Staff Blog

After being in Cebu for a little over four months, I have realized we welcome lots of people. Some people include the many visitors and supporters of CSC.

Over five years ago, I was welcomed to CSC in a very different context. I came with the Central Baptist Church work team. I was embraced by not only the staff members here, but also the kids. I remember stepping out of that van for the first time and being rushed by about 50 smiling and laughing children.

Four months ago, Peter and I were welcomed in a much quieter setting. Joel greeted us at the airport and we then had a quiet lunch with the staff. After packing up all of our belongings, saying our sweet and lengthy good-byes to family and friends, and traveling for over 24 hours, I needed a tranquil welcome. I'm thankful for the low-key greeting we received.

As I think of the many people I've met since December who have visited CSC, I can somehow relate to a piece of their experience. Here they are, for maybe the first time, or the first time in many years, stepping foot onto the campus, seeing the grounds and the people and the kids for real, and taking it all in. When I came the first time, it was all so overwhelming and fun and awe-inspiring. It was also emotional as I thought about and processed the lives of the kids: where they lived, what their lives were like before CSC, how hard so many people work to take care of them, and how they are resilient in incredible ways. I know visitors and guests don't all experience CSC in the same way, but I know people leave impacted by what they saw and experienced. I imagine many leave with a lot to process and digest. It's enlightening for me to reflect back on my time from a few years ago and think about where I've been and how I've changed in light of my experiences.

Soon we will welcome a young lady who will work with us for about 10 days. It will be exciting to have her here and hear her perspective on her time and experience  at CSC. I hope she, and other visitors, have a vivid and meaningful understanding of the work God is doing through so many people and how he is touching so many lives through this ministry.

I think the CSC banquet is always going to prompt a time of reflection for me, at least since attending in 2014. Last year wasn’t my first time there, but it has changed everything.

One year ago my wife Megan and I sat at the CSC banquet pleased to be donors and planning to ask Matt Buley out for coffee to see if there were any other ways we could help; we were picturing something like stuffing envelopes.

This year we watched the CSC banquet from the Children of Hope School library in Cebu through a live feed. We’ve been here 4 months. We did get to stuff some envelopes, but we also ended up moving to Cebu.

Looking back, I’m not really sure how it happened. I had a good job that I enjoyed and Megan was just completing grad school, we weren’t really looking to move to the other side of the world. As best as I can figure, God just had a different plan and it kept getting clearer to us that we needed to listen. We had this growing feeling that God had taken the reins and we were now along for the ride.

I know I’m in God’s hands whether I’m in St. Paul or Cebu City, but it’s felt a little different since the banquet last year. My hunch is that this is a normal feeling around CSC. This ministry has been relying on God to sustain it since Marlys Healy came in 1978. I’m just one of the latest people to get wrapped up in what God is doing here. Through CSC, God is generously providing opportunities for all of us to labor, laugh, donate, and share in the work He is doing in the world. It was hilarious to see the video of Paul and Matt looking for Jared Gustafson and a special treat to see the tribute video about Sandy’s work at CSC, then to look over and see her sitting a few feet away smiling (appreciative, but not particularly thrilled about all the fuss being made over her). I loved watching Pastor Gustafson mark off the banquet attenders on his fingers who were going to donate an extra $100 just so we could set a new donation record.

Thank you for being engaged in this work too! I wonder where the next year will take us!

This year’s theme of our annual banquet was FRIENDS and this rang true for the entire event. What an amazing group of friends we have at CSC. Almost 800 of our close friends came together to pray for, celebrate and financially support the ministry. We watched videos, heard from former residents, recognized adoptive parents and rejoiced with updates and happy news. 

We also shared about the Foster Friend program and offered the chance to sign-up that night. We had many banquet attendees who joined the program that evening. One donor walked up to me and handed me a foster friend sign-up card. She wanted to support one of our children, Shelanie. I got the chance to share with her about this little bubble of energy named Shelanie and what a joy she is to everyone at the shelter. I asked this new donor how she was connected to CSC. She explained that just a few months ago, her dear friend died. It turns out her friend was a dedicated foster friend and long-time supporter of CSC. With tears in her eyes, she said “I realized with her gone, someone needed to step in to fill her role. So I want to do that.” 

We are so thankful for everyone who steps in to help Shelanie and the other children at CSC.

This little boy came to CSC in 2011. He was not healthy, he was scared.

I worked with him not knowing how to start. He showed a lot of concerns in so many areas.

With the everyday schedule we have for therapy, he and I formed a bond.

If you have been to CSC, you know that it is hard not to have a favorite, but this little guy captured my heart.

Last year, Joel and I went to the States for a one year furlough. It was hard to leave the kids behind, especially the ones I had been working with everyday for 6 years. When we came back to CSC, I was amazed with the many positive changes the kids showed. One especially was this little dude.

He continues to receive therapy at present and is very eager to come to his sessions. Just the other day, he kept on bugging an auntie that he needed to go and see me for therapy. It was in fact not his scheduled time, but what do you do with an eager child? Yes, we did our therapy and we had a great time cutting playdoh!

Now, every time he sees me, wherever he is – at school or at the shelter, whatever he is doing, he calls and shouts out my name, “Teacher Jinkee!!” That, for me, is the most rewarding part of my job.

Over the past three months, the afternoon cooks in both Cherne and Duterte homes have been recovering from surgery.  Auntie Mayflor and Auntie Sonia each had an operation which required lots of rest and recovery.  In their absence, other child care workers jumped in to cover the afternoon cook duties.   Of course no meals were missed and tasty food was always on the tables.

Last week Auntie Sonia returned to work!  

This week Auntie Mayflor also returned to work! It is good to have them back in their respective kitchens.

As Auntie Mayflor enter the shelter gate the children from the Cherne home were walking up to school.  When they saw Auntie Mayflor, the line they were walking in suddenly morphed into a mob.  The children ran shouting “Auntie Mayflor!” racing to hug her. 

The aunties’ impact in the lives was on full display in the moment of Auntie Mayflor’s welcome back from the children.

Keep the all CSC employees in your prayers.  They do everything for the children and their good health is essential.