Staff Blog
This past Monday some of our kids got to experience a music event at CSC. As I have mentioned in previous posts, for the past 4 months I have been teaching private voice and piano lessons to 8 talented CSC kids. All of their hard work culminated into a special music recital. For the past month or so, the 8 students had been working hard to make their 2-3 songs performance ready. I had been working equally as hard to prepare the setting for what I believed would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some of them.
For the voice students (there are 6), Disney and Broadway songs have been the focus in our lessons. Some of the songs performed included: Part of your world - The Little Mermaid, Consider Yourself - Oliver, I Could Have Danced All Night - My Fair Lady, Colors of the Wind - Pocahontas, Do Re Mi - The Sound of Music, and Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Phantom of the Opera. As you can see, we had quite the selection! Considering the fact that most of their pieces were very theatrical songs, I decided that I would gather costumes for EACH of their songs. I really wanted the kids to have the chance to get in character, and perform in a more dramatic and theatrical way. In all honesty, the costumes actually helped them become better performers, because it helped them use better facial expressions and actions, so as to match their costumes.
The piano students (2 of them) performed a mix of classical and contemporary pieces. Some of the selections included: Somewhere Over the Rainbow - The Wizard of Oz, Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven, Carol of the Bells, and A Whole New World - Aladdin.
There was a lot of action building up to the performance. Besides finding all the costumes and fitting the kids, I had to coordinate helpers, set up the stage, create a picture board, make snacks, prepare a slide show, and coordinate group practices. Normally individual lessons take place after school each day, but the week before the performance all of the students stayed after school every day for group practices. It was a bit chaotic at first, trying to pull all the acts together, but at last I could see the big picture. On the Friday before the performance we had dress rehearsal. This was really fun for me (and the kids) because we could at last see all of our hard work coming together. It was also really exciting to see the songs put together with hair, makeup and costumes!
The excitement of the kids was clearly building, both for the performers and for the other kids at CSC. This recital was a bit different than other recitals, because it did not include every child at CSC. The performers were each given 3 invitations to pass out to friends, so that in the end there would be a total of 25 children, along with house parents, teachers, counselors, staff and other outside guests (making the total around 80). The kids at the shelter could not wait to see what we had in store for them!
The day of the recital finally arrived, and the performers headed up to school around 3 for some last minute notes. At about 4:00 we started doing hair and makeup (without lipstick), because at 5:00 we had 2 3-foot pizzas delivered for dinner. No I am not joking, these pizzas were 3 feet in diameter!! It was crazy! After chowing down, we finally got everyone into their costumes in time to go out to the music room for warm ups before the show. The kids expressed that they were nervous, but very excited. After a short prayer we headed out to start the show.
Everything about the recital went just as I had planned - maybe even better! The kids really came through in their performances, and truly showcased how hard they had been working in the past 4 months. It was exciting to see the performances come to life as the kids added their actions and personalities to the songs. I was particularly impressed by one of my student's performance. All throughout practicing and lessons she had quite a hard time learning and memorizing the words to her songs. Even all the way up to the day of the performance I was worried that she would not have the confidence to sing her songs completely. I had been working with her so hard on building her confidence in herself, so despite my worries, was feeling hopeful for her performance. Boy was I surprised what she would bring to the floor! Not only did she say the words better than she ever had in practice, she had strength in her voice and sang with confidence and accurate pitch! I felt so proud.
We ended the recital with our surprise number "Let it Go". Once we finished, I felt instantly relieved, and I know the kids did too. It was a complete success, and I have never been more proud of my students!
Starting with the Right Mindset
How do you get in the right mindset when you take on a task? Teacher Cora’s class knows what to do. When the students return to class after lunch they start with singing praises to the Lord.
Take some time before you start your next task to start with the right mindset. Praise the Lord!
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English Language Learners
The students at the Children of Hope School always amaze me. Primary instruction is given in English, a second language for them. Learning a second language is not easy. The English language is one of the most difficult languages to learn because of the multiple pronunciations for words, rules, and many exceptions to the rules. I admire these students for their perseverance and courage in the classroom as they learn English.
In our class, we have a morning routine. We gather our
materials, pray, say “Good morning!” to one another, occasionally do a few
stretches to calm our bodies down for class (including one of their favorite
stretches called “warrior pose”), and do an activity that focuses on developing
the students’ oral language in English. As a teacher, I will often give a word
and ask one of the students to use this word in a sentence. Just the other day,
we were doing this activity, and I asked the class if anyone could use the word
“oppose” in a sentence. One student (pictured below) raised his hand with
confidence. He was sure that his sentence would be correct. With excitement in his voice, he said, “I do a
warrior pose!” He had heard “a pose” instead of the word “oppose”. It was a funny moment that allowed for
further learning. By the time I asked the students to use a different word in a
sentence, his hand was raised with just as much excitement. He does not give up when he makes a mistake; he faces each new challenge with enthusiasm. 
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Responsibility
- I will keep my promises.
- I will not make excuses.
- I will do all my work to the best of my ability.
- I will make things right when I do wrong.
- I will know my duty and do my duty.
(Character First! Education Series 2, booklet 1)
The statements mentioned above are not early New Year resolutions. They are some helpful tips students have been learning in order to form responsible habits.
The question is: what is responsibility? Responsibility means knowing and doing what is expected of me. (Character First! Education Series 2, booklet 1)
Wow! Sounds simple and easy, right? That’s what the Group 4 Bible Class students thought at first, but they soon realized the words “easier said than done” are quite true. Amazing! As their teacher, I never expected those words would come from my young students.
Great
realization kids! Keep it up!
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New Friends
Friends are great! It is wonderful to know that someone is excited to see you and spend time with you. You can share stories, ideas, laughter, and so much more.
Within the past two weeks, six new children of arrived at shelter. They are excited to be here, but also a little apprehensive about the who will be their friends. Luckily for them, all the other children know exactly what it is like to be the new kid.
The older girls in Cherne home were having a hard time waiting for their new housemate to come out of isolation. She had a cough and needed to wait a couple days. The girls would sit on the stairs to the infirmary and get to know the new girl.
When she
finally was given the all clear to join the home, she was accompanied by her
new friends to her new home.
Sometime adults worry about how younger children will get along with each other. One of the new boys has an older sister. She is in school all day and he is preschool so he is only in school for a couple hours. Will he be all right without his sister by his side all afternoon?
With the
help of his new friend on the left, there are no worries.
The adults of CSC show love to the children and teach them trust. Sometimes the adults forget just how much the children can do for each other. The love and care for fellow children just as important.
Pray the children will continue to share love with their fellow children. Pray the new children will settle in and make friends. Pray all the children will be able to feel God’s love for them—whether it is from an auntie or uncle or fellow child.
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Bisan Saging, Basta Loving
Most Cebuanos my age grew up with a saying that goes “Bisan saging, basta loving.” This saying means that even when the family is eating bananas all the time, as long as they love each other, the family is okay.
The passage, Proverbs 15:17, “Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred” reminds me of that old saying. It also reflects on the situations CSC’s children came from. Not the whole, but the part about bananas and hatred. The kids at CSC have come from different situations of poverty, neglect, abuse, and abandonment. Some of the kids came from loving situations that deteriorated because one parent died suddenly. The one parent left behind could not cope up with trying to earn a living while taking care of the children at the same time. Some of the kids came from broken families. Most of them were abused before being cast aside when a parent got involved in a new relationship.
Bisan saging basta loving. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred. Some of these children did not have anything at all, no bananas, no vegetables, no fattened calf, no one to turn to, and most of all, no love, but had an abundance of hatred at times.
Kindness, understanding, patience, hope, faith, joy, grace, and most of all, love. This brings to mind that this is what CSC is all about. It is not because of the beautifully maintained houses, medical building, and school, nor the playground and other things, though all of these have helped. But, it is the people that made the shelter what it is. Feelings of warmth and welcome are created by people who are kind, generous, patient, hopeful, understanding, even-tempered, and most of all, loving. Different backgrounds, educated to the less educated, Americans and Filipinos, people who answered God’s call to pray, give generously, volunteer their time during mailings, and serve on the CSC Boards both here in Cebu and in the US. They came together to serve in a ministry that not only provided a roof over the heads of these children, but the loving-kindness and the grace of God that the children had not experienced before.
At CSC, there is no “bisan saging basta loving,” and “no better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.” CSC is a big home, a big family that God has blessed with His love and grace. Thank you Lord for the people who answered Your call to serve in this ministry.
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