Staff Blog
I would like
say thank you, not only that Children of Hope School has given me a remarkable
honor, but also for the weeks of fear and
anxiety that I have endured at the thought of this big responsibility.
The sleepless nights finally convinced me that I can be a speaker once in my
lifetime. Since I had been here for five
years as a school teacher, it is a great advantage because I can
think that this is a simple reunion.
I have finally set my heart and mind about what I am going to talk about today. To the graduates, particularly Eugene, Epifanio, Analiza, and Wilmar, today is a day of celebration and thanksgiving. You have all worked hard to make it to this day. It has been a long journey and you have reached this far.
The staff, the teachers and therapists in the school, the house parents, and the uncles and aunties in the shelter, were all there and have witnessed when you started practicing on holding a pencil, when you were singing loudly the ABC song, when you were learning to write the letters of the alphabet, when you were trying to read the words with care, and when you were tirelessly counting the numbers from 1 to 100 until you have grown up and have improved your abilities like writing your stories and autobiography, performing an experiment in science, solving problems in math, and showcasing your talent in theater, music and arts, and even sports! Above all these, you have grown up with a personal relationship with the Lord. It’s been a long journey to have finished your elementary years in school, to have developed skills and values, and to grow up rich in spirit. Congratulations, graduates!
Going back to my own elementary commencement, just like you sitting in the front row, my heart was filled with thanksgiving. At 12 years old, I had already been planning on becoming a teacher and had dreamed of landing a job because, primarily, I wanted to elevate my family's situation. My parents were poor and , thus, I am poor. Then, when I was in the 5th grade, my father passed away. But I am blessed that my family stayed strong and had faith in the Lord. Since then, every day is a miracle. Although I am very much acquainted with the hardships in life, I did not use being poor as an excuse not to finish my education. As a matter of fact, with the support of my family, teachers and friends, I had all the motivation to work harder, to do well in my studies, and to give the best version of myself. I am very determined to learn more and even willing to run an extra mile for education.
In the midst of the challenges and hardships in life, I was successful in my academic journey. So, after college, I looked for a job. In June 2009, I was accepted here in Children of Hope School as a shadow teacher of Wilmar and an I.I. instructor for the kids in the afternoon. After a year, I was promoted to a regular teaching job and was assigned in Level B2. Some of you here were once my students then.
So why am I telling you all of this? That day on my elementary graduation, I was young like you, but was very determined to reach my dreams. And now with the blessings of the Lord, I have made some of them come true, like being a teacher and to have done the things that I love to do. Therefore, I want you to be reminded of not giving up on your dreams and to have faith that you will reach your goals. More than that, I am humbled that I was a part of this ministry and learned that life is more meaningful when it is shared with a cause. My five year stay in this school was one of the memorable times in my life and it was way greater than what I have dreamed of.
To the graduates, be grateful to the people that have supported you along the way. The CSC staff and supporters, the childcare staff which includes the uncles and aunties in the shelter, the medical staff, the teachers and therapists in school, and the maintenance staff, they were the set of people who DARED to choose you, serving and molding you to become what you are right now. They are the set of people who CARED not about your past, but on where you’re heading in the future. They are the set of people who SHARED their time, effort, love, and prayers so you won’t be left behind. They dared, cared, and shared because you are special. So dear graduates, we need you to make the most of the wonderful opportunities that have been given to you.
You may not remember everything I’ve said today, but my message to you is that: Do not give up on your dreams and make them all come true. My hope is that you will have the passion, the courage, the faith, and the sense of responsibility it takes so that you’ll be successful in high school and in the next years of your education. Again, congratulations and God bless you graduates. Thank you very much.
Precious Water
What do you do when there’s no water?
It was a very fine cold (relatively speaking, of course, because the temperature rarely gets below about 70 degrees) Tuesday morning at Cebu Children of Hope School. Everyone was ready for their classes. Later during our first morning class, one of the Level B2 students asked to go to the bathroom. I said, “Can you wait until 9:25 at snack time?” The student replied, “Yes teacher.” So at 9:25 everyone left to use the bathroom and wash their hands before heading to the snack room. Unfortunately, when they turned on the faucets, there wasn’t any water because one of the float switches wasn’t working.
Instead of getting upset, the kids found other
ways to wash their hands so they could eat their snacks. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait very long
for the water problem to be fixed.
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Let's Eat!
Food is made up of nutrients that are very essential for our bodies. It is good to teach kids the importance of eating nutritious foods.
Every July is Nutrition Month for all schools in the Philippines. On July 28 we had our culminating program for Nutrition Month. Lots of activities were prepared and the kids were very excited. There were coloring activities, preparing and cooking food and classifying pictures of different foods. The kids enjoyed the coloring activities. They also liked being involved in preparing and cooking food. The kids were divided into groups and each group was assigned a food to prepare and cook. The different groups made garlic bread, chicken nuggets, fruit cocktail and calamansi juice.
During the classifying foods activity, the groups cut out pictures of different foods and classified them into three categories: Go, Grow and Glow foods. Then they glued the pictures on a poster explained their work.
One of the students who was reporting for his group kept practicing his lines and asked, “Teacher, sakto ba ko? (Teacher, am I right?) Go foods give us energy, Grow foods give us protein and Glow foods give us vitamins and minerals.” I answered him with a nod of my head and a thumbs up.
At the end of the program, the kids enjoyed eating the food they had prepared and cooked. Yum!
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Kids helping kids
It is always fun when kids reach out to help other kids who are in need.
And it is especially gratifying when in involved kids who were adopted from CSC but want to help those who are left behind. There is power in their prayers and so much love in their giving!
Recently we heard from a family that adopted some of our kids last year. Their oldest son announced that he wants to raise funds to buy hearing aids for his best friend who still lives at CSC. He hasn't forgotten his buddy and his special needs! I don't know if those who are reading this blog can know just how good that makes us feel here in Cebu. This boy has not forgotten where he came from or the needs of his friends who are still waiting for adoption. It is a testament not only to his big heart, but to his parents who have kept kept the ministry in front of him and encouraged him to think beyond his own needs and desires. It warms my heart and brings a tear to my eye.
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Memorial Gifts
I have always appreciated the memorial gifts that come in to
CSC. It is a real honor for us when families designate CSC as the recipient of
memorials given at the funeral or memorial service. It is humbling to receive
those gifts, and challenging to use them in a way that honors the life of the
deceased, and his or her love for our ministry.
Recently I have seen this whole thing from another perspective - from the side of the family designating the memorials for CSC. My dad, Jer, passed in June, and it was his desire that any memorial gifts go to CSC. I know some families have disagreements over such decisions. For us it was easy. Jer loved CSC. Up to his dying day he was proud of the ministry and talked it up with people he would meet or who would visit him. He visited Cebu several times, served on our Board and volunteered as our banquet emcee and narrator on many of our media presentations He and my mom have always been generous supporters of CSC. In the early days of the ministry, when supporters were hard to come by, Jer's colleagues at Bethel College rallied around us out of respect for him. They knew how much he believed in the ministry of CSC. And Jer sacrificed a lot for my decision to leave home to serve on the other side of the world, not having me or my family around much for the past 37 years.
I can tell you that, as a family, we appreciated being able to honor Jer by designating his memorial gifts to a ministry that he and so many people loved. Many of those who gave memorials are regular CSC supporters. Some have visited Cebu. It was a natural thing to do for us. And I believe that the same can be said for lots of families. We can honor the deceased with the gift of life for the childen in Cebu.
Thanks to all who give memorial gifts for friends of CSC.
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Exploring the World Through Reading
Reading is the complex cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning. Through reading, you expose yourself to new things, new information, new ways to solve problems, and new ways to achieve things. Who knows – you might find a new hobby. Who knows – you might explore something you really like and it may end up becoming your career. Exploration begins with reading and understanding. Reading exposes you to a world of imagination, showing you nothing is impossible. By reading, you can explore different ways to look at things and how different actions lead to different results. Books expand your imagination. It’s like a huge spider web, where you link together things you know. You also learn new things creating new solutions and answers.
Last week we had our Reading Challenge Kick-off, a six week reading contest, at Children of Hope School. During this activity we encouraged the students to become broader readers and to appreciate how wonderful and amazing books are.
What struck me the most during the kick-off was the excitement on the faces of the students. Everybody wanted “in.” No complaining here. Instead the kids said, “Teacher, when can we check out books?” “I will not play anymore, instead I’ll keep on reading to earn points.” “I want to earn the highest points!” “I want to read as many books as I can.” These words amazed me because our children were really motivated to read.
Read, read, and read more to learn and explore the world around you. Reading is fun!
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