Staff Blog
After being in Cebu for a little over four months, I have
realized we welcome lots of people. Some people include the many
visitors and supporters of CSC. 
Over five years ago, I was
welcomed to CSC in a very different context. I came with the Central
Baptist Church work team. I was embraced by not only the staff members
here, but also the kids. I remember stepping out of that van for the
first time and being rushed by about 50 smiling and laughing children. 
Four
months ago, Peter and I were welcomed in a much quieter setting. Joel
greeted us at the airport and we then had a quiet lunch with the staff. After packing up all of our belongings, saying our sweet and
lengthy good-byes to family and friends, and traveling for over 24 hours,
I needed a tranquil welcome. I'm thankful for the low-key greeting we
received.
As I think of the many people I've met since
December who have visited CSC, I can somehow relate to a piece of their
experience. Here they are, for maybe the first time, or the first time
in many years, stepping foot onto the campus, seeing the grounds and the
people and the kids for real, and taking it all in. When I came the
first time, it was all so overwhelming and fun and awe-inspiring. It was
also emotional as I thought about and processed the lives of the kids:
where they lived, what their lives were like before CSC, how hard so
many people work to take care of them, and how they are resilient in
incredible ways. I know visitors and guests don't all experience CSC in
the same way, but I know people leave impacted by what they saw and
experienced. I imagine many leave with a lot to process and
digest. It's enlightening for me to reflect back on my time from a few
years ago and think about where I've been and how I've changed in light
of my experiences.
Soon we will welcome a young lady who
will work with us for about 10 days. It will be exciting to have her
here and hear her perspective on her time and experience at CSC. I hope she,
and other visitors, have a vivid and meaningful understanding of the
work God is doing through so many people and how he is touching so many
lives through this ministry.
The Sun
Every day at Cebu Children of Hope School (CCHS) we start our day with something called Morning Meeting. This is a "soft landing" time for our children which enables them to calm their bodies, practice social skills, and prepare for a great day of learning. Part of every Morning Meeting is a time for kids to share. Sometimes the question is about what they did over the weekend, sometimes the question is related to the day's lessons.
Teacher Chery and Teacher Mae lead the Morning Meeting for Level A1, our four energetic kindergarteners. Here is a conversation they recently had in their classroom, with the question relating to the day's science lesson.
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Teacher Mae asked, "Where do you think the sun will go during the night?"
Student 1: The sun goes under the sea at night because it goes under the line (he means the horizon).
Student 2: The sun is on the ground teacher.
Student 3: Hmmmmmm... the sun will go to bed and sleep.
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Even with their young minds, these children have great ideas that even surprise us adults at times. Each child at CCHS is surrounded by great teachers who have dedicated their lives to help enlighten and empower their students so they can understand everything from where the sun goes at night to understanding how the God who made the sun loves them unconditionally. Thank you for supporting the work that is happening every day at CCHS!
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Pag Ibig Award
Recently CSC received an award from the Pag-IBIG Fund, the Philippine government financial agency that is handling the mortgages for our 60 employees who are receiving Habitat for Humanity homes. The award recognizes the role of CSC in this project on behalf of our employees, who are all automatically members of Pag-Ibig.
This award is a testimony to the work of Paul Reasoner, who raised funds to help alieviate the financial burden for our workers and make their mortgages more affordable for them. We are an organization that values our employees and we have been concerned that they have decent housing. Many have lived in sub-standard houses prior to this project, and would not have had even the hope of having their own house and lot without the cooperative efforts of CSC, Pag-IBIG Fund and Habitat for Humanity. This award reflects that concern of CSC, and the partnership of the agencies who are all dedicated to getting deserving people into safe and affordable housing.
Pastor Fred Verdeflor, who is the husband of our CSC nurse Arlyn and President of the CSC Happy Homes homeowners association, went to Manila to accept the award on behalf of CSC.
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Life Cycles
All living things undergo different stages during their life. Some living things start as a seed, pollen, or spore. Other organisms such as animals start as a live young or an egg that sometimes needs to undergo the process of metamorphosis which completely changes their appearance.
In my Level B2 science class the students were able to witness the process of metamorphosis. We started in the caterpillar stage where the students saw how many leaves the caterpillar consumed. After several weeks it became a pupa. The students were very eager to look at the changes every day though it stunk when they opened the lid of the box. The day finally arrived when the caterpillar became a moth! We all went outside and set the moth free. The students were so excited to be a part of this process!
The whole activity took a lot of time and dedication but the result was very fulfilling. The students were able to learn not just how metamorphosis works but also about patience, perseverance, and having a love for nature.
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2018 Highlights
CSC Higlights of 2018
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Christmas 2018
Click to see pics of the different activities at CSC this Christmas. Our generous donors allow us to give lots of fun times to the children. God bless you all.
Junel's Box 2018 - Inayawan, Cebu City
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