Staff Blog
A few weeks ago I had a heart attack. They put in five stents because of significant blockage. I spent a few days in the hospital and went home to embark on a new lifestyle. I exercise every day and am very careful about my diet. Because I am diabetic, the need for controlled intake is doubly important. I am super blessed to have understanding staff at CSC, a loving wife who takes good care of me, and health insurance that will pay for much of the medical bills associated with my surgery, hospitalization, therapy and medications.
In addition to exercise and diet, I have been advised to try and identify areas of stress in my life and work to lessen them. The past year has been very stressful at CSC with lots of personnel and program changes and some difficult situations to handle. There is no way to eliminate stress in my job, with the responsibilities of overseeing a ministry that employs 135 people and provides care for 80 children. But I can say that, in the midst of changes and challenges, God has provided some significant "de-stressers" for me through the people on our Leadership Team. They help manage the challenges and absorb a lot of the stress that would otherwise come my way. For example:
Eldie, who directs our new Human Resources department, takes on issues relating to managing our employees. He handles problems and policies. When we recently had to terminate an employee, he handled it. We discussed it and came to the decision together, but he was the one to implement it. Ging, our Financial Director, manages our funds. This is budget preparation season and she has handled much of the work of gathering the information and working with the staff on the preparation of the various departmental budgets. Klaris, our Social Work Director just got back from a quick trip to Manila for pre-matching one of our children with the Inter-Country Adoption Board. Six months ago I would have had to make that trip and deal with the challenging work of choosing a family with all the complicated procedures and policies of the government for matching. She also does all the editing of child study reports that go to the government for all our kids, again, something I would have been doing a year ago. Jinkee manages the Child Development department, seeing that our kids get the care they need from our house parents, child care workers and therapists. Marlys heads up the medical team of four nurses, making sure the children get the medical care they require. Ben and Cris are at the reins of Children of Hope School, managing the teachers and curriculum so ably and professionally. Although I am responsible for the care our children receive, our relationship to the government, and our financial and human resource management, I don't need to worry about the details of the work being done by these fine people and their teams. They handle problems and challenges, spreading around the potential stress that I need to minimize.
Our generous supporters are also de-stressers. This is crunch time at CSC. We need to raise a lot of money in November and December to meet our income needs for the year. We watch the daily mail counts carefully and prayerfully. Admittedly, we worry a little at this time of year! But much of that is alleviated by the knowledge that our supporters always come through in big ways. Our hope for year-end 2017 is based on the awesome provision of our God through our supporters every years since 1979. That's 38 years of faithfulness! God's admonition for us in Philippians 4:6-7 not to "worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." Not only is it important to show our faith and appreciation to God for what He has done, we will avoid stress as we "experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. " Truly His peace will "guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus."
Thanks for your important role at CSC for the children, first of all, but for those of us who lead this ministry as well.
Little Things
In science, the grade 3 students learned that a hand lens is a tool you can hold against your eyes to make little objects look bigger. It's amazing how these young scientists appreciate every little object and insect they can find and observe, which appears bigger through a hand lens. As their teacher, it was a great privilege for me to connect Psalm 8:4 ESV: "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" Often times, little things are neglected and overlooked simply because they appear insignificant. Even though we are just a speck of dust in this universe, the Lord is mindful of us, and He cares about every detail of His precious creation.
"Sometimes, little things make a big difference."― Nino Varsimashvili
A student gave this lovely flower early in the morning with a beautiful smile while saying, "Good morning, Teacher!" It's simple and little things, that makes the teacher's day extraordinary!
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Bright Future at Sun Valley
Getting rid of the old house is quite sentimental.
Welcoming the new one is monumental!
It's really a blessing from God and I am very excited for the residents to have this new home and for their bright future.
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A Wonderful Day at the Library: Our First School Year 2023-2024 Adventure
Hello there, book lovers! I had an awesome experience with my students, who had the most amazing library visit ever in the new school year, 2023-2024. It was a day filled with laughter, learning, and curiosity.
The first-grade students gathered in the library, and they couldn't stop wondering what they witnessed. Shelves were piled high with books of all types, and they felt like they had entered a whole new world of possibilities. They also sat in those comfortable beanbags, eager for the adventure to begin.
Teacher Merce, our librarian, accompanies them on this incredible journey; she began reading a fantastic story about a whale and a fish. Her voice was magical, bringing the story to life and taking the students on an underwater adventure.
The students didn't just sit there quietly, they were completely captivated! They raised their hands, expressed their opinions, and even predicted what would happen next. It was a worthwhile discussion of the story, and everyone had a great time.
And guess what? One of the enthusiastic students said that he was excited to visit the library to borrow books and everyone nodded in agreement. That's incredible! It's as though he couldn't wait to dive into new stories and discover new things.
When the story wrapped up, the excitement wasn't over. Teacher Merce showed them around the library and introduced them to all the wonderful books they could explore. The students ran their fingers along the book spines, imagining all the cool adventures they could have by picking up a book.
You could see the light in their eyes as they exited the library. This was more than just a typical library visit. It was the beginning of a whole new journey. The students were excited to read, learn, and use their imaginations. Who would have thought that a simple visit to the library could be so exciting and full of possibilities?
The inspiring story of my students' first library visit this school year serves as a reminder that books are like keys that can unlock endless doors to imagination and knowledge. So, remember the adventure that awaits you the next time you visit a library!
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Clean Slate
In the golden morning light as the world begins to awake
We welcome you to our school with a warm and glad decree,
Your spirits rose to such heights during the sun-kissed days of summer.
Now, in the embrace of our school, we will soar to the skies together.
There seems to be a passion in every heart,
With backpacks full of aspirations and unbridled curiosity.
We'll spend the day learning as we read enthralling stories
With heroic characters who are strong and courageous.
We'll develop and play our role, like blossoms, fresh and green,
In numbers, shapes, and art, as well as in wonders yet unseen
In the magnificent flood of learning, teachers stand
At your side, holding and guiding each tiny hand.
Therefore, let the bells ring out in a chorus of delight,
Saying, "Welcome back, my dear," in the midst of insight.
May knowledge fill your heart, in this magnificent school hall,
To the beginning of a new chapter so welcome one and all!
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Padayon (to continue, move forward)
(names removed for privacy)
As adults, we typically abhor traffic. A commute that takes 3 or 4-times longer than usual would be exhausting, leaving us on the verge of tears or on the verge of calling it quits. There are, however, those rare occasions when traffic jams can be one of the most amazing, uplifting, and life-altering experiences.
Not long ago, I walked into the Eicher home as [John] and [Jane] were preparing their packed lunches. I closed my rain-soaked umbrella, set it by the door, and made my way towards the kitchen where they worked diligently and with purpose. In an hour, they would be leaving for their second day of school.
"Uncle Roberto, you won't believe what happened yesterday," yelled [Jane].
"Yeah, it took us almost two hours to get home," added [John]. "It was amazing!"
Initially, I was confused by their statements. Yesterday was their first day at the University of Cebu. In fact, I had gone to the Eicher Home specifically to ask them about it. How were their teachers? How was the campus? How was the commute? Judging by their words, their first day of school was awful, and yet they seemed overjoyed and anxious to get back.
"What happened? Tell me about it," I asked.
They proceeded to tell me that the rain wreaked havoc on the roads; not a single vehicle was moving when they started their commute home. On top of that, all the Jeepneys were full, but even if they could get onto one it would likely be stuck in the bumper-to-bumper traffic from downtown to Banawa. They told me that they, along with the other CSC residents that attend UC (7 in total) decided to start walking together towards home while keeping an eye out for open seats on a jeepney. They eventually made their way to One Pavilion in Guadalupe when they called a house father to come pick them up and bring them the rest of the way.
I was in shock, but they were overjoyed. As they were sharing their story, it became clear that the source of their excitement was rooted in a deep sense of accomplishment. In their minds and in their hearts, they had finally done it. They had been taught and trusted by their houseparents and all of us at CSC to commute to school on their own, and they were able to accomplish the task on their first try, on their very first day, and in the face of difficult circumstances. In that moment, they had taken a big step towards independence and adulthood. Plus, they were able to experience something that, in many ways, is quintessentially Cebuano and quintessentially Filipino; something that they had heard every adult, every laborer, every taxi and jeepney driver, every Auntie and Uncle at CSC complain about. They were able to experience traffic, and like responsible adults, they didn't give up. They found a way to make it home, finish their schoolwork, and prepare themselves to do it all over again.
As I bid them farewell and opened my umbrella, I couldn't help but wonder what new and amazing things their second day of school would bring.
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