Staff Blog
Life at CSC is not all roses. Just like other ministries, we have our ups and downs but we rise above all our challenges and rest in peace that our God is bigger than those challenges.
For those of you who do not know my background, I am a licensed Physical Therapist and have been doing the job of a PT until recently when the need of a staff in the Child Development department was urgent. I was moved in this department in July of last year and started my missionary role at the same time.
I tell you, the 9 months in this department was not easy. It is an everyday challenge. I was trained to deal with people who come to me in search of healing for physical ailments and challenges they might have. I am trained and experienced in giving that healing and seeing progress in the every rehabilitation I have with my patient.
But Child Development department is more than healing physical ailments. It is mentoring the children, attending to the behavioral problems our children have, making sure the houses run smoothly, guiding and supporting our child care workers and houseparents and lots and lots of meeting with the other departments. Though I am not trained and well experienced in this department, I am in awe everyday of God's grace and provision to me and to CSC.
Managing people is a hard task. We are created with different personalities, temperaments and ideals. It is amazing though that in all of that, we find a best friend, a match, a partner that would understand our weakness and strength. Here are at CSC, we have a hundred and plus employee; local and foreign.
The other day I was wondering, even with the differences of our views and culture, why are we effective? Why has CSC grown into a much larger orphanage? Why are we great at what we are doing?
The three houses at the shelter recently had each of their house meetings. The houses do this four times a year to discuss concerns, updates and give reminders. While I was sitting in one, the answers to my questions were right in front of me. Our workers are very passionate in what they do. They have a heart for the children and for the ministry. They love their jobs. And CSC has become their ministry.
In the era of technologies, gadgets and social media people are becoming more and more discontented; wanting what they don't have that others have. CSC is very blessed with committed and loyal workers. We have workers who have been at CSC even before I was born and still doing what they have been doing in the past 30 years. Our workers are content, not because they don't want change or progress but because they fill each other's weaknesses and strengths. They are the hands and feet of CSC.
Teacher Amanda
Yesterday we celebrated Teacher Amanda's
22nd birthday. Amanda graduated from college this May and arrived in Cebu the
beginning of June. Just in time to start the school year at Cebu Children
of Hope School. Amanda has adjusted well to life in Cebu and is a great
addition to our school. She has a contagious positive attitude about everything
and is a wonderful teacher and team member. We are thankful to have
her at our school this year.
As we were celebrating her birthday last night, I couldn't help but think about how our stories are some in the same. Seventeen years ago I arrived in Cebu after graduating from college the month before. The school was opening for the first time and teachers were coming together from the U.S. and Cebu to start Children of Hope School. I was young and excited to be in Cebu.
What was a one year commitment for me has turned into 16 additional years and counting. Days full of blessings and learning and growing experiences. Daily seeing God's hand at work in my life and the ministry of CSC. Not to mention marrying my husband from Cebu and the joy of having our first child together. God has blessed me in ways I never could have imagined at the age of 22.
Thank God for Amanda today as you think of her in your prayers. Pray God would give her wisdom and strength for the year ahead of her. Pray He would guide her steps for the future He has for her.
Thanks Amanda for sharing this year of your life with us at CSC. You are a wonderful addition to our team!
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Thanks Grace!
Last August, Grace arrived at CSC having committed to giving a year of her life to this ministry---whatever that might entail! And she did just that! Grace has spent the last year creating and implementing a daily educational experience for our toddlers, she has spent time teaching and encouraging our children's musical interests by facilitating individual voice and piano lessons. Grace also built relationships with our kids by just being on the playground with them having fun. Additionally, she has been a great help to the Child Development department in keeping good records on the infants and toddlers she oversaw.
Below you will find some pictures of how Grace spent her time at CSC.
To you, Grace, CSC thanks you for your service. You have left a mark on this ministry in more ways than one. You have a place in the kids' hearts because of your investment in their interests and your time spent helping them hone their talent. And for our youngest residents, you have helped them learn and have taught them that learning is fun!
Please keep Grace in your prayers as she embarks on her next journey!
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Meet the HR team
I'm Marcel, the guy on the right! I am happy to be back in Cebu after spending the past year in the States with my wife and her family. It was great to meet so many of you while we were there. Upon returning to Cebu I have joined the Human Resource Team at CSC. We are working together to make improvements for all of the workers and processes for the organization. I am excited to be a part of CSC and work alongside Joel and Peter!
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Friendship Knows No Boundary
Friend. Pal. Buddy. Comrade. Everyone has one or maybe more. It is a need in human life. As the old saying goes, “No man is an island.” One can’t go through life alone.
The recent CSC banquet’s theme was: Friends. CSC, in its entirety, has many friends all over the world. Different connections, but connected nonetheless. CSC is standing because of its many friends supporting, loving, and praying.
Inside the four walls of CSC, friendship starts. The kids come from different backgrounds, but it is amazing how quickly they form a bond; a bond they keep forever. Distance is never an issue between friends. Whether it is 10,000 miles or a couple of staircases away, they find a way to exchange a few words and be in touch in each other’s lives.
At CSC, when you get sick and if it is contagious, you are put in isolation. Now, the word isolation seems scary because you are separated from your friends. However, most of the kids like to be in “iso” because they get to watch movies all day long, which is the only entertaining thing you can do when you get sick.
Being sick and being in “iso”
did not stop these two friends from having a little chat. The girl on top is sick while the girl on the
bottom is well. There are no visiting
hours in the infirmary, but that did not mean she could not visit her friend. They found a way. And to top it all, she was not scared that she
might get sore eyes from the friend she was visiting.
That’s how friends are.
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Erna!
Erna is helping out at Cebu Children
of Hope School for a couple of months. She is assisting in preschool
while Teacher Junelyn is on maternity leave and helping out in a number of
classes in the afternoons.
Erna lived at CSC years ago. She and her sister were adopted by a family in the United States in 1999.
It's great to have Erna back with us at CSC for a couple of months. Thanks for sharing your gifts and talents with the kids at CSC Erna!
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