Staff Blog

They can do pretty much anything!  It's amazing!  OK, they're not your regular surgeons.  They are CSC's construction surgeons and they can create or reconfigure almost anything to make it better or different. 

So we (Principal Cris and I) had this idea to rearrange the principal's office during the summer break to open up the space and make it useable for a resource room when kids needed behavioral or academic help away from their peers.  The trouble is that the office is tiny and has built-in cabinets across the middle of it, dividing the space into two little rooms.   We asked Jerry, the head surgeon (aka CSC Facilities Director), if he could reconfigure the office to make it one space, taking out the cabinets and mounting them on a different wall so they could still be used.  Another idea was to have sliding doors made to still have the option of closing off the office when more privacy is needed.

School ended last week, so Jerry and his team of surgeons got going right away.  Cio (CSC construction and maintenance) is the main surgeon when it comes to these kinds of projects, so he started to carefully extract the shelves without wreaking them.  Verhilio (CSC maintenance and plumbling) was support surgeon and Bobong (school maintenance) helped with moving the shelves once they were cut out. 

And so before our very eyes, we can now envision a new function for the principal's office.  These guys are great.  They tackle projects without hesitation and think anything is possible.  I guess it is!

Kite season is underway at CSC. The kids are excitedly looking for plastic bags, sticks, and string. They are creative in their design and can't wait to get their kite flying in the air. The aunties are even excited to help the younger children make kites. You have to be careful walking around CSC these days as you might trip on string or be ran into by someone trying to get their kite in the air. Unfortunately the trees at CSC seem to collect a lot of kites these days. That doesn't matter though or stop the fun  from happening at CSC. I would encourage you to go out and fly a kite. It's a lot of fun no matter what age you are.

I sat in a referral meeting the other day.  We have these meetings to discuss children for potential admittance.  Often in these meetings the list of children in need is greater than what our homes can house.  The list is long because poverty is destructive; it untangles families when there are more mouths to feed than there is food to give.  The list is long because of poverty, violence, abuse, neglect, drugs, sickness, and death.  All of our children come to CSC for one or several of these reasons.

Our top priority was to discuss a 6-week-old baby boy very much in need of loving care and proper nourishment, some things he had not had much of yet.  He was so tiny, not even four pounds yet.  He had spent these first weeks of his life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit fighting off sepsis and trying his best to grow but not receiving enough nourishment to do so.  His young mother had her own struggles, battling mental health issues and cognitive delays; she was also doing her best to be a good mom but was unable to do what was needed.

Here he is.  He is such a small little guy, barely able to keep his eyes open most of the time.

Our decision to admit this child or not might seem like a no-brainer.  He needs good care; he needs the kind of care that can be provided at CSC.  But he is so young, only six weeks old.  Doctors have met him, observed him, and run tests to try to figure out what is keeping him from growing and developing.  Because of his age, there is little they can know for sure.  The unknowns regarding his future are many. 

Of course, the same could be said about every child admitted to CSC and that would be true.  But with a child who has had such a rough start to life, permanent damage could have already been done.  The type of permanent damage that could prevent him from being adopted.  And that is what it inevitably comes down to.  CSC is a temporary place for children to come to for stability, healing and growth before continuing all of that in their forever family.  We need to admit children that will be adopted so there is space for others to come after.

Big decisions.  And they are not made lightly.  We seek and pray for God’s wisdom regarding which children we admit.  We take all of the information given to us by the social workers, our medical team, physical therapists and doctors in the community and cover it in prayer.  Individually and collectively.  These decisions are made easier when we spend time in the referral meetings talking about how so many times before, staff members have had these same conversations, sharing valid concerns about taking in a certain child with unknown needs.  And we have been blessed to see God's hand at work, healing children in miraculous ways.  

One such story stands out to me.  A little 7-month-old girl was referred to us, weak and malnourished and her limbs were so floppy.  They lacked muscle tone for such a while that doctors suspected she might never walk.   Fast forward 2.5 years and we have a rambunctious and mischevious little girl on our hands.  And oh how she RUNS!  And next week a family is arriving to take her home!  She is a testament to God sitting with us in those meetings and honoring CSC's commitment to venture into the unknown.  She is a living and breathing example that God heaps blessings on those who walk in faith!

I am so happy to report that the little guy above recently had a major test, the results of which we were expecting to be poor, but which were normal.  We are already seeing God's hand at work in his life.  We felt confident and happy to make him the newest member of the Eicher Home!  :)

I would like say thank you, not only that Children of Hope School has given me a remarkable honor, but also for the weeks of fear and  anxiety that I have endured at the thought of this big responsibility. The sleepless nights finally convinced me that I can be a speaker once in my lifetime.  Since I had been here for five years as a school teacher, it is a great advantage because I can think that this is a simple reunion. 

I have finally set my heart and mind about what I am going to talk about today. To the graduates, particularly Eugene, Epifanio, Analiza, and Wilmar, today is a day of celebration and thanksgiving. You have all worked hard to make it to this day. It has been a long journey and you have reached this far.

The staff, the teachers and therapists in the school, the house parents, and  the uncles and aunties in the shelter, were all there and have witnessed when you started practicing on holding a pencil, when you were singing loudly the ABC song,  when  you were learning to write  the letters of the alphabet, when you were trying to read the words with care, and when you were tirelessly counting the numbers from 1 to 100 until you have grown up and have improved your abilities like writing your stories and autobiography, performing an experiment in science, solving problems in math, and showcasing your talent in theater, music and arts, and even sports! Above all these, you have grown up with a personal relationship with the Lord. It’s been a long journey to have finished your elementary years in school, to have developed  skills and values, and to grow up rich in spirit. Congratulations, graduates!    

Going back to my own elementary commencement, just like you sitting in the front row, my heart was filled with thanksgiving. At 12 years old, I had already been planning on becoming a teacher and had dreamed of landing a job because, primarily, I wanted to elevate my family's situation. My parents were poor and , thus, I am  poor. Then,  when I was in the 5th grade, my father passed away. But I am blessed that my family stayed strong and had faith in the Lord. Since then, every day is a miracle. Although I am very much acquainted with the hardships in life, I did not use being poor as an excuse not to finish my education. As a matter of fact, with the support of my family, teachers and friends, I had all the motivation to work harder, to do well in my studies, and to give the best version of myself. I am very determined to learn more and even willing to run an extra mile for education.

In the midst of the challenges and hardships in life, I was successful in my academic journey. So, after college, I looked for a job. In June 2009, I was accepted here in Children of Hope School as a shadow teacher of Wilmar and an I.I. instructor for the kids in the afternoon. After a year, I was promoted to a regular teaching job and was assigned in Level B2. Some of you here were once my students then.

So why am I telling you all of this? That day on my elementary graduation, I was young like you, but was very determined to reach my dreams. And now with the blessings of the Lord, I have made some of them come true, like being a teacher and to have done the things that I love to do. Therefore, I want you to be reminded of not giving up on your dreams and to have faith that you will reach your goals. More than that, I am humbled that I was a part of this ministry and learned that life is more meaningful when  it is shared with a cause. My five year stay in this school was one of the memorable times in my life and it was way greater than what I have dreamed of.

 To the graduates, be grateful to the people that have supported you along the way. The CSC staff and supporters, the childcare staff which includes the uncles and aunties in the shelter, the medical staff, the teachers and therapists in school, and the maintenance staff, they were the set of people who DARED to choose you, serving and molding you to become what you are right now. They are the set of people who CARED not about your past, but on where you’re heading in the future. They are the set of people who SHARED their time, effort, love, and prayers so you won’t be left behind. They dared, cared, and shared because you are special. So dear graduates, we need you to make the most of the wonderful opportunities that have been given to you. 

You may not remember everything I’ve said today, but my message to you is that: Do not give up on your dreams and make them all come true. My hope is that you will have the passion, the courage, the faith, and the sense of responsibility it takes so that you’ll be successful in high school and in the next years of your education. Again, congratulations and God bless you graduates. Thank you very much.

Last week the Cebu Children of Hope School students participated in a Art Exhibit at school. They had been working on different art projects throughout the school year in art class. Teacher Jimmer their  art teacher decided to display and sell their work in an exhibit. The evening started off with a ribbon cutting and the opening of the exhibit. People enjoyed looking at the art, visiting with one another and enjoying snacks and refreshments.The kids were proud to display their artwork for all to see.  For the Opening of the exhibit, uncle Paul cutting the ribbon. Teacher Cris, Teacher Jimmer and  uncle Mitch holding the ribbon.