Staff Blog

A dear man left this world on Sunday. It was Father's Day.

Dr. Gerald Healy, who most people lovingly called "Big Jer" was the father of Paul Healy, our Field Director and co-founder. But to CSC, Big Jer was a lot more than that. He had the back of CSC in the States in so many ways while the ministry began and then flourished in the Philippines. He was a board member, a fundraiser and an incredible advocate.

I'll never forget the first time I saw Jer. It was one of my early introductions to CSC and happened just before joining the staff. Jer was emceeing the annual banquet--a role he filled for decades. My wife, Theresa, and I attended the banquet and sat in the last row of tables like all the other late RSVP'ers. We were touched by the stories of life change and amazed when they announced how many people had visited Cebu and seemingly half the room stood up, but what stood out more than anything was how funny the emcee was. He was knee-slapping funny. I even turned to Theresa at one point and said, "This guy is awesome!"

Years later, and having gotten to know Jer on a personal level, I can tell you the description fit. Jer was awesome. His kindness and wit were extraordinary. In all the times I saw Jer, I can't remember one in which I didn't leave it feeling encouraged, entertained and better than I was before it. What a class act and generous spirit.

One time, Jer and I were sitting at lunch at a golf course. We hadn't played that day, but Jer had the day before. He was telling me about the foursome he played in, and how he and a friend of his had been paired up with a couple of young guys. I remember Jer telling me these guys had it together. They were smart, funny and impressive. It was also evident they weren't Christians. Jer paused at that point and said, "Matt, these guys would make great Christians." Jer wanted them to know what he knew. He wanted them to have the hope of Jesus Christ. He could imagine them in the church, and he had tried to be a light to them that day.

I think of that interaction now and smile. The guy I was sitting across the table from made a great Christian himself. We could use hundreds more like him in our churches, but there was only one Big Jer. He was loved in his family, in the halls of Bethel college and in sanctuaries and fellowship halls across Minnesota. And, he was sure loved at CSC.

Gerald Healy Obituary

The other day I was attending a seminar sponsored by the International Justice Mission. While waiting for the session to start I was surprised to hear someone call my name. It was a young lady whose face was familiar but whose name I could not retrieve. After a few minutes I realized that she was from Bulacao, where we first started our ministry, and part of one of the first families that we came to know and help there. She was so warm and friendly, and talked about those days in Bulacao. She remembered all the staff members from those days. Then she said something that brought tears to my eyes. She said, "I found Jesus through your ministry." She remembered how we started a Bible study in our home for neighbors and acquaintances in the neighborhood, and how we offered assistance to families who were struggling. Since she was one of 11 children in her family, we had reached out to them with various types of help, and we invited the kids to come to Bible School in our mission home. She recalled how we sponsored her and her siblings to go to camp, and how it was there that she accepted Jesus as her personal Saviour. What a blessing to hear her pour out memories and thanksgiving. She told how most of her family are Christians, and one brother is a pastor. She is married to a pastor and is employed as a social worker with IJM. We certainly cannot claim any responsibility for her successes in school and professionally, or for her conversion to Christ. That was the result of her parents' hard work and sacrifice and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. But it was fun to hear how our efforts 37 years ago are appreciated and meant a lot to this family. Thanks to God for directing our steps for these years and bringing people into our lives that needed what we had to give.

How can people be so heartless?
How can people be so cruel?
Easy to be hard, easy to be cold

How can people have no feelings?
How can they ignore their friends?
Easy to be proud, easy to say no.

Songwriters:  Ragni, Gerome / Rado, James / Mac Dermot, Galt

The words of this song from the late 60s were brought to mind recently when a 12 year-old boy was referred to us. His story reveals the heartlessness and cruelty of  people, and the ways that some children have to suffer at their hands. We'll call this boy Roberto and his younger  brother, Michael.

Roberto and Michael were brought to an orphanage in Cebu City when they were babies. The orphanage, which was connected to a Protestant church,  was not a good place. When the boys were older they were abused. Punishment was severe, sometimes cruel. The lady who was in charge of the place was the one dealing out the beatings. Luckily, the place was closed down and the children were parceled out to other child caring institutions. CSC got three girls from that place, but we did not have room for boys at the time, so Roberto and his brother, then nine and 10,  went to live at a home for children on a neighboring island. Shortly after there arrival there, one of the boys threatened Roberto. (The home catered to older kids, and their residents included some who had lived on the streets and were used to fighting and intimidation.) On the second night they were there, Roberto decided to run away. Michael was afraid to go out into the dark night, but Roberto was able to find a young boy, just five years old, to go with him. The gate was always left open so they had no trouble getting away.

Roberto only knew one place to go, back to the church where he had lived. He didn't know that it was 18 miles from where they were starting out. And they had to cross a long bridge that led to Cebu island. But he knew he wanted to leave that place, so off they went into the night.

It took two days and nights to get to the church. They slept along the road, wherever they could find a spot that looked safe. On the second morning Roberto woke up and discovered that his little companion was gone. Without a trace. All he could do was keep going. When he finally got to the church he found that it was closed up. The gate was locked. One of the former orphanage workers said that he could be their family's houseboy, but that didn't last for long. One day that family packed up and left, and Roberto had no place to go.

Out of desperation, he found a big piece of cardboard which became his bed for the next months. He slept just outside the locked gate of the former church/orphanage. He would look for food wherever he could find it, in garbage cans or occasional handouts from neighbors. Other times he would steal food to feed his hungry stomach, which enraged people in the community. He was often beaten by neighborhood boys. One family took pity on him and would stop the boys from beating him, and would give him food. Life was hard for Roberto. No place to live. Nobody to take him in. He missed his brother and worried about the boy who had disappeared along the way. How can people be so heartless? How can they be so cruel?

One of the compassionate neighbors knew about CSC and informed us about the situation of Roberto. We get lots of referrals and can not respond immediately to all of them. Eventually our social worker and counselor went to visit Roberto and hear his story. They were overwhelmed by the things that had happened to him. In the next few days we made contact with the place where Michael was staying and arranged a meeting with their social worker. Two of our social workers, Chris and our new Social Worker Director, Klaris, and our counselor, Eldie, made the trip to the neighboring island to discuss the boys' case. Michael was relieved to hear that Roberto was okay. He hadn't heard anything about him for a year and a half. Both boys wanted to be reunited and it was determined that this should happen the next day at CSC.

The reunion was so sweet for the boys. They were more than a little amazed at the facilities of CSC and the course of events that had brought them back together. After more counseling and some medical tests, and a talk with a representative of the place where Michael was living, our staff made the decision to admit Michael and Roberto. The boys would no longer be separated and Roberto's days of homelessness would end. It was an exciting day for all of us. They boys needed to go back to their respective places, get the few things they owned, and say goodbye before becoming official CSC kids. But first we brought them to Jollibee, a fast food restaurant near CSC. It was so much fun to watch the boys eat and laugh. It must have seemed a little surreal to them to be together at that place with a group of adults who were concerned about them and wanted them to be together in a nice and safe place. Roberto was not able to finish his chicken and we were surprised when he asked if he could have a bag for "take-home."

When they got to the place where Roberto had been staying, he ran to one of the houses near the church, the place where one of the people who had protected him from the cruel boys lived. This was the first person who had shown concern for him, maybe in his whole life. Roberto wanted to give this guy the leftover chicken from Jollibee! It was one of the most touching things that we have known about in our many years of working with kids. A few acts of kindness had made a huge difference in Roberto's life and he wanted to say "thank you" in the only way he knew how.

Later that day the boys were officially admitted, and spent the night in the infirmary while we waited for their lab results. The next morning they moved into the Cherne Home, where house parents Tarex and Pureza and the children welcomed them. It was the biggest day in their lives, so far. And there are many big days ahead. They will be making a lot of new friends and will soon be enrolled in our Children of Hope School. They won't be apart. They won't be hungry. If they are sick they will be provided with the best medical care available in the Philippines. If they are sad they'll be comforted. And they will get the chance to learn about a loving Heavenly Father and a friend and Savior who will never abandon them.

Yes, its easy to be heartless. Easy to be cruel. But its also easy to be kind. Easy to be a needed friend. Kids need a friend. Thanks to all who make it possible for us to say yes to kids like these two and the many others who need the love and care of our Shelter.

Recently we bid farewell to Amy, Marcel and Emily Pacada, who left for the U.S. The party included great food, a slide show and words of love and appreciation and love from staff, co-workers at the school and some of the kids. And, of course, they were serenaded with our traditional farewell song, "God Will Take Care of You."  Amy was  a teacher in our Children of Hope School since it began 18 years ago. Marcel joined the CSC team a few years ago in the HR department. They will be missed. We wish them well as they locate in North Dakota and start a new chapter in their lives. Thanks, Pacadas, for what you have contributed to CSC. God bless you.

Those were the words I said when the accounting team added up the donations at our recent banquet. We had a lower attendance this year: 650 instead of our usual 750-800 people. Statistically, the offering should have been substantially lower than usual.

The day of the banquet, the staff and volunteers gathered and prayed for the event. We prayed that God would work in the hearts of those who were attending and those who couldn’t attend, that the night would be honoring to God and that the donations received, whatever amount, would be what we needed to sustain this part of the ministry. 

And then all of you showed up. You stepped up to sponsor the event, gave donations that night, and many of you gave gifts despite the fact that you could not attend the banquet. So at 8:30 pm, when the accounting team gave the total of $142,820.90, we weren’t sure what to believe. Could it be possible that even with fewer people in the room, we broke a record for our banquet offering? Yes, it was possible. 

Just over a week later, when the online donations have been processed, all the checks have been double and triple checked, and a few other gifts arrived in the mail from those who wanted to contribute to the banquet offering, our total is now sitting at $144,686.43. It is amazing and is only possible because God used all of you to make this happen. We certainly aren’t in the clear for the rest of this year. The banquet total is about 14% of our budget for the year. But we know we will be all right because with God all things are possible.