins" we have, ... as if the evidence of success is measured by how much we have or have done.
Those of us who have a relationship with Jesus should have a different perspective. From the beginning, God had a plan for us:
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Genesis 1:28 (NIV)
Being fruitful is different from being successful. Jesus said it this way:
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:1-4 (NIV)
At CSC, our investment in the lives of the children in our care cannot always be measured. Physical growth, academic achievement and emotional maturity are all markers of growth, but we won't likely see the fruit until much later. In fact, many of those in our care now may experience many years of struggle and hardship before years of joy and contentment.
We're in the process of building a new home on a familiar site to many in Cebu. The new home and office complex is where CSC has done ministry for the past 30 of our last 45 years. The home will be a combination of apartment- and dorm-style housing and will be geared toward our young and emerging adult residents. The location is ideal and will offer our older residents better access to the city, for schooling and employment. The program we are offering these residents will be custom-tailored to strengthen their life skills and set them up to pursue their personal hopes and dreams and strive to be the people God had designed them to be. We appreciate your prayer and support. We're excited to share more with you in the coming weeks!
Who knows what the future holds for those CSC who make a life for themselves in the Philippines. God does. And we will be there for them every step of the way.
Grace and Peace,
Kirby Stoll
President/CEO
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From Head to Toe...
"Sometimes the smallest things can take up the most room in your heart." This quote from Winnie the Pooh is often related to a newborn baby coming into the lives of a family; however, this also holds to what we feel every time we welcome a new kid (newborn or toddler) to CSC. We just love everything about them, from the top of their head to their tiniest toes!
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Another Leap
As the academic year of 2022-2023 draws to a close. I can't help but be in awe of how God worked and moved. Time flew by, sometimes gently and other times tumultuously, and just like that, the school year will soon be encapsulated within its boundaries. I find myself reminiscing about the days, weeks, and months - the school year brimming with new, anticipated, and unexpected challenges. Our experiences have encompassed formal and informal conversations, experiencing tears and laughter, navigating the pressures of academics and personal growth, and finding moments of pure joy while held steadfastly by God's unwavering grace, which carried our high school students through.
As I prepare to welcome a new wave of high school students, I peer into this future with this reflection on the past. What kind of ride will it be this time? How will it all turn out? Undoubtedly, obstacles will be present, and indeed the road will be rough, but will we have the courage to face and overcome them?
As I muse on these things, I'm reminded of how far we have come when I look at our high school students. They have graduated despite all they have gone through. It wasn't a smooth ride, but the fact that they have made it here only attests to God's goodness, even in times of doubt and difficulties. Despite the hurdles and challenges, they have managed to push through by God's grace. Now, six junior high school students, two senior high school students, and two ALS students stand on the precipice, ready to take another leap over the fence of doubts and fears as they venture into new realms of growth, challenges, demands, and experiences. Equipped with their learnings, carrying a teachable heart, and holding on to His promises to take care of them, they are ready to take another leap and begin a new chapter, comforted by the knowledge that support will accompany them.
Now that they are ripe for new challenges, I can only be inspired by the students I lead. It's going to be tough ahead, but God is greater, and He is faithful. Through Him, we shall all boldly leap into the next chapter.
As we bid farewell to the school year 2022 - 2023, I can only be proud of my students and be thankful to God for them. Through their hard work, they persevered. They ran the race while glancing at their sides and cheering each other on to keep doing the hard work; offering help and support to each other along the way. As they step into the future known by God, let us remind them that they are loved and have a calling. Together let's brace for what is coming, and by God's strength, I know that we all can embrace another year with anticipation and trust in the God who calls us to leap in faith.
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Teaching is not simply a Job, but a Calling
As a teacher, my role goes beyond imparting knowledge to my students. I have the privilege and responsibility to be an instrument of shaping their character, instilling good values, and helping them grow into well-rounded individuals. And one of the most important values I strive to teach them is the love of God.
As a Christian teacher, my calling is to reflect God's love in everything I do, including how I interact with my students. I make sure that every student feels seen, heard, and valued. I take the time to get to know them, their interests, and their struggles. I listen to their stories tries to create a safe and inclusive classroom environment where everyone feels welcome.
I strive to demonstrate compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. I realize my students struggle in dealing with daily challenges as they interact with one another, but I feel that by showing them grace and forgiveness, I can teach them how to extend these traits to others. One of the ways that I express God's love to my students is by including prayer in our daily routine. Before each session, we take a moment to pray together, asking for God's direction and blessing on our day.
Another way that I strive to represent God's love is by using the Bible to teach my students values such as honesty, integrity, and humility. I believe that the lessons of the Bible have timeless wisdom that may help lead us in our daily lives, and I aim to assist my students in recognizing the relevance of these teachings in their own lives.
Overall, I believe teaching is a calling not just a career path. As a Christian teacher, I am honored to share God's love with my learners and help them grow into God's purpose and design. I am thankful to be a part of this teaching ministry. I pray that God will continue to guide me and all the teachers who have chosen the adventure of teaching children.
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On Friendships
I was reading recently about friendships and how as adults we often do things--knowingly and unknowingly--that put on our friends an unnecessary responsibility. Maybe we say something in hopes of getting a response. Maybe we do something and then later wonder if it was done with the right motive.
Children demonstrate a refreshingly different perspective than adults on friendships. I see this as I watch my own children relate to their friends. Sure, they experience ups and downs, good feelings and hurt feelings, but they also have this way of demonstrating spontaneous, unfiltered and unconditional love to those they call friends. There is a lot of laughter involved more often than not.
A childlike perspective is likely what we all need as we view life with those in community with us. It reminds me of words that Jesus spoke that says, "anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" (Luke 18).
Pictures from the last two blog entries -- Sports Fest 2023 and Toddler Playground -- remind me of the friendships our CSC children have with each other and the joy they can experience as a part of the CSC family. They are an inspiration to us all!
Today I plan to think about my friendships--the new and the old--and to consider how I approach them...hopefully with a childlike perspective.
Our Spring 2023 issue of News from Cebu was mailed this week. It's so exciting to see the Mission of CSC -- for nearly 45 years now -- being fulfilled as we provide the loving, Christ-centered home that provides a strong foundation for healthy friendships.
Grace and Peace,
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