Staff Blog
How can people be so heartless?
How can people be so cruel?
Easy to be hard, easy to be cold
How can people have no feelings?
How can they ignore their friends?
Easy to be proud, easy to say no.
Songwriters: Ragni, Gerome / Rado, James / Mac Dermot, Galt
The words of this song from the late 60s were brought to mind recently when a 12 year-old boy was referred to us. His story reveals the heartlessness and cruelty of people, and the ways that some children have to suffer at their hands. We'll call this boy Roberto and his younger brother, Michael.
Roberto and Michael were brought to an orphanage in Cebu City when they were babies. The orphanage, which was connected to a Protestant church, was not a good place. When the boys were older they were abused. Punishment was severe, sometimes cruel. The lady who was in charge of the place was the one dealing out the beatings. Luckily, the place was closed down and the children were parceled out to other child caring institutions. CSC got three girls from that place, but we did not have room for boys at the time, so Roberto and his brother, then nine and 10, went to live at a home for children on a neighboring island. Shortly after there arrival there, one of the boys threatened Roberto. (The home catered to older kids, and their residents included some who had lived on the streets and were used to fighting and intimidation.) On the second night they were there, Roberto decided to run away. Michael was afraid to go out into the dark night, but Roberto was able to find a young boy, just five years old, to go with him. The gate was always left open so they had no trouble getting away.
Roberto only knew one place to go, back to the church where he had lived. He didn't know that it was 18 miles from where they were starting out. And they had to cross a long bridge that led to Cebu island. But he knew he wanted to leave that place, so off they went into the night.
It took two days and nights to get to the church. They slept
along the road, wherever they could find a spot that looked safe. On the second
morning Roberto woke up and discovered that his little companion was gone.
Without a trace. All he could do was keep going. When he finally got to the
church he found that it was closed up. The gate was locked. One of the former
orphanage workers said that he could be their family's houseboy, but that didn't
last for long. One day that family packed up and left, and Roberto had no place
to go.
Out of desperation, he found a big piece of cardboard which
became his bed for the 
next months. He slept just outside the locked gate of
the former church/orphanage. He would look for food wherever
he could find it, in garbage cans or occasional handouts from neighbors. Other
times he would steal food to feed his hungry stomach, which enraged people in
the community. He was often beaten by neighborhood boys. One family took pity
on him and would stop the boys from beating him, and would give him food. Life
was hard for Roberto. No place to live. Nobody to take him in. He missed his
brother and worried about the boy who had disappeared along the way. How can
people be so heartless? How can they be so cruel?
One of the compassionate neighbors knew about CSC and informed us about the situation of Roberto. We get lots of referrals and can not respond immediately to all of them. Eventually our social worker and counselor went to visit Roberto and hear his story. They were overwhelmed by the things that had happened to him. In the next few days we made contact with the place where Michael was staying and arranged a meeting with their social worker. Two of our social workers, Chris and our new Social Worker Director, Klaris, and our counselor, Eldie, made the trip to the neighboring island to discuss the boys' case. Michael was relieved to hear that Roberto was okay. He hadn't heard anything about him for a year and a half. Both boys wanted to be reunited and it was determined that this should happen the next day at CSC.
The reunion was so sweet for the boys. They were more than a
little amazed at the facilities of CSC and the course of events that had
brought them back together. After more counseling and some medical
tests, and a talk with a representative of the place where Michael was living,
our staff made the decision to admit Michael and Roberto. The boys would no
longer be separated and Roberto's days of homelessness would end. It was an
exciting day for all of us. They boys needed to go back to their respective
places, get the few things they owned, and say goodbye before becoming official
CSC kids. But first we brought them to Jollibee, a fast food restaurant near
CSC. It was so much fun to watch the boys eat and laugh. It must have seemed a
little surreal to them to be together at that place with a group of adults who
were concerned about them and wanted them to be together in a nice and safe place.
Roberto was not able to finish his chicken and we were surprised when he asked
if he could have a bag for "take-home."
When they got to the place where Roberto had been staying, he ran to one of the houses near the church, the place where one of the people who had protected him from the cruel boys lived. This was the first person who had shown concern for him, maybe in his whole life. Roberto wanted to give this guy the leftover chicken from Jollibee! It was one of the most touching things that we have known about in our many years of working with kids. A few acts of kindness had made a huge difference in Roberto's life and he wanted to say "thank you" in the only way he knew how.
Later that day the boys were
officially admitted, and spent the night in the infirmary while 
we waited for
their lab results. The next morning they moved into the Cherne Home, where
house parents Tarex and Pureza and the children welcomed them. It was the
biggest day in their lives, so far. And there are many big days ahead. They
will be making a lot of new friends and will soon be enrolled in our Children
of Hope School. They won't be apart. They won't be hungry. If they are sick
they will be provided with the best medical care available in the Philippines.
If they are sad they'll be comforted. And they will get the chance to learn
about a loving Heavenly Father and a friend and Savior who will never abandon
them.
Yes, its easy to be heartless. Easy to be cruel. But its also easy to be kind. Easy to be a needed friend. Kids need a friend. Thanks to all who make it possible for us to say yes to kids like these two and the many others who need the love and care of our Shelter.
Birthday Prayer
Meet a delightful five-year-old who is eagerly anticipating his birthday this month.
Four months ago, whenever I had a chance to talk with him, the topic of our conversation was always his birthday. He was already excited for his next birthday! But, unlike other children who come up to me telling me what birthday gifts they want to receive, this boy had asked that he and I should celebrate our birthdays together, since mine is in April. He wants me to pray for him on his birthday and that he will pray for me.
This exchange of conversation has been going on since then. What struck me the most is this five-year-old boy giving a particular importance for prayer, birthday prayer to be specific. This is our hope. For children to have a heart of prayer. And for us at CSC, to be picked by the birthday celebrant to pray for them is such an honor. If you are celebrating your birthday or just celebrated your birthday, I pray that you will be a blessing to others and that the Lord will use you mightily!
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S.M.I.L.E.
"A smile is worth a thousand words."
Julie A. Walker
Most, if not all, of the children who come to CSC find it challenging to convey their feelings. While very few can use words, most of them are not able to. Sadness or fear are usually expressed in silence, tears, tantrums, or stomach aches. Joy or happiness is expressed in hugs, drawings, flowers, or petals picked along the driveway, and mostly in SMILES.
A child's smile keeps us going. When days are long and overwhelming, the genuine smiles on our children's faces give us the strength to carry on.
A child's smile reminds us to count our blessings, especially during the days when we lack cheerfulness and forget all the good things.
A child's smile speaks gratitude to our hearts. Even when words are absent, we still hear their "thank you's."
A child's smile is contagious. Even when our hearts are heavy, we smile because they do.
A child's smile matters because not all children can or will smile at CSC. But when they do, we know our language of love speaks to their hearts.
A CSC child's ...
S – smile gives warmth
M - making our day bright,
I - inspiring us to not give up,
L – leaving a mark in our hearts, and
E – encouraging us to look forward to brighter days ahead.
Dear child,
Thank you for your smile. You don't know how many hearts you have touched when you smile.
May God continue to put a smile on your face and make us instruments for such. May your smile
reflect God's sweet embrace and loving touch in your life today and always.
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A Happy Attitude Leads to Greatness
As the eldest of nine siblings, I was always responsible for most of the household tasks. I used to whine
about the chores my parents gave me. But then my father told me that no matter how simple a task is,
like picking up a spoon, if you don't put love into it, it will be difficult.
From that point forward, I used that simple concept to accomplish my goals, and I was pleased that I
was successful in several ways.
In my teaching career, I apply this through our morning meeting activities in the classroom. Morning
meetings are a school-wide classroom management strategy that meets kids' social-emotional learning needs regularly. Every morning, teachers assemble their students in a circle for 15 to 30 minutes to socialize and start the day. This classroom management technique is a fantastic help for us teachers as we transition students to their goals in class. I can tell which students require more time to code-switch
their feelings into a learning mindset, transforming negative emotions into positive ones.
In my eight years of teaching at CCHS, I've noticed that kids who are emotionally preoccupied with
unnecessary thoughts are unable to comprehend the concept being taught and it is challenging for them to retain the information.
To assist the students, I allow them time to process their feelings/thoughts that were unrelated to the
classroom discussion and be ready once they are inside the classroom, or I explained their role
through pre- or post-class discussion. Then, tell them that there is a time for everything, and to set aside
what initially bothers them and focus on the purpose of their coming to school and deal with their other
thoughts another time.
I believe success occurs when you have a positive attitude, choosing to love, and be cheerful in all that
you do. Being happy and contented in our daily interaction leads to great things in this world, no matter
how challenging the circumstances are.
Proverbs 15:13 says: "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit."
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Sparks of Joy
Aristotle once remarked, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts," yet holistic well-being often falters when individual elements are neglected. Thus, the Tibuok ug Kabahin (whole and part) initiative for mental health awareness came into being. This endeavor spotlights the complete spectrum of emotional, psychological, and social well-being, collectively defining our mental health. It underscores how these facets influence our responses to stress, interactions with others, and the choices we make.
Having had the opportunity to care for children with a range of adverse experiences, we encounter indirect trauma and carry our own stories of adversity. Our joy is often stolen from us due to these experiences, emphasizing the need to prioritize mental health to maintain a healing atmosphere.
Through the initiative, we were able to foster fellowship and create a space where vulnerability was encouraged. It provided us with a sense of being seen and heard. It was a moment to take a long sigh after years of working hard, indulging in good food and massages, and sharing laughter. Not only did it raise awareness about the importance of mental health and well-being, but it also gave us an opportunity to embrace our stories, no matter how complicated, painful, or heavy they were. And that brought healing to each one of us.
Overall, the Tibuok ug Kabahin (whole and part) initiative serves as a testament to the transformative power of acknowledging and prioritizing mental health, fostering an environment where healing becomes a shared endeavor. May we continue to cultivate spaces that encourage vulnerability, celebrate the human experience, and inspire the pursuit of joy, both in our personal lives and within the workplaces that shape our daily existence.
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Looking Forward!
Blessed to be a Blessing
Another year is upon us. Already! Someone once said, "The days are long, but the years are short." I'm not so sure any more. It seems that time is moving faster and faster, at lease for me it is. So, what do we do?! We LOOK FORWARD with anticipation for all that God will do with the time He gives us and consider ourselves BLESSED—and blessed to be a blessing.
Henri Nouwen writes, "It is remarkable how easy it is to bless others, to speak good things to and about them, to call forth their beauty and truth, when you yourself are in touch with your own blessedness. The blessed one always blesses. And people want to be blessed! The voice that calls us the Beloved will give us words to bless others and reveal to them that they are no less blessed than we."
For CSC, the new year holds countless opportunities. There will be birthdays to celebrate. There will be comings and goings of children who enter our homes and those who are placed with families. There will be many milestones to celebrate, both for the children in our care AND for the employees who care for them. Not to mention there is a massive construction project going on currently that, Lord willing, will be ready for move-in at the end of the year—but such much to do before then for that to happen!
We at CSC commit the year to upholding our Mission as a way of being blessed to be a blessing. We know first and foremost that we exist to glorify God and demonstrate His love to those around us—being a blessing. We look forward to all that comes our way and we hope that, just maybe, you will cross our path at some point in the year, too.
Blessings,
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