Staff Blog
Two weeks ago, my family (Joel, Ethan, Shari, Paul) and I had the great opportunity to visit friends and relatives in Japan. Joel, Shari and I spoke at Kurume Christ Church (previously described by Shari in her blog) about CSC and their foster friends. We also had the chance to visit Wheelchairs of Hope.
Wheelchairs of Hope is a non-profit organization in Japan that refurbishes and distributes used wheelchairs donated by companies, individuals and other organizations. Their main beneficiaries are the countries around Asia. As of February 9, 2016, they have given away 2,000+ wheelchairs all over Asia including the Philippines.
In 2009, through the
connections of friends in Japan, Wheelchairs of Hope donated a wheelchair to
CSC. Since then, we have been in their
minds as a wheelchair recipient. Whenever
they ship wheelchairs to the Philippines, Wheelchairs of Hope never fails to
contact us and ask if we need a wheelchair or two. It was a wonderful surprise to see a picture
of John Ray, who received a wheelchair from them, at their warehouse. Even though it was 7 years ago, they kept John
Ray’s picture in a frame, never forgetting the little time they shared with him. One of the people who came to CSC in 2009 still
remembered John Ray and asked how he is doing.
I like visiting and hearing stories about other organizations and foundations that have a heart like Children’s Shelter of Cebu; at the same time, sharing our story with them. God uses different people from different walks of life to serve His people and glorify His name. Having visited Wheelchairs of Hope made me proud of the work we are doing at CSC and humble at the same time.
“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”—2 Timothy 2:20-21 NIV
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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