Staff Blog
I spent a few days last week in Manila hanging out with some pretty neat kiddos. We spent most of our trip waiting for the next thing to happen. The primary reason was to process some of their paperwork, but for them it was the trip they could never imagine.
The adventure started on a Sunday afternoon as three kids, another social worker, a few houseparents and I left from CSC and journeyed to the airport. We made it through security and check-in just fine, found some seats and proceeded to wait…and wait…and wait some more as our flight was delayed.
I felt really bad for the kiddos as they expressed a great deal of eagerness and enthusiasm to fly on an airplane for the first time, and instead they were met with some sort of cruel form of delay gratification. However, once we were on board and headed up, I was met with some smiles, nervous glances and many questions.
It was really fun to be a part of this journey with them, even though it was a bit challenging to answer some of their questions. We talked about when they needed to wear their seat belts, what causes the plane to shake in the air, how the pilot knew where to go, what landing on the ground would feel like, and many more things. The added challenge to this was that their primary language is Cebuano…mine…not so much. So I had to be a little creative with my answers and think of ways to describe things in basic English for them to understand. I would say I mainly succeeded with this, but felt extremely grateful when on the airplane ride home, a nice Cebuano-speaking woman helped me out.
Anyway, it was pretty memorable to go through this really new thing with this sibling group and to see the airplane ride and the hotel stay through their eyes. It was humbling to think about the privilege I’ve had to travel many places and to not even need to think twice about turbulence, runways, hotel beds, taxi rides or passports. Coming from a life of poverty really doesn’t allow one to think about what a hotel would be like. The kids’ minds were blown when they saw 2 televisions in the one hotel room and all of the pillows on one bed. They really were living the life of luxury. And I think they enjoyed the airplane ride home a little bit more than the ride to Manila as they knew more of what to expect, and as that flight back was in the daylight where they could see the city, and the water surrounding the various islands. We all (yes, I left with 3 children and returned with the same number!) were a bit exhausted on the drive back to CSC, but they have enjoyed telling their friends about the journey and the many things they saw. And I returned grateful for having the opportunity to venture with them…and to have another adult with me!
Hands that Serve
We have about 76 child care workers who do day-to-day stuff at the shelter. Most of you who have been to CSC might be aware of this. But for everyone else’s information, we have laundry washers, cooks, cleaners and, of course, the rest of the Aunties—as we call them—who watch over the children at the shelter.
Most of them don’t have a college degree, some never got the chance to finish grade school; but they take pride and joy in working at CSC. They teach the kids household chores, sometimes you see them in the playground playing with the kids and often times, they teach the little ones how to pray. They treat the kids at the shelter like their own.
For some of the aunties, being an educator is a gift. Singing nursery rhymes, dancing and learning how to count are some of their tasks that just come out naturally. Below is a short video of two aunties and some toddlers reading the story of Jonah and the Big Fish.
Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness in providing CSC with very willing hands. Please pray for all of our workers at the shelter as they continue caring for and teaching the kids.
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Stacks of Books
The Reading Challenge is finishing up tomorrow! The children have been reading, a lot. Many of them leave school will a stack of books in their hands. The total number of pages read is staggering. Keep reading!
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Sore Eyes
Sore eyes has hit CSC! As this blog is being written, seven babies and toddlers and one school age child have sore eyes. Sore eyes is very common in the Philippines. In the US, it is called pink eye. It affects all ages and usually spreads from one eye to the other very quickly. One’s eyes become swollen, turn pink, and are very itchy and painful. It can be miserable for anyone who has it, especially the babies and toddlers. Please pray for all the kids who currently have sore eyes and that it would not spread to others throughout the houses.
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Friendships
Everybody needs friends.
For our CSC children, making a new friend is often the most important part of their adjusting to life at the Shelter.
Someone to run with……. Play with…..talk to…….laugh .……study .…..eat… and pray with.
CSC friends teach new kids the ropes, are partners in mischief and sources of understanding, comfort and encouragement. And not only that, they are a lot of fun to hang out with.
Our children come from backgrounds of poverty, neglect and loss. Who better to understand them than a friend who has experienced the same things before coming to live at CSC.
The memories of these friendships could last for a lifetime.
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Mabuhay ang Wikang Filipino!
Last Friday, August 28, was a happy day for everyone at CCHS. It was the Buwan ng Wika Celebration, an all-day event focusing on Filipino language. All the students as well as the teachers really had fun.
The Filipino games played in the morning gave every student a chance to participate and every team showed good teamwork. The older kids helped the preschoolers even by carrying the little kids to get the tasks accomplished. It was an amazing sight to see all members of each team working as one.
The afternoon activity was short, but sweet. All the students’ presentations were really great! Each presentation displayed the children’s and teachers’ great efforts.
Mabuhay ang Wikang Filipino!
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