Staff Blog
The calendar tells us that this is the week of Christmas, the "most wonderful time of the year" as the song goes. This year, though, something feels a bit off. We are still shy of twelve months of complete disruption from the pandemic that has hit our globe, which means that we can all remember what it was like last year at this time. Some would call that time last year "normal" compared to what we are experiencing today. We had no idea what was about to hit us. Unprecedented is a word that is used a lot these days, though I admit that I try to shy away from that word altogether. I sometimes find it hard to believe that we are nearing the end of 2020, when it feels like the time from March until now has been like a never-ending cycle of reliving the same day over and over again, or some variation thereof.
There are some things about this Christmas season, however, regardless of the pandemic, that make me wonder what month it is. For one, there is no snow on the ground. Maybe it's going to be a brown Christmas. Though the temperatures are cold enough to flood the rink up the street from our house, the quality of ice is still debatable, as my children would say. The temperature has been unseasonably warm for Minnesota. We had a 40-degree day recently. Mind you, as the years go by, I rather enjoy warmer weather and shorter winters. But let's put all that aside for now. What I really want to do right now is have us center our thoughts on the things that never change.
Morning, Evening, Repeat
I began my job as president of CSC this past August. Already four months have gone by and with it so many full and fulfilling days of work for this amazing ministry. I love my job! It seems, though, that with each passing year, and as I get older, the days get shorter. Why is that? Just so you know, it is not just me and it is not just you. There is a lot of science behind why "time speeds up" as you age. While we all know that there are still 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week, it can seem that the weeks and months just "fly" by. I've heard that the more years you live, the less one year (or one day) is as a total of all the years you have lived. Makes sense to me.
A Cambridge University study from March 2019 posits that perception and physics have a lot to do with why we feel time is speeding up. The study explains that "clock time" is not the same as the time perceived by the human mind. "The 'mind time' is a sequence of images, i.e. reflections of nature that are fed by stimuli from sensory organs" (Bejan, 2019). It goes on to talk about the difference in those who are well rested versus those who are overtired. We are much more likely to watch time pass us by when we are tired and worn. Conversely, the person who is at rest is likely to experience a slowness of time and may feel more at peace. I have to admit that I have more times of time moving quickly than times at rest.
So what can we do to remedy this state of being? Try reading Psalm 63, as follows. Take some time to really "drink" these words in. Use this and other Psalms, even other scriptures, to get your mind and soul in a position of rest in order to slow down your processing time.
Psalm 63
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God will glory in him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced. (The Holy Bible, NIV)
Childlike Curiosity for Cebu
Part of what motivates and drives me is a curiosity to discover new things, or new ways of doing old things. Just last night I was looking at maps of Cebu, Philippines and some of the neighboring islands. I was imagining the property that is Children's Shelter of Cebu, the three residences, the infirmary, Children of Hope School. I imagined seeing the children and staff outside, walking the grounds, playing, sitting, and also those who were inside the buildings. I imagined myself in that setting as well, soaking in the heat and humidity like I had done when I was in Cebu last, many years ago. I just can't wait to hop a plane and go over there again.
Part of the curiosity I have has to do with my vision for the future, especially as it relates to CSC. I am mindful of a Christ-centered ministry that has been around for nearly 42 years and am also aware of my own place in the ministry, as a former board member and now as president. I feel a stirring and calling from God that He has more for us to do in Cebu, much more. 2021 is just around the corner and I am so excited for what next year will bring. I am grateful for a leadership team in Cebu who are so capable of doing what is required of them in order to provide the best care possible for all of the children. I am grateful for all those who partner with CSC to make it possible for this care to happen, both financially and through prayer.
God's Faithfulness
Lamentations 3:22-23 are two verses that most of us could sing or hum the tune to.
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. (The Holy Bible, ESV)
When I think about faithfulness, I often think about who is the one being faithful and what they character qualities are. On a human level, I understand quickly that our ability to be faithful and unfaithful can change in a matter of seconds. That is because we are a flawed humanity full of faults. God on the other hand is the only one who can be consistently faithful, and He promises His faithfulness each and every day. Even in the hardest of days (or years, like 2020), His faithfulness can be seen everywhere. I should say that those who know God and who choose to seek Him can see His faithfulness everywhere. God remains the same, never changing. As Hebrews 13:8 says of God's only son, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (The Holy Bible, ESV).
I find it so reassuring that God is the one thing that never changes. And even more than that, the Bible tells us that He was present before everything was formed. He is the beginning AND the end. Psalm 90:2 says, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God" (The Holy Bible, ESV). He will be there to guide CSC through whatever the next year brings.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we praise you for all the many blessings of this year. Thank you for your faithfulness. Remind us of the importance to slow down and to rest in you, and draw us to your Holy Word for that rest. Help us remember that you are the same yesterday and today and forever. Please show us the way to go in 2021 and may everything we do be done in a way that brings you glory. In the name of Jesus, the Christ, Amen.
P.S.
It is my honor to be able to write periodically for our CSC blog. It is my hope that these words and the words from all those who share from time to time will draw you in to a deeper walk with the Lord and help you see things from different points of view. While we hope to tell you more about Children's Shelter of Cebu, we also want to share a bit about those who do the work.
Sources:
Bejan, A. (2019, March 18). Why the days seem shorter as we get older. Retrieved from:
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/european-review/article/why-the-days-seem-shorter-as-we-get- older/2CB8EC9B0B30537230C7442B826E42F1
The Holy Bible. New International Version. Retrieved from:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+63&version=NIV
The Holy Bible. English Standard Version. Retrieved from:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations%203%3A22-23&version=ESV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A8&version=ESV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+90%3A2&version=ESV
Clarity of Purpose: A Reflection on Esther’s Story
In the book of Esther in the Bible, Haman wanted to bring destruction to the Jewish people. The account was able to outline his motives and plans to harm them.
Her thoughts must have been racing, considering each option of salvation for her people and consequences of each one. I imagine that she looked back at her experiences to find insight and answers that could be useful. Esther saw where she hit dead ends and made mistakes; and yet, she also saw how she was able to overcome her challenges and thrive by using her God-given gifts, skills, and abilities. Esther was able to see situations where she was celebrated and favored by both God and man.
From being a humble commoner, she had risen to become a queen. I can imagine Esther struggling with the knowledge that this evil was attempting to annihilate her tribe from the face of the earth. "Lord, thank You for Your love. Please give me clarity of purpose for this season," she must have prayed. "How do I use what You have placed in my hands?" All of these life events and God, her HOPE, prepared her for such a time as this (Esther 4:14) to advocate for salvation even at the cost of losing her life.
In the same way, this pandemic, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), threatens our families, relationships, peace of mind, way of living--our very existence. Some of us are called to be at the frontlines. Others of us are asked to cooperate by staying at home. Either way, we can take this time to worship Him and ask for clarity of purpose for this season. I believe that God has given to each of us gifts, skills, and abilities that were created for His glory for us to steward for such a time as this.
This blog post is dedicated to all the frontliners here in the Philippines who work for vulnerable children and families. Thank you for your courage and embracing your purpose today, working for our benefit and welfare. You are a blessing. Thank you for the good work you are doing.
Lord, into your hands we commit the frontliners. Please keep them safe and provide supernatural strength and wisdom for them to carry out their tasks. I also pray for their household that You bless and hold them in Your hands. Amen.
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CSC and COVID
When you care for 80 residents, from infants to young adults, you want to make sure you are prepared as a global pandemic creeps closer and closer to your front door. Though CSC (and most of the world) is maneuvering through uncharted waters, I am proud of the way Roberto, Paul, and the CSC leadership team have been proactive and creative in their response.
One of the top priorities before COVID-19 became prevalent in Cebu was to make sure we would have the manpower and supplies needed to continue to provide fantastic care for our kids. As we were working to stock up on medicine, food, diapers, and other daily necessities, God was working in the hearts of many CSC employees who volunteered to be "locked in" at the Shelter. These people (pictured below) were an answer to prayer as the best way we could keep our kids safe from the virus was to do a total lockdown.
We are now in week 3 of lockdown at CSC and God is continuing to show His goodness. I am so thankful for our team of dedicated CSC employees and the ways they are using this time at the Shelter to create fun memories for our kids and enable them to continue progressing academically. Teacher Cris, our CCHS principal, signed up to be locked in at the Shelter and is helping lead the kids in academic activities every morning. Everyone from house parents to aunties to social workers to nurses have stepped up to do what is needed for the ministry at this time. God's presence is so visible at CSC!
As a leadership team God has been helping us be creative with how we can support our "locked in" coworkers. Prayer has been our main vehicle. Every night at 9:30pm we pray for the kids at CSC as well as our coworkers who are living and working at the Shelter. We also divided up all the locked in employees among the leadership team so each of us have 3 or 4 specific people we are more intentionally praying for every day. During Holy Week we set up Facebook Live events so both the employees locked in and those locked out could worship together and encourage one another. The Saturday before Holy Week the locked in employees had requested a special worship time that would just be for the adults, a time when they could focus their worship without having to divide their attention with monitoring kids and helping them worship. Roberto and Paul arranged a time after the kids went to bed to gather all the adults. The employees were so thankful for that time of refreshing! As a leadership team we are meeting together online 2-4 times a week to be proactive and planned as the COVID situation constantly changes in Cebu. Pictured below is one of the many checkpoints around the city.
The immediate outlook in Cebu is not promising. A couple of days ago they set up road barricades around our part of town (pictured below) as we have growing numbers of COVID cases. Now, today, there are rumors that the road that the Shelter is on will have its own barricade, prohibiting anyone from coming in or going out. Many questions like how we'll get food deliveries to the Shelter are on our minds. But, just as God has been faithful and present continually over the past 40 years, He will show Himself able and good in the midst of increasing restrictions.
Thank you for your continued prayers! We at CSC know that there are many, many places in the world that need your prayers and financial support. We are extremely grateful for your continued commitment to our amazing kids!
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Communication during Lockdown
Since CSC is on lockdown the leadership team has been meeting regularly, sometimes more than once a day. The children, some of our child care workers, two nurses, counselors, social workers, maintenance men, guards and other staff are locked in for a two week period. Recently Field Director Roberto Atienza established a Facebook group page for the Leadership team to stay updated on how things are going at the shelter, things that are needed, government directives, prayer concerns and other communication needs. Pictures that are sent out from the shelter are shared on this forum. It is a place to announce meetings, discuss important decisions and even joke a little. It is an on-line meeting room for expressing support and solidarity during this difficult time at CSC.
Examples of posts:
There is a problem with the solar panels. Jerry has called the company and made a video of the meter to give their engineer. Since nobody from the outside can go inside, Jerry (who is also locked out) has to relay instructions to our maintenance men.
The city government has some new directives limiting movement of people and establishing quarantines and travel bans. What does this mean for our workers and staff?
Kids are enjoying their meals and are being kept busy with school work, recreation and fun activies organized by Jinkee, Eunice and Annie.
There will be an on-line worship service Sunday night for the CSC community featuring music by the "locked-in" aunties and kids, and a message by Roberto
Some of the kids are sick. We need to pray and encourage our nurses and review our scheduling.
Please pray for our leaders, the "locked-in" gang in Banawa, and, most especially, for the kids. Join our leaders in praying for protection for them, that they would be safe and secure and know that they are loved and treasured.
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Game Day in Math Class!
Learning math can be fun! My 2nd graders get excited every time we start a new unit. Why? It is because, aside from the interactive story at the beginning (which they love), there is also an interactive game for them to play.
Here are some of their reactions as I handed them the game mats:
Student 1: Yey game nasad! (yeah, we'll play math games again!)
Student 2: I like subtraction and addition! (giggling)
Student 3: Teacher, how to play this game Two-Digit Treasure?
During the game they had a lot of fun subtracting and adding two-digit numbers. Who knew math could be this fun! They were actively engaged in the game and used their own methods for answering the problems. Some of them used mental math while others found the answer by writing the problem down. The classroom was full of excitement!
One of the foundational beliefs in education is that students learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process. It gives them the opportunity to explore and learn. When you combine exploration with fun, learning happens quickly without the student even noticing.
At CCHS we are able to use some of the best math curriculum around because of generous supporters like you! Thank you for giving our kids the chance to learn, have fun, and grow!
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Carnival 2020
The ministry team from Central Baptist had to postpone their trip to Cebu do to travel uncertainties relating to the Corono virus. But the team was generous to fund a carnival for our kids and the children of our workers. It didn't make up for the Central team not coming, but it was a blast.
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