Staff Blog

Meet Jill Grasley (pronounced "grays-lee"). She has joined Children's Shelter of Cebu as Development Officer. We are thrilled to have her on the team. I have been praying for this position for over a year, and Jill is going to be a great fit. She is an answer to prayer!

Jill will work in our US Office in a much-needed role. For the last nine years, CSC's US office has consisted of two full-time employees and one part-time. In those years, our budget has more than doubled--growing from $915,000 to $1,890,000. Now that my job scope has expanded, we need someone who can focus full-time on the fund development that provides our beautiful children with a home.

Jill has been employed at Crossroads Adoption Services in MN for over 12 years.  She assisted many families through the adoption process--including several CSC families.  Jill has focused the last several years working in the area of fundraising through event management, grant writing, donor cultivation and social media.

Throughout our history we have faced changes that have made us think about the future of the ministry. Some have been planned, like new buildings and programs. Some have involved losses of staff or board members that make us realize just how significant these people are to this ministry. Sometimes children will leave and we will think or say, "Wow, things will never be the same around here again!"

In these days we are experiencing all of these losses and emotions. In the next few weeks, six of our children, from two different sibling groups, will be leaving for adoption. A group of four, Jonjon, Jocelyn, Jovan and Jeralyn, will be the first to go, after more than five years with us. The youngest two came to us as babies, and have been with us for important health and developmental milestones. We have great memories of all of them in school,  Christmas programs and musical presentations, as well as their exploits in the nursery, playroom and playground.

Another group of two, Sheena Mae and Angelica will also be departing soon for adoption. The have been at CSC for five and a half years. We have seen them grow into beautiful young ladies, and we think of all the joy that they have brought to our lives. It is hard to imagine life at CSC without them. The same has been true for so many children that have left. A couple years ago we had a sibling group of nine leave, followed by another of six within a few months.

We also have a beloved staff member who will be leaving within a few months. Tammy Vosika, who has taught for eight years in our Children of Hope School, will be moving on. She has been such an important part of our school, and has had a great impact on many students and other teachers, that we wonder how we'll ever replace her and what things will be like after she is gone. The same is true for short-term staff like Bjork and Lindsay Ostrom.

Of course, we've gone though all of this before. We know that God will fill the empty places and bring the people we need into CSC. And we know that God has a great plan for the lives of these children and staff. In the future, children will be leaving who have not even come into CSC yet, who we will wonder how we will replace. And staff members will retire or move on to something else, and we'll feel just like we do about Tammy.

The fact is, nobody is totally replaceable. Everyone, staff, children, workers, supporters and volunteers, has a special place that nobody else can fill. Our history has been one of God providing these people at the right times and for the right period of time, to help accomplish the work of CSC.

It will be exciting to see who the new children, staff and volunteers will be, and how God will bless and redirect those who are leaving CSC.

The CHS Sportsfest 2013 is history, and it was a great day for everyone.  The CHS teachers planned events that had something for everybody, regardless of athletic ability or interest.  There were coin and egg tosses, cheering competitions, races, hurdles, jumping and lots of other events.

We can't tell you it would be easy, but we can tell you you'd be changing lives...including maybe yours.

Children's Shelter of Cebu is looking to hire two new teachers for our Cebu Children of Hope School, an elementary school, in the 2013-2014 school year. These positions begin in June. Teachers are hired for a one-year contract. They must be licensed and have experience in a school with an English-based curriculum. We have a strong staff of Filipino teachers, but also like to have teachers who have taught in the US as most of our school-aged children are adopted there.

We expect a lot of our teachers, excellence in the classroom and more. You would raise funds prior to going to Cebu for the majority of your salary. You'd take part in activities at the shelter and school beyond school hours. You'd be asked to help host frequent visitors to Cebu. Most importantly, you'd be asked to be part of a loving family to children who have lost theirs.

We offer health insurance and travel, and an experience you'd remember for a lifetime.

Think you might have what it takes? Application instructions follow the position description here.

We are proud to announce a new partnership between CSC and Habitat for Humanity (HFH). It means new homes for 20 CSC employees!

The partnership is due to the hard work of our own Joel Reasoner, and especially his dad, Dr. Paul Reasoner of Bethel University. Paul has been raising money, and he and Joel have made excellent connections with the leaders of HFH in the Philippines. We are thankful for the eager support of Habitat's leadership. They have joined Paul and Joel to provide a great blessing to the people who care for CSC's precious children.

You might wonder why any CSC employees would need HFH homes. The number one factor is the cost of land in the Philippines. For many Filipinos, that land cost eliminates the ability to own their own home.

Habitat for Humanity has jumped in and provided land and expertise. Paul is hard at work raising funds to build. These great partners are hoping this is just the beginning, and so are we!

Thank you Paul, Joel and Habitat for Humanity. We are proud to be associated with you.

Check out Paul's website