Staff Blog
(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.
The Day After Christmas At CSC
Enjoy some smiles as the kids use their new Christmas gifts!
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4 Stars! (We do it right.)
We just got a letter in the mail from Charity Navigator, and we are celebrating. Charity Navigator's assessment of our integrity in finances, transparency and governance has led to a 4-star rating for the fourth year in a row! Just 9% of nonprofits can say the same.
We only do this work because people support us, and we are proud to use your money in a way that both honors God, and meets with the approval of places like Charity Navigator. Here's to four stars four times!
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Wrapping Gifts
Have you guys wrapped your Christmas presents yet? Already stocked those stockings? If you haven’t, it is still two days before Christmas so you still have time.
Right now, there are 84 kids at CSC which includes our Teen Home residents. That means, we wrapped 84 gifts and stocked 84 stockings. Whew! Honestly, it is a lot of work! And I have not even mentioned shopping for these gifts yet. But when you see the beaming faces of the kids when opening their presents, it is worth all the work.
I know you are all eager to see new pictures of cute little faces at CSC—whether at Facebook or in the website. But, for this blog, let me show you cute ADULT faces. Here is a glimpse of the behind the scene of the Christmas wrapping party—we call it a party just because!
Thank you all for your generosity this past year and continued generosity even for the next year. You may not be here with us during Christmas, but know that you are one of the reasons why we see cute little beaming faces at CSC everyday! Merry Christmas!
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Homework
Homework can be such a drag....even for the kids at CSC. And can I please get a refresher on genotypes? I mean really, who needs that in social work? I recently was asked, "Auntie Megan, do you know how to do this one?" A worksheet gets shoved in my face and I'm staring at a grid of four boxes with a few capitalized "A's" and a few lowercase "a's." Umm...no. I barely made it with a passing grade when I had to learn that years ago!
![20151209_183856[1]](http://www.urbanturkeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/20151209_1838561-e1449712296383-768x1024.jpg)
One
night recently, when I was on duty, multiplication was a prominent feature in the homework department. I was helping
one girl who was struggling with 2-digit multiplication. I actually
don't think she was having that difficult of a time, but was
more annoyed that she had makeup work due to missing class the day
before. So 2x the homework (see what I did there?) in one evening. But
together we worked through it...even after about 30 minutes of her
splayed out on the floor, crying, pushing herself and her chair outside,
or hiding under the table. Perseverance friends. When it was bedtime,
I had to convince her to stop, put the assignment away, and that she
would need to finish in the morning since she wasted time whining about
her homework. I think this was just a ploy to try staying up later.
The
next time I was in that house as bantay? Division here we are! This
was much easier and definitely faster. Other kids occasionally have it
easy and don't have homework. They tend to spend their evening hanging
out, reading, or playing games. Most of the kids are pretty good about
focusing, but there are still bouts of distraction and avoidance. Gotta
take the good with the bad and just try to make the most of it! So
here's to brushing up on my math skills and renewing my ability to find
patience and negotiate! ![20151209_191608[1]](http://www.urbanturkeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/20151209_1916081-e1449712310369-768x1024.jpg)
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Christmas Fun at CSC.
Nothing in the world is as much fun as Christmas at CSC. Thanks to all who help make this possible. Your gifts put smiles on many faces.
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