Staff Blog

                “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139: 14). This verse reminds me of how God created us perfectly and of Him being the master of all creation. As I was looking at my students doing artwork during E.P.P. class (Daily Life Skills and Home Economics), my heart began praising God for the gift of art and the love of kids. I personally am not very artistic, but thanks to technology, I can find creative ideas for projects.  The kids love artwork and they do their best from the heart!        

Proud of their finished artwork, E.P.P. students display their “Shepherd Toilet Paper Roll Craft”, “String of Leaves” ,  “Personalized Stars” and “Plants of the Bible Wreath”

              Teaching the kids through crafts takes a little bit of effort and sacrifice, but it is worth it! Both the kids and I learn! The kids learn with teachable hearts through art and I learn to love art because of the love for my students. It really takes a BIG heART to love and learn ART.

-Glorivic Omac, Level B Teacher

As students engage in putting projects together, creating crafts, and using familiar materials in new ways, they are constructing meaning. These are particular times of learning when students are stimulated to learn as much as possible. In our school, we support the many varied opportunities available to our children.

In one of my respective science classes, we were learning about ears and sounds. I decided to culminate the lesson with making drums out of recycled cans and wooden sticks. As the children worked, I took time to stand in a corner, totally captivated watching the kids paying careful attention to their craft. It was a wonderful sight. My little kids were like a different group of children in an instant. They were working happily with their busy hands and thinking out loud with their creative minds. It was amazing.

This is Group 2A Science Class applying their favorite paint and adding designs to their drums.

Here they were putting on the finishing touches before turning in the project.

Finally, after all the hard work, we had a parade around the backyard of our small school. Of course, we played our drums!

On a separate occasion with my SRA Reading class, we were reading the story Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran. It is a story about an imaginary town children created to play in. My students got excited and asked me if they could have their own Roxaboxen. Why! Yes, absolutely! Although I was not sure if it would be fun for the boys in class, it was actually adorable and exciting to watch them all work together. After all was said and done, my doubts disappeared. For one entire day, our classroom became a totally different, special place.

Here in our special place, the children were busy creating their rules and regulations – currency, industry, and a little bit with government. Two children helped manage a fine restaurant.

There were two stalls at the rear end of the town, a bookstore and their own version of Toy Kingdom with all the toys, games, and puzzles one could want.

Since it’s fun to have a lot of people in town, we invited some friends to visit our place. We had so much fun!

Again in the corner where I stood, I thoughtfully watched my kids. I could see the children thinking differently and in creative ways. It was not only fun, but practical and would benefit them in the long run. I positively, absolutely believe my kids are heading toward bright futures.

Our school is a place where the hands, the heart, and the mind are collectively regarded as one. In days that turn into weeks and months that turn into years, in school our children are learning more than paper and pencil. They are learning hands-on as they grow.

Just a glimpse of one of our exciting days at school…

-Zel Templa, Level B Teacher

The other day the children presented a Christmas play for the Children of Hope School morning meeting. There were angels, wise men, shepherds and the other traditional manger scene personalities. As I watched the students deliver their songs and lines I was impressed with one performance more than any other. Grace was the number one star of the show in my opinion.

Grace was assigned to assist with Wilmar, a 12 year-old boy who is full of life and enthusiasm. Wilmar has autism. He always sings loudly and enthusicastically, but not always when he is supposed to sing. He needs lots of instruction and encouragement to keep quiet when others are talking or singing, and to remain in his place when it is so much more fun to wander around the stage area. Often, we have an aide or one of our therapists assigned to help Wilmar, but that can be very distracting and take away from the childrens' performance. On this day, Grace had the job and she was spectacular. She led Wilmar when he needed leading, corrected him when he sang or spoke out of turn, and gave encouraging words and even a few stern glances. She had to worry about her own lines and movements as well as Wilmar's, and she never faltered once during the whole show.

Grace understands what we all do at Children of Hope School. She knows that, if we are going to have students like Wilmar in our school, or in the Shelter, it is takes extra efforts from caregivers, teachers, therapists and the other children in the home and at school. We all have a role to play in helping them with navigation, and, often, with behavioral issues that might make it otherwise difficult or impossible for them to participate in activities. Inclusion is something we pride ourselves on at CSC and CHS. And everyone is needed to make it work. Grace did it so well the other day, and I was  so proud of her and the teachers who model the compassion, compromise and commitment needed to let Wilmar, and Grace, and all the other students shine in our school.

Last Friday was the Level A 2 students’ morning meeting. Since it fell during thanksgiving month, each presentation was all about being thankful. The boys shared verses about thanksgiving and they performed a thank you dance. The girls interpreted the song, Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart. A video of the bible story, The Ten Lepers, was shown which reminded everyone that, like any other giver, God is also happy when we give Him thanks.

It was a nice morning meeting. I was so happy to see some of the boys perform well. They looked so cute doing their movements to the song. I know it wasn’t easy for them to focus for such a long time, but they did a great job. The girls were amazing. They performed each step of their dance without looking at someone else to follow. Watching them move their bodies to glorify God was just so wonderful. It was a great performance from the little girls of CCHS. The students really gave their best effort sharing the message about being grateful in everything and to everyone around. Praise God!

I have been back in the Philippines for all of a week and a half.  I was in MN when Typhoon Yolanda tore its path of devastation through this beautiful, but already struggling country.  I should not even talk about my fears as I watched the huge swirling mass of red, orange, blue and green hover over the Visayas from the comfort of my sister's sturdy home, thousands of miles away from it all.  Those that experienced it are still reeling from the trauma of it all I imagine.  Truth be told, I was afraid.  I feared for the safety of our children, for the staff, my friends and loved ones here.  I was grateful that my family and friends in the US did not have to include me in their prayers for the Philippines, but really I was wishing I was here.  To help.  To make sure.  To comfort.  To do something.

Now I am here and I have some observations to share.  The part of Cebu where the shelter is located, and where my home is, was not ripped apart, flattened or caked in mud like Tacloban or Ormoc were.  I have heard stories of the smell of that mud and my heart goes out to those living in that.  You might not even think that the most devastating storm in all of recorded history came through here if you didn't look closely.  But things are different.  

All of the trees in the front yard of our school were either blown over by the force of the winds or cut down to prevent damage to our buildings.  There is no more shade there for our guard and it admittedly looks lonely.  There are trees that are missing from the front of one of our houses also.  Minor, but different.

There are other things that are different.  

The malls are overflowing with people that are homeless, displaced from the areas most damaged.  There are always a lot of people around, but now, everywhere, all the time---there are just more people.  

And brownouts/blackouts---they are more frequent now.  I have heard that areas are going without power to reserve or provide for the areas without.

Traffic is a lot heavier, jeeps are often incredibly full.  Last night I saw a group of people start running toward a jeep that was slowing down, the urgency to get a ride was very apparent.  

The list of waiting children has grown rapidly as families that were once able to make it on their own have lost homes or family members and can no longer care for their own.  CSC's help is in desperate need.

I share these observations for a few reasons.  The Philippines still need your prayers!  The islands that were decimated are still greatly in need.  CSC has created a Relief Committee and as you have read, there have already been two trips to affected areas and CSC will continue to determine how we can reach out.  The need is far greater than something we can manage, but the grateful smiles and sighs of relief of those we are able to give food or clothing to are all the encouragement we need to continue helping in whatever way we can. 

And though Cebu was not damaged, things in Cebu are different.  I cannot begin to explain or understand why we were spared and others not and the effects from the storm for us are nothing to compared to those who lost everything.  But I share these so that others may know that life is not back to normal for the Philippines.  Prayers are still needed and greatly appreciated.  

I know God is at work in this country.  And I thank Him for His protection over CSC.  Because we were spared, we can help others.

This was a heavier blog than I originally intended when I sat down at my computer.  To end things on a lighter note, this is how I spent my morning!