“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
Handling the medical department during a pandemic is a huge responsibility. It was terrifying to hear Covid-19 reaching Cebu and the plan for eventual lockdown. Even with plans in our hands, we are still caught with so many surprises. The promise in Deuteronomy 31:6 has been our constant comfort, strength, and encouragement in the medical department as we face the many challenges during this pandemic. Looking back, when we were confronted about the virus people had little knowledge of, we were anxious and confused. We asked ourselves if we will be able to take care of all the children and employees entrusted to our care. The lockdown period, which we anticipated to last for a month, has been ongoing for almost a year now. We prayed that every flu-like symptom, especially in the first month, is just a simple flu, and the children and workers will just respond to medication. We made sure employees who are locked in had their maintenance meds and would be able to cope with the 12-hour shift each day. We constantly reminded our lock-out personnel to practice standard health protocol to protect themselves and their families. When we are terrified, God has reminded us to be strong and courageous. He constantly brought us back to His Word and reminded us that we are under His wings. He assured us that...
Under His wings, we are PROTECTED.
Even when we had emergency runs for lacerations for our two little kids and an admission, God restored their health and protected them from possible infection because of outside exposure. We have less sick kids during the year compared to our recorded illnesses in the past years. Our sick children also responded well to medications given by the doctors.
Under His Wings, we are PROVIDED.
We couldn’t thank God enough for using people and agencies to give and provide every need we have in the department. We were able to secure free tests for all our employees who came to serve during the lockdown. We had the means to quarantine our workers for 14 days prior to working through the CCHS facility. We were able to procure PPEs even during the scarcity of supply in the city. We were provided with doctors who were willing to answer our queries even at 2:00 AM, and we were able to avail of the home services for laboratory tests and eye check ups. We are grateful that we have workers who are committed to serve and be with the kids for 3 months and even longer. Lastly, God has given us wisdom to respond to every child’s medical or health needs and to come up with the health and safety protocol for the shelter.
Under His Wings, we are PROMISED.
Despite the uncertainties the pandemic brought, we are continually assured that His grace is more than sufficient to meet the needs of our children and workers. His promise to never leave us nor forsake us holds true in every situation we have faced. We thank God because in all of these, we are assured of His presence.
Indeed, under His wings, He covered us.
Feeding the Chickens
Being a teacher is somewhat like feeding chickens. When you’re feeding chickens, you have to make sure they eat the food given to them to get the right nutrients. It’s disappointing if one of your chickens gets sick or dies. You may get frustrated if the feed spoils or spills out of the container, wasting time, money, and effort. To avoid this you should have the correct container and supplies for the chickens’ needs. From time to time you might have to change the type of chicken feed to ensure the chickens will keep on eating.
Like raising temperamental chickens, teachers also encounter various types of behaviors in students and this needs to be considered before implementing the lesson you are going to teach. The lesson needs to be prepared properly so the students enjoy and understand the lesson. Assessments need to be given to make sure the kids really understand the topic you have discussed.
In my experience while teaching the kids at CCHS, I have undergone different emotions. Sometimes I feel happy and sometimes I feel mad or even guilty, but I try to not let that be a hindrance. I pray to the Lord that He will always guide me with the exact words and actions needed for the lesson I am going to share with my students.
Can we do an experiment?!
It has been a joy for me to teach science for the older students at the Children of Hope School. Having recently graduated college specializing in science education, it has been an exciting adventure to be able to teach what I love. The students' love for science only makes me love my job even more! Everyday, they ask me, "Teacher Amanda, can we do an experiment?!" Whenever I say "Yes", their eyes widen with an eagerness to learn.
One of our latest experiments was making "oobleck" to explore the properties of matter. Oobleck is made of just corn starch and water, but when the ingredients are mixed together, it carries the properties of both solids and liquids! The students had a chance to get messy, have fun, and engage in scientific inquiry at the same time. With oobleck dripping from their hands, smiles stretched across their faces, and lightbulbs lighting up as their minds participated in active learning, I would say that our experiment was a success! By the end of the lesson, the students asked me a new question, "Teacher Amanda, can we do an experiment again tomorrow?!" What a delight it is to share my love of science with these young, bright, eager minds!
Reading Challenge: A First Experience
Well, this was the day I had been waiting for, the first all-school activity I was in charge of (along with Teacher Cora) in my new job as a teacher at CCHS. Teacher Cora and I were the facilitators of the Reading Challenge Kick-off, a contest that runs for six weeks to see how much everyone can read. The activity started with a prayer followed by a video presentation. Next was a short skit that really made me nervous. It was not easy to talk in front of the students since it was my first time to be in charge.
As the skit started,
the students were wondering where I was going because I was carrying a
bag. I pretended I had come from the
library after borrowing books. Teacher
Cora asked questions about the books I had “borrowed.” Some of the kids were laughing and
cheering. I was still pretty
nervous. Then all the teachers started
singing a rehearsed song, “I Love Reading.”
The students joined in dancing and singing the song.
Following the skit, each reading teacher announced the reading goals for the different classes. The students were mostly excited and a bit nervous themselves about meeting the goals. Games of “What’s the Word?” and “What’s Missing?” topped off the activities. The kids had to think hard and work together.
The event ended with lots of smiles on the kids’ faces. They showed their willingness to learn, read, discover and broaden their imagination through reading. They were ready to dive into reading good books! Reading more will help in shaping their futures.
Therapy Room Gets Dolled Up!
If you read Peter Arneson’s past blog about the Therapy Department, you will remember that we were in the process of taking out the Jacuzzi inside the therapy room. Uncle Jerry was taking a warm dip in the picture in the blog.
Well, we have removed the Jacuzzi and replaced it with more shelves. We also have new carpeting! During the process of remodeling, I contemplated putting in a sensory wall and a climbing wall for the benefit of most of the kids we service. With the help of Uncle Jerry’s team, we were able to put up a climbing wall and a sensory wall. The sensory wall consists of four panels: textures, gadgets, magnets and falling objects.
Some of the kids are already
enjoying the new digs! Take a look at our new therapy room.
Do you have a birthmark?
Kind of a weird title for a blog I know, but it is something that I have been thinking about lately.
We had one of our CSC KIDS return for a visit last week. He is now 19 years old; he left CSC when he was about 19 months old. When we told his house parents and his caretakers that he was coming back to visit they all were excited to see him of course…no one is forgotten at CSC. One of the first things they talked about was his birthmark; he had a birthmark on one of his legs below the knee. They remembered him of course, but his birthmark was something that was special to him.
When he arrived we were all excited to see him, we recognized his smile and could see that little baby face that we remembered in the face of the young man with a mustache before us. We all glanced at his leg and did not see the birthmark we remembered so well…was this really our little guy? Finally, someone could not hold it in any longer; they asked him where his birthmark was. I wondered how he would handle that question; but he stood up, put his foot up on the chair, and pointed out a barely discernible scar right where we knew his birth mark should be. He explained that he had his birthmark removed when he was young because he did not like that people always noticed it. He thought it was wonderful that we remembered though, it brought a big smile to his face that we remembered something that was specific and individual to him. It gave him something positive out of something that he thought was negative. He almost seemed proud to show us the scar, he knew it was part of his identity, and the fact that we remembered proved to him that we DID remember him as an individual.
This little event made me think about the” birthmark” that many of us have, one that should be obvious for one and all to see. Do we let people see the “birthmark” that we have from our second birth; our birth into God’s family? This “birthmark” would be visible in our actions, our words, even our thoughts. I wonder if some of us would like to hide it and remove it. I wonder if some of us are embarrassed about it. I am sure that I have thought of doing all those things at different points in my life. Nevertheless, in the end, we know that this “birthmark” is the best thing we have ever been given. We can be proud of it and we need to show it to the world. I love birthmarks.