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.
Sportsfest is Coming!
A week from today Cebu Children of Hope School will be having their annual Sportsfest. The kids have signed up for their events and are anxiously awaiting. They are excited to participate in track and field events. The teacher are busy preparing the ribbons and getting the equipment ready for the big event. The Kids along with the teachers are preparing a banner and cheer for each team. Everyone is excited!
Here are some photo of the teachers getting ready. Check back next Friday to see pictures of the kids in their events and to hear more about Sportsfest 2016! 
The Teacher's of CCHS are very busy making awards!
The venue is ready for the Sportsfest
Uncle Edwin is preparing the hurdles. 
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The "business" of CSC
CSC is in the "business" of loving kids. Of course our ministry has a much longer mission statement, and any of our business-type documents would describe what we do in a more complex manner. However, when it comes down to what CSC does, it really and truly is, plain and simple: we love our kids.
And because we love them, we want what is best for them. And what is best for them usually means leaving CSC and becoming part of their own forever family.
In the last few weeks of 2015 and in the first several days of 2016, CSC has welcomed a handful of loving adoptive families, and said goodbye to many precious children. This is the nature of our work and every goodbye is an answered prayer. Though the tears may fall as we wave at departing vehicles, we are all truly happy to witness God's handiwork.
It is such a pleasure to meet and get to know adoptive families. How they arrive to the shelter so excited and already in love with a child that they have usually only seen in pictures and read about in a few reports amazes me every time. I love when they share their stories of how God gave them this particular child or how He let them know they needed to adopt those siblings. And how understanding these families are about what their child(ren) are going through: the fears they have, the uncertainty. One family that adopted a young boy last year always spoke about how brave he was to be leaving everything he had ever known. And I am again in awe of how God works and how He brings families to CSC to take children that have been loved powerfully here so that they will be loved powerfully elsewhere.
A new year has started and I know that in this coming year there will be more kids to leave CSC, and more families to come. Business as usual. And what a blessed "business" it is!
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Back to School!
After two weeks of Christmas break, the students are back to school! Freshly sharpened pencils and new units are all a part of getting back into the routine of school. In our class, we began a new reading unit: “Survival”. The students were very excited to see new books in our classroom library that were about our reading theme. When the students have free time after completing their work, they are encouraged to read books from the classroom library. As a teacher, I like to set goals for what I want to see my students achieve. In this unit, I wanted them to have the opportunity to read more chapter books. I intentionally placed more chapter books in our classroom library with the hope that they would challenge themselves. Well, after a week of being back in the classroom, several students were up to the challenge! Two students have already successfully finished one chapter book and are planning on starting a new one next week! Other students are working on finishing the books they have started. These students are bringing these books to read during snack time and are often reading interesting passages out loud to each other. The best part? They are discovering that they actually enjoy reading and finding out what kinds of stories most interest them. I would say that after a long break, we have had success in coming back to school.
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Reflections
Children's Shelter of Cebu started with young and inexperienced, but faithful and Godly, people from MN in 1979. At that time, those five Americans shared a home with just one bathroom with three Filipinos as they began the ministry by taking care of a seven-year-old girl and a few babies. All of the adults took care of babies in their rooms or by their beds. They took turns washing dirty diapers, making bottles, and cooking food for everyone. They also made disheartening discoveries that some of the clothes they had hung out to dry were stolen from the yard by the neighbors. Learning language was challenging and sometimes humorous. One story I heard was that one of the missionary staff had mistakenly ordered mosquito in a restaurant instead of chicken because of a misspoken Cebuano word. Another story involved the use of a staff member’s shoe to retrieve his last one peso coin that had rolled into some gunk in the gutter. Otherwise, he would have had to walk home from the city all the way to Bulacao, which was five miles away. Another memory was the staff needing to talk to the employees because the ministry needed to tighten its belt when funds were low. Other organizations here in Cebu City assisted CSC with donations during that time so that the kids never missed out on a meal.
In 36 years as a ministry, CSC has gotten bigger with three homes at the shelter and a teen home, serving 85 children by the end of the year 2015. In 1979, the CSC staff relied on God and what He could do through the first few supporters of the ministry. In 2015, that same faith and reliance on God continued to be as strong as before. God continues to prove to us He is true and faithful! Once again, He has done this through the financial giving of CSC’s supporters and CSC finished the year 2015 in the black.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:4-6
"Praise the Lord, all you nations; For great is His love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord." Psalm 117
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It all comes down to this!
We stand with humble awe at all the people who love our children. You're amazing. At the beginning of December, we needed $530,000 to reach our 2015 income goal. When the week started it was $239,000. These numbers have been daunting to look at!
At each stage, people have stepped up to care for orphaned children. One by one, we have seen gifts come in for $25, $50, $500, even $40,000. Each gift makes a difference. What matters is people pitch in however they can...and people have! As of this blog post, with 35 hours to go, we need $73,034. It is still a big number, but with your help we can do it. Your donation, regardless of amount, will make an impact.
Thank you for considering the Children's Shelter of Cebu as a place you would give to.
You might be wondering, "what exactly does CSC do?" Many things, but it all boils down to just five words. We have a simple motto: Every child deserves a family.
We are home to children who have lost their parents. They come to us from hospitals, from government officials who have found them in need and from caregivers dropping them off at our door. They are hurting, and almost always ill--sometimes gravely. We have four homes in Cebu City, Philippines, where today 89 children are being given loving care. Our goal is to love them as much like a family would as possible. Here are some of the ways we do that:
- As nurses. We have our own infirmary and a small medical team who work with 26 doctors in Cebu (many of whom donate their services). Our kids have a lot of needs in this area and we meet them.
- As teachers. We have our own school, and it is top notch. We have low student-teacher ratios and a wonderful faculty who love the students they teach.
- As advocates. We seek adoption for our children through various government systems. CSC children have been placed for adoption in 15 countries.
- As caregivers. Our houseparents love our children like family. The childcare staff are there for them consistently. We understand the importance of relational bonds and foster them.
- As counselors. We have two full-time counselors on staff to guide the children towards healing.
- As stewards. We have received Charity Navigator's highest rating, 4 stars, for the fourth consecutive year. Just 9% of nonprofits can say the same.
CSC is a Christian, interdenominational ministry. We serve children regardless of their faith standing, but the priority of our care is to show them the love of God. The truth of God and his love for children is at the heart of who we are, and has been since we started in 1979.
We would be honored if you would join us in this important work. If you decide to give, know we are deeply grateful. Thank you!
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