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!

I have been involved in a complete whirlwind of activity this week! For one thing, this week has been very busy because it is the first normal week we have had since the Christmas holidays. I have been working hard on catching up on my reports, and getting back into toddler program (we took a break for the holidays). So far it has all been going well! My reports are all caught up and toddler program has been a blast! It has been fun because we have a lot of younger toddlers moving up into the program. Our group moved from 9 toddlers to about 13 or 14! Needless to say, it has been a bit of a different dynamic! 

Another reason I have been busy is that I have been working hard on planning for my music recital. On February 2 at 6pm I will be having a music recital for my 8 voice and piano students. I have been planning everything from program order, to creating a program, creating invites, gathering supplies, preparing the kids, informing staff, houseparents and teachers and much much more! I have pretty much completed the program, and this is what my plans are thus far.  The program will exist in two parts.  The first half of the program will start with 6 Broadway vocal selections followed by a piano interlude. We will then have a brief intermission so that the kids have the chance to change costumes, and then the second half of the program will include Disney and movie classics.  

One thing I have been working on gathering this week is costumes. This has been really fun for me, considering my background in music and theater.  Each of the songs is sung by a different character, which means that some children have up to three different costumes! I am proud to say that I have found most of the costumes already, and am now just working on the finishing touches.  As you can tell from my writing, I am super excited for this event, and so are the kids! It has been so much fun to see them grow in their musical and theatrical abilities, and to watch some of them come out of their shells as they gain confidence through music. 

Well… O.K. Let’s give credit where credit is due. 

God did it. 

We went into our final days of 2014 needing $50,000 more in donations. That’s a huge number! I have to admit I was doubtful we would meet budget. However, the gifts that arrived on the last few days of 2014 totaled $54,000, just over the amount we needed!

As we look to 2015, we think about all of the CSC kids who will leave us to join their adoptive families and all the children who will come to us for care. We look forward to continuing to provide food, shelter, medicine, education and love to the children in need in the Philippines. We are so thankful for the amazing supporters that keep this work going. You make such a difference!  

Happy New Year!

Christmas is a pretty big deal in the Philippines, yes, you might argue that it is a big deal to many other places as well, but it is only in this country where you start hearing Christmas music in September!!  :)  

Similarly, Christmas at CSC is a big deal.  There are many events and traditions held.  It is an important value at CSC that this very significant holiday is celebrated well and that it's true meaning is highlighted, amongst the glitz and glamour of the presents and beautifully lighted Christmas trees.  

Of course there is quite a bit of planning that happens even before December, but the break-neck pace of non-stop Christmas parties, dinners, programs, and other such events begins around the middle of the month.

Below you will see pictures taken during the hair/make-up/all other kind of prep done before Cebu Children of Hope School's annual Christmas program.  This year, the main feature was a play called Hotel Bethlehem, a modern spin put on the Christmas story.  It was a huge success!  The children put their hearts into it.  And the countless hours invested by the teachers (rehearsing lines, making the set, working on the sound equipment and many other tasks) could be seen in that night's polished production!

A beloved tradition at CSC is the annual Progressive Dinner.  The children travel to the homes of the missionary staff to enjoy some food and to hear and see different parts of the Christmas story acted out.  After the groups have made it to each home and are quite busog (full) they head back home and the missionary staff follow and everyone enjoys eating cinnamon rolls in the shape of a Christmas tree!  It is a great night of fun and food, but the true meaning of Christmas---Jesus' birth is shared in a memorable way as well!

Another really special event during this time of year is called Junel's Box.  It is a great opportunity for our kids, who once had nothing, to give to others.  Every year, our social workers find a family in the community in need of assistance.  We share information about this family to our kids and give them the opportunity to give money from their bank (they receive an allowance each week for completing their chores).  That money is then used to buy the things the family needs, such as food, house needs, building equipment, clothes, etc.  And their generosity astounds---it happens frequently that a child will give all of the money in their bank, without hesitation.  Below you will see pictures from the day we delivered all of those goods.  The family was so grateful and our kids were able to help others, to give to others, when so many of them had once been on the other side of need.

People that know about CSC often want to bless our kids around the holidays and this year was no different!  Marriott Hotel contacted CSC to say that they wanted to throw a Christmas party for our 7-10 year olds.  We were so excited!  Marriott came and picked up 28 of our kids and a handful of our adults and treated them to an afternoon of storytelling, Christmas cookie decorating (and eating!), balloon popping, snacks, present opening and eating (I say it so many times because it was a frequent activity!)

And on Christmas Eve night, Santa came to the Philippines!  There are many new children at CSC at this time and for them, this was the first Christmas experience they had ever had.  Several were a bit wary of Santa, but with gift in hand he seemed to be an okay guy.  It was such a blessing to see the ecstatic smiles of those getting their first Christmas gift---but for those not new to CSC---well, they were still extremely excited as well.  A Christmas like this is only made possible by those of you who give, so I just want to say a special thank you for your generosity! 

Christmas day is not complete at CSC without the formal Christmas dinner.  The missionary staff, the house parents and all of the children enjoy a nice meal outside together!  The food is good, the tables are decorated beautifully, the children get all dressed up and the meal is finished with Christmas cookies for dessert!  This year, after the meal, everyone went to the school to participate in a unique telling of the Christmas story, interspersed with the singing of hymns.  After that came a time of prayer.  As you will see in the pictures, not all of the little ones made it through the whole event!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!  CSC has been blessed this year and we trust that God will continue to provide for this ministry and these children.  Thank you for reading about the many Christmas traditions at CSC.  What is your favorite Christmas tradition in your family?

Nothing brings a boy more joy than playing with his very own "caperlaler"---i.e. caterpillar!  :)

Some of his playmates were a bit hesitant to go near to it at first, for fear that it would bite!

Once she held it and learned it was docile, it was immediately cute and she wanted to hold it again and again!  Oh, and pose for pictures again and again!

He is now holding a "pling mantus"--praying mantis!  He is a lover of the critters!  :)