Staff Blog

One baby’s smile is extremely contagious.  Multiply that by 17, that is the current number little cute babies at the shelter.

My wife and I are expecting our first child in the next few weeks.  In the past months I have been spending more time with the babies at the shelter.

Each little one is cool in their own ways.  One little girl loves playing “peek-o-boo.”  A little boy shouts out my name when he sees me.  Another girl has a squeal of excitement that goes along with a huge smile.  A little boy will talk to me when he wants to, not necessarily when I want to talk to him.  And another girl has been calling me “Auntie Joel” for a long time and last week she actually greeted me as “Uncle Joel.”

Just trying to take a picture of five little ones can be a great moment.  Smiles, silliness, seriousness, and shyness can all fill one picture.

God has created each child to shine on their own.  It is a pleasure and honor to get to know each child at the shelter. 

The lunch hour was winding down and the kids started trickling into school.  I was talking with Uncle Jerry near the entrance and giving “high fives” to the kids as they walked by us.  They went to change out of their shoes for their slippers before lining up for class.

One of the newer kids came up to me before joining her classmates in line.  She stretched out her arms and gave me a hug.  I asked her what class she was starting her afternoon in. She said Filipino class with Teacher Cora was her first class.  She asked what I was going to do in the afternoon.  I told her I was going to do work on my computer.  When it was time to line up, she released her hug, gave me a smile, and we said, “see you this afternoon in school” to each other.

Now I sit at my computer, thinking of the things she is learning in class.  One hug from a kid can power a person through a whole week of computer work.

Marlys, Jenny and I are in MN for one year. When I see people for the first time (on this stay) they will invariably ask,
"When do you go back?" Sometimes before saying "hi" or asking how I'm doing, they will inquire as to our return date. I think the reason is that we have been living in Cebu for so long that people just imagine us being there. And for some, we are their link to the Philippines and CSC. Seeing us in Minnestoa seems out of place.

Sometimes I do feel out of place in the U.S. In getting situated here we have so much learning to do about technology: phones, internet, new forms of information and communication. It hit us the other night when some of our former CSC residents came over for a visit. They had to show us how our new phones worked. It was a little embarassing, but when we reflected on it we thought it was pretty  cool. Kids we helped to rescue from poverty and homelessness several years ago are now our  mentors for life in the States!

“I’m overdoing this song.” That was my inner voice the other day. I had fallen for a song and ran the risk of ruining it if I didn’t stop pressing repeat. I ended up restricting myself to one listen per day. Ever had to do that?

The song is by Digital Age, and it’s called “Break Every Chain.”

The truth is, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first. The chorus repeats a simple refrain: “There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain.” That sounds wonderful to me. It rings of freedom, joy and hands raised high, and I believe it to be true.

But something about the words kept bugging me. I kept thinking about my friend, Jacob, who lives at CSC. How would Jacob feel listening to this song?

Jacob is quite a guy. There is life dancing in his eyes. It can make your heart soar to get him laughing. He brings joy into a room with him and you can see how much he cares for people.

Jacob also deals with limits. If he wanted, he could focus on what he can’t do all day. Jacob can’t walk. He can’t feed or bathe himself. He can’t speak clearly. Every day is full of reminders to Jacob of the things others can do that he can’t.

Would a song about Jesus breaking every chain bother Jacob? Maybe it would for a time. Perhaps it would cause him to remind Jesus about all the chains he feels, and how much he wishes to be free of them. Maybe he would list the other kids in his home and wonder why he can’t be free like them.

We all feel like that some days, and, let’s be honest, it usually happens when we are comparing ourselves to others. We have those moments of wondering why we can’t be more than we are.

Thanks be to God, one day Jacob will be free of his chains. So will we. What is to come will be a freedom we can’t yet fathom. There will be no more hurt, despair or need to compare ourselves to others. Those broken chains will feel incredible. Maybe even a little extra incredible to my friend Jacob.

When I play that song today I won’t feel guilty about what Jacob would feel listening to it. Instead I think I’ll blast it for him.

When I got up in the morning, out the window was an interesting site.  A rainbow was hanging low over Banawa, Cebu City.  The arch that usually spans the sky was down among the people.  I walked toward the next room, again looking out the window.  Now I noticed something amazing.  The end of the rainbow was resting over the shelter.  Well, there are many buildings, homes, and business in that line of sight, but naturally I noticed the shelter situated just beyond the orange and yellow cranes.

God has the shelter in His hand.  He holds so much in his hand.  New children arrived at the shelter just last week, finding a safe place.  Children who were sick have regained their strength.  Children who were burdened not so long ago with responsibility beyond their years are laughing and playing on the shelter’s playground.

The shelter is a special place because God is holding it in the palm of His hand.