Staff Blog
Here are a couple of tributes from Auntie Sandy's retirement party in Minnesota on September 11.
Paul’s Speech
Why are we here tonight? That is my assigned topic as we get the program going tonight.
I want to paint two pictures for you tonight. Both represent endearing images for me for the ministry of CSC.
One is a cross stitch with a group of owls on a tree branch with these words stitched above them: “There’s always room for one more.” We have made that kind of a motto at CSC over the years. Although we have limits of space, manpower and budget, we always try to be open to making room for another child who needs us badly. This might be a malnourished child found in the street who might not survive another day without the lifegiving care of CSC, or an abused child badly needing the protection of a shelter. There is room for one more. Sandy’s heart is like that. It has an almost unlimited capacity to love more children. And when she loves you, that means that she remembers you, your personal information, your eventual adoptive parents, your accomplishments, everything. We are here tonight because of Sandy’s amazing heart, which has always inspired us at CSC to scoot over a little and let another child in.
Another image that I have in my mind is a staircase. It is the staircase that leads up to Sandy’s office above the garage near the Cherne Home in Banawa. The stairs go up the side of the building and constitute a pretty good climb, especially for little ones. Hundreds and hundreds of children have made that fairly steep climb up to see Auntie Sandy. For some it was to have regularly scheduled counseling, or just to say hi and see if there might be a treat. It was worth the climb. But for many, climbing those stairs meant that the climber was in big trouble. If the house parents sent a child or children to see Sandy in her office, it was usually because of something fairly major that needed her attention. None of these kids hurried up the stairs. They knew that Auntie Sandy would be disappointed in them, that there would be repercussions for their behavior. Being in “big trouble” was never fun, and the stair leading up to her office certainly seemed long and steep.
The person waiting at the top of the stairs was always loving and fair, and, when necessary, firm. She was and is a symbol for what CSC is about. We not only have room on our branch for many kids, but we strive to do our best to provide loving, compassionate care for all of them. That involves meeting their emotional and spiritual needs, but also, it means having rules and expectations. It means that we love them enough to discipline them, even when that is far from being fun. It means that, sometimes, they need to walk up that seemingly long flight of steps to see Auntie Sandy. Away from the other kids. Away from any other distractions. Just one on one with Sandy, and her loving heart. We are here tonight because for the past years Auntie Sandy was at the top of those stairs, doing her very best to encourage, instruct, love, correct, inspire, befriend and, yes, discipline and introduce them to the One who would enter their hearts and change their lives for eternity.
Cebu City is very much a Roman Catholic city.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and the Sacred Heart of Jesus are two of the most popular parishes in our city. In Banawa there is a parish that sort of combines these two, and is known as the The Alliance of Two Hearts Parish. If you have ever visited Cebu and CSC you have almost certainly driven by that church on your way between the CSC office and the Shelter in Banawa. With no disrespect to that parish, and without ascribing divinity where it is not merited, I would respectfully submit that CSC has, for the past 35 years, been the Alliance of Two Hearts: The heart of our Lord Jesus, whose perfect love is at the center of everything we do at CSC, and that finite, fallible but unfailing heart of Auntie Sandy that beats in such an inspiring way for the kids of CSC.
Bless you Auntie Sandy.
Marlys’s Speech
In 1962 Sandy and her family moved to this community, and started attending this church. My father was the pastor at the time so that is how we met and became close friends immediately. At that time Constance Evangelical Free was a small country church, located on the corner across the street.
Sandy and I were extremely active and often whispered and giggled during the service. My dad would stop right in the middle of the sermon to tell us to be quiet or move to the front pew. Our naughty behavior helped us to understand some of the rambunctious children that we would eventually care for at CSC.
We went to everything at church; Sunday school, Vacation Bible school, the youth group, and Camp Shamineau for retreats and summer camp. We went to some of the same schools and graduated from Anoka High school in the early 70’s. Sandy and I took several trips around the US and to the Canary Islands. We never dreamed in those days that we would be called by the Lord to be missionaries on the other side of the world.
When we were children playing together in Constance years ago who would have thought that we would spend 36 years side by side taking care of precious children in the Philippines?
Working with Sandy has been a tremendous blessing, even in difficult times. We have had the privilege of working with many wonderful Filipinos that the Lord has called to be partners with us. Sandy was the Child Care Director and worked closely with all of our house parents and counselors, and trained our child care workers. Hundreds of children have been touched by her efforts and her dedication, and will never forget her unconditional love for them, including our daughters.
Sandy has always gone the extra mile to do what needed to be done, even if she worked 12 to 18 hour days, or more. It was a joy to travel around the island of Cebu with Sandy to visit children who were referred to CSC, and we spent countless hours taking care of sick children in the hospital or in our infirmary. In addition to being Auntie Sandy to all of the kids at CSC she also fulfills that role to adopted children here in the United States.
What a blessing that the Swanson family moved to Constance more than 50 years ago, and I’m so thankful that our friendship has lasted all these years. I can’t believe that the time has come for Sandy to retire, and I simply cannot imagine being in Cebu without her. One thing that will never change is our love and respect for her, and all of the wonderful memories will be in our hearts and minds for the rest of our lives. We give God all the praise and glory for using Sandy for the many years that she served at CSC.
We love you, dear friend.
Little Things
In science, the grade 3 students learned that a hand lens is a tool you can hold against your eyes to make little objects look bigger. It's amazing how these young scientists appreciate every little object and insect they can find and observe, which appears bigger through a hand lens. As their teacher, it was a great privilege for me to connect Psalm 8:4 ESV: "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" Often times, little things are neglected and overlooked simply because they appear insignificant. Even though we are just a speck of dust in this universe, the Lord is mindful of us, and He cares about every detail of His precious creation.
"Sometimes, little things make a big difference."― Nino Varsimashvili
A student gave this lovely flower early in the morning with a beautiful smile while saying, "Good morning, Teacher!" It's simple and little things, that makes the teacher's day extraordinary!
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Bright Future at Sun Valley
Getting rid of the old house is quite sentimental.
Welcoming the new one is monumental!
It's really a blessing from God and I am very excited for the residents to have this new home and for their bright future.
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A Wonderful Day at the Library: Our First School Year 2023-2024 Adventure
Hello there, book lovers! I had an awesome experience with my students, who had the most amazing library visit ever in the new school year, 2023-2024. It was a day filled with laughter, learning, and curiosity.
The first-grade students gathered in the library, and they couldn't stop wondering what they witnessed. Shelves were piled high with books of all types, and they felt like they had entered a whole new world of possibilities. They also sat in those comfortable beanbags, eager for the adventure to begin.
Teacher Merce, our librarian, accompanies them on this incredible journey; she began reading a fantastic story about a whale and a fish. Her voice was magical, bringing the story to life and taking the students on an underwater adventure.
The students didn't just sit there quietly, they were completely captivated! They raised their hands, expressed their opinions, and even predicted what would happen next. It was a worthwhile discussion of the story, and everyone had a great time.
And guess what? One of the enthusiastic students said that he was excited to visit the library to borrow books and everyone nodded in agreement. That's incredible! It's as though he couldn't wait to dive into new stories and discover new things.
When the story wrapped up, the excitement wasn't over. Teacher Merce showed them around the library and introduced them to all the wonderful books they could explore. The students ran their fingers along the book spines, imagining all the cool adventures they could have by picking up a book.
You could see the light in their eyes as they exited the library. This was more than just a typical library visit. It was the beginning of a whole new journey. The students were excited to read, learn, and use their imaginations. Who would have thought that a simple visit to the library could be so exciting and full of possibilities?
The inspiring story of my students' first library visit this school year serves as a reminder that books are like keys that can unlock endless doors to imagination and knowledge. So, remember the adventure that awaits you the next time you visit a library!
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Clean Slate
In the golden morning light as the world begins to awake
We welcome you to our school with a warm and glad decree,
Your spirits rose to such heights during the sun-kissed days of summer.
Now, in the embrace of our school, we will soar to the skies together.
There seems to be a passion in every heart,
With backpacks full of aspirations and unbridled curiosity.
We'll spend the day learning as we read enthralling stories
With heroic characters who are strong and courageous.
We'll develop and play our role, like blossoms, fresh and green,
In numbers, shapes, and art, as well as in wonders yet unseen
In the magnificent flood of learning, teachers stand
At your side, holding and guiding each tiny hand.
Therefore, let the bells ring out in a chorus of delight,
Saying, "Welcome back, my dear," in the midst of insight.
May knowledge fill your heart, in this magnificent school hall,
To the beginning of a new chapter so welcome one and all!
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Padayon (to continue, move forward)
(names removed for privacy)
As adults, we typically abhor traffic. A commute that takes 3 or 4-times longer than usual would be exhausting, leaving us on the verge of tears or on the verge of calling it quits. There are, however, those rare occasions when traffic jams can be one of the most amazing, uplifting, and life-altering experiences.
Not long ago, I walked into the Eicher home as [John] and [Jane] were preparing their packed lunches. I closed my rain-soaked umbrella, set it by the door, and made my way towards the kitchen where they worked diligently and with purpose. In an hour, they would be leaving for their second day of school.
"Uncle Roberto, you won't believe what happened yesterday," yelled [Jane].
"Yeah, it took us almost two hours to get home," added [John]. "It was amazing!"
Initially, I was confused by their statements. Yesterday was their first day at the University of Cebu. In fact, I had gone to the Eicher Home specifically to ask them about it. How were their teachers? How was the campus? How was the commute? Judging by their words, their first day of school was awful, and yet they seemed overjoyed and anxious to get back.
"What happened? Tell me about it," I asked.
They proceeded to tell me that the rain wreaked havoc on the roads; not a single vehicle was moving when they started their commute home. On top of that, all the Jeepneys were full, but even if they could get onto one it would likely be stuck in the bumper-to-bumper traffic from downtown to Banawa. They told me that they, along with the other CSC residents that attend UC (7 in total) decided to start walking together towards home while keeping an eye out for open seats on a jeepney. They eventually made their way to One Pavilion in Guadalupe when they called a house father to come pick them up and bring them the rest of the way.
I was in shock, but they were overjoyed. As they were sharing their story, it became clear that the source of their excitement was rooted in a deep sense of accomplishment. In their minds and in their hearts, they had finally done it. They had been taught and trusted by their houseparents and all of us at CSC to commute to school on their own, and they were able to accomplish the task on their first try, on their very first day, and in the face of difficult circumstances. In that moment, they had taken a big step towards independence and adulthood. Plus, they were able to experience something that, in many ways, is quintessentially Cebuano and quintessentially Filipino; something that they had heard every adult, every laborer, every taxi and jeepney driver, every Auntie and Uncle at CSC complain about. They were able to experience traffic, and like responsible adults, they didn't give up. They found a way to make it home, finish their schoolwork, and prepare themselves to do it all over again.
As I bid them farewell and opened my umbrella, I couldn't help but wonder what new and amazing things their second day of school would bring.
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