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.
Rainy Day Activities
Most days in the Philippines are sunny and hot. This past week a typhoon was passing by the Philippines bringing clouds and rain. Only the edge of the typhoon affected Cebu City, so at the shelter the temperature cooled a little and it rained off and on for several days.
The kids wore long sleeve shirts to school to stay comfortable while studying and learning. After school though, the activities changed from the normal routine. The kids could not play soccer on the playground or climb on the jungle gym. They had to stay inside, so they filled their afternoons with drawing, building boxes, reading and hanging with babies.
At CSC, we are blessed to have wonderful homes to shelter the children. We are especially reminded of this whenever bad weather is threatening. Thank you to all who help keep these homes safe and secure for the children.
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MARBLES! MARBLES! MARBLES!
Marbles is one of the traditional games played by Filipino children.
Last week, Level C2 kids read a story entitled “The Marble Champ” by Gary Soto. They were so excited to read the story! They wanted to know the rules and how to play the game. When I announced to the class about our upcoming marble game championship, everyone was frantic with excitement. At first, everyone was laughing because they had a hard time rolling the marble from their thumb to hit the targeted marbles. Good thing they didn’t give up! Whenever they had extra time, they spent it practicing. One of my students even asked me how to squeeze the eraser (that is the thumb exercise the main character of our story was doing) properly to strengthen their thumb muscles!
Friday came and the game began! They were divided into 2 sets with 3 competitors each. Everyone was taking the game seriously.
The winner of each set competed with one another in a new “arena”. Everyone was holding their breath and wondering who would win the game.
At last, the games ended and Level C2 kids announced their first MARBLE CHAMPION!
- Karen Faburada
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Lunch Time Hug
The lunch hour was winding down and the kids started trickling into school. I was talking with Uncle Jerry near the entrance and giving “high fives” to the kids as they walked by us. They went to change out of their shoes for their slippers before lining up for class.
One of the newer kids came up to me before joining her classmates in line. She stretched out her arms and gave me a hug. I asked her what class she was starting her afternoon in. She said Filipino class with Teacher Cora was her first class. She asked what I was going to do in the afternoon. I told her I was going to do work on my computer. When it was time to line up, she released her hug, gave me a smile, and we said, “see you this afternoon in school” to each other.
Now I sit at my computer, thinking of the things she is learning in class. One hug from a kid can power a person through a whole week of computer work.
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Inspirational Speaker
The past few months we, the therapists at CSC, have been grooming Jacob into an inspirational speaker. Our main goal is to spread disability awareness to people around the city of Cebu and, through Jacob, inspire them to try to approach life positively, praising and worshiping God.
A great way to kick-off Jacob’s speaking career was within the walls of CSC at Children of Hope School on June 19. We invited the kids, CSC workers, staff and visitors. Everybody was excited for the day to arrive.
Our speaker, Jacob, got more and more excited as the day approached. He was nicely dressed in a polo shirt and tie, and was probably not expecting a huge number of people in the audience. Joemar, Jacob’s trusted roommate, opened up in prayer. Auntie Sandy introduced our inspirational speaker, and what an introduction it was!
In his speech, Jacob talked about his home, CSC, the people around him and how they influence him. He also shared about living with cerebral palsy and how he has dealt with his disability every single day. He reminded the audience to be happy and content in whatever state and condition we are in; God made us perfect and will use us to bless others. Jacob showed a video of what a typical day for him is like from sun up to sun down and he gave a video tour of his room and home.
Last week was Jacob’s first speaking engagement outside CSC. Evangelical Theological College of the Philippines or ETCP, with its dean Pastor Lowell Tallo, was very generous to have Jacob speak to their students. They all gave Jacob a warm welcome and asked a lot of questions.
Jacob left ETCP, happy, inspired and blessed, looking forward to his next opportunity to meet and share with others.
Check out the videos below: A Day in the Life of Jacob and Jacob's Speech
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A Conversation
Level B2 (grade 3) has 8 students. During my first day at Cebu Children of Hope School, I was really fascinated with the students that I have. In my 2 years of teaching at other schools, I had more than 30 students in my classes. I am lucky that I am now at CCHS.
One day last week, one of my students touched me so much. He asked for help because he didn’t know how to answer a question. To be fair to the other students, I told him to read the question again and analyze it. However, he insisted so I explained the question to him and at the same time I tried to get to know him a bit more. We talked about where he had come from and a bit about his family. Suddenly he started crying. His classmates told him to stop crying, but it didn’t work. I talked with him some more and asked him, “Did you cry because of your family or did you cry because you could not answer the question?” He did not answer and instead he bowed his head. I asked him again, “Is it about your family?” He nodded. Then he looked up and smiled at me and said, “I’m okay teacher and thank you for helping me.”
-Clayd Verzales, Level B Teacher
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