Staff Blog
prog·ress
part of speech: noun
pronunciation: ˈpräɡres/
1. Forward or onward movement toward a destination.
2. The advance or development toward a better, more complete, or more modern condition
part of speech: verb
pronunciation: prəˈɡres/
1. To move forward or onward in space or time.
2. To advance or develop toward a better, more complete, or more modern state.
It is almost summer where you are, so bare with me on this journey through Webster's pages and this highly intellectual post! ;) Progress, the noun, is a thing most of us look for to determine the success or failure of an effort. It a measure of change, advancement, improvement---pounds lost, degrees earned, etc., toward a goal. It is something we want to see.
Progress, the verb, is the effort. It is the actual forward motion. It encompasses the sweat and tears involved in bettering oneself, finishing a degree, running another mile. Or as it says above, becoming more complete. It is a process requiring hard work.
Sometimes progress, the noun, is hard to chart or to see. The work is there, but it seems there is little to show for it. Thankfully, at CSC, this is not true.
Below you will see only a smidgen of the countless proofs of progress at CSC, in a series of before and after pictures. Children arrive to CSC usually in a bad state. They are often not healthy. They stay in our Infirmary for as long as it takes to rid their bodies of lice, worms or other illnesses. The evidence of physical progression alone is cause for rejoicing in God's goodness to improve the lives of CSC's children. However, their progress is much more than physical.
If you look at many of the faces in the before pictures, their is understandable fear and uncertainty registering there. Strangers are visiting them and talking about taking them from their home. Of course it is for their betterment, their progress, their health, but that is hard to fully communicate in such emotional times. But look at the faces in the after pictures. There is peace, happiness, and excitement.
Some synonyms for progress: make headway, get better, gain ground, improve, advance, develop, and make strides. For our youngest residents, they literally learn to walk and then run while in our care. Now that's progress!
Some other synonyms for progress: thrive, prosper, blossom, and flourish.
And that is what kids do at CSC. There are many hands working tirelessly for the advancement of these precious children. From nurses, teachers, therapists, social workers, counselors, houseparents, guards, missionary staff and childcare workers. Their effort contributes to the progress of the children. I don't want to leave out the effort put forth by our children though, because that is very real too. They take the risk to trust, and follow our instruction and learn to be a kid again. And finally, the investments made by you donors is effort, it's forward motion. Your effort can also be seen in the smiling faces above.
To me, this is what progress looks like.
Pray for Rovelito
Hi from Cebu. Rovelito is having surgery tomorrow (8:00 am Cebu time - 7:00 pm MN time. He is nine years old and suffered severe burns before coming to live at CSC. They will release contractures and do a skin graft. He will be hospitalized for five days and will have to wear splints for several weeks in our infirmary. Please pray for him!
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Sonia
Please pray for one of our employees, Sonia "Suzette", who had a mild stroke last night and is currently at a local hospital. Thank you.
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Lena keeps on washing
Next year we will be celebrating the 40th year of CSC's ministry in Cebu. The actual anniversary date would be May 4 as that was the day in 1979 that three of us stepped off that plane at the Cebu airport. But in March of next year there will be another important anniversary at CSC. March 1 will mark 30 years of faithful service for one of our most stalwart employees, Elena (Lena) Gomera. Lena has been washing clothes at CSC for all of those 30 years.
Through good times and bad, in good and bad weather, during times of political unrest and financial difficulty, Elena has washed clothes. No matter what else our kids need, they need clean clothes to wear. The babies need clean diapers. School kids need clean uniforms. Beds need clean sheets and pillow cases. Lena has provided that. It's by no means a glamorous job. She might be the most "taken for granted" worker at CSC. Most of her time she is in the washroom, unseen by the kids, staff and visitors. But she is washing, load after load, eight hours a day, six days a week. We are fortunate to have an employee like Lena who is faithful, dependable and solid. Thanks Lena for a job well done for almost 30 years!
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Calling All Mathematicians and Scientists!
There was A LOT of excitement at Cebu Children of Hope School this past Friday as the children participated in math and science culminating activities. In the morning were the math activities. The children were divided up into four teams (Levels A1 through C3) and they did a "math relay." The first station was the puzzle station where the children had to work together as a team to put together a puzzle showing a famous mathematician (Euclid, Descartes, Newton, and Pascal). After they completed the puzzle each person on the team had to answer an "easy" math question in order to then proceed to station two. At this station the students had to grab different random objects that, combined, would measure exactly one meter. A math question concluded this station as well but this time it was a "medium" math question. At the third station the team leader had to guide each team member as he/she walked on a line blindfolded. This was followed by every child having to answer a "difficult" math question in order to proceed to the last station called Across the River.
The afternoon was equally exciting as the children competed in science activities. My favorite one was the Ping Pong Hop. Each student had to blow a ping pong ball from one cup to the next, with the successive cups being further away from each other. The other science-themed activities were building a paper tower that could withstand the weight of 5 heavy books, making water rise using a cup and a candle, and a version of cup stacking that tested the children's quickness.
I am surrounded by a great team of teachers who work together to make CCHS a remarkable school, giving kids the skills they need so God can use them in great ways. If you are reading this and you have never visited CSC, please contact our Minnesota office. It is a trip you will never regret!
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Carnival fun with CBC
Although the Central Baptist team that was here recently came primarily to do a camp for our kids, they also helped us put on a spectacular carnival. Our kids were joined by the younger children of our workers, and were treated to booths prepared by our Child Development team, led by CD Director Eunice. There was face painting, a lollipop tree, bowling, a toilet paper toss, a fun bouncing space ship, a clothespin drop and build-a-crafts. Food booths included cotton candy, popcorn and ice cream. There was even a horse drawn carriage ride for the younger kids. It was a great day with amazing weather, and lots of energy from the Central team.
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