Staff Blog

A few weeks ago, we held a heartwarming and successful fundraising event for the Children's Shelter of Cebu (CSC) in Minnesota. The event saw nearly 300 attendees come together, with about half being former residents or adoptive families and the other half being supporters of our work. This gathering was not just a fundraiser; it was a celebration of 45 years of ministry in the Philippines.

The weekend began on Friday evening with a special gathering exclusively for adoptive families and former residents with current and former staff. We also had a video call with the houseparents, staff, and kids at the shelter in Cebu so former residents could connect with them. This intimate start set a warm and personal tone for the rest of the event, allowing old friends to reunite and new connections to form.

The highlight of the event on Saturday was hearing from former residents of the shelter, Angillo and Rhoella, and our Program Director, Eunice Guinanoy. The powerful testimonies from Angillo and Rhoella illustrated the profound impact that CSC has had on their lives. Eunice shared about specifics from the program team that cares for the children, including the residents who will benefit from our new program for young adults and how we admit children and assess their needs. Their stories and experiences brought to life the mission of CSC and underscored the importance of our work.

We are excited to announce that we raised just over $100,000 during the event, bringing us close to our goal of $115,000. The funds raised will go directly to benefit the children at CSC, providing essential food, clothing, medicine, and other necessities. The generosity of our supporters ensures that we can continue to offer a safe and nurturing environment for the children who need it most. Donations are still being accepted, and anyone who wishes to contribute can do so at https://cebushelter.org/give?p=projects-111.

Seeing so many supporters gathered in one place was a testament to the strength and unity of our community. After the isolation and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, this event was a poignant reminder of the power of coming together. It was not just about raising funds; it was about reaffirming our collective commitment to the children of Cebu and celebrating the progress we've made together.

Whether you gathered with us in person in Minnesota, watched online, or are reading this from around the world, your gifts make an impact. We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the event. Your support makes a tangible difference in the lives of the children at CSC, and we look forward to continuing this journey with all of you.

We thank God for His guidance and blessings over these 45 years and for bringing together such a dedicated and compassionate community. Together, with God's help, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of the children we serve. Thank you for being a part of our community and for helping us create a brighter future for the children we serve.

Just before Christmas, super-typhoon Rai hit the Philippines. It was the strongest typhoon to hit the area in 2021, killing more than 350 people and displacing thousands more. The city of Cebu was hit pretty hard. We sustained a significant amount of damage at CSC, including broken doors on the infirmary and the Duterte home, flooding on the main level of Duterte, and our guard shack was destroyed. Multiple trees fell on the Cherne home, on the gate, and all over the property. Debris from other nearby buildings landed on our property as well. Thankfully, our employees and children inside the shelter were safe!

We still do not have power at CSC. They are estimating power will be restored to most of the city by mid-January. We are using generators sparingly to maintain operations.

We are fixing damage at CSC, but we are not collecting funds for typhoon relief outside the shelter at this time. We budget each year for storm damage. This was obviously more than we anticipated, but we are so thankful to our faithful supporters, who have helped us cover these costs.

As we end 2021, we are grateful for so much. We are ending the year strong financially and have enough resources to meet all of our needs. We were in lockdown for the entire year and despite having COVID inside the shelter, we had no major cases. God is steadfast through all the ups and downs.

Thank you for your prayers, financial support and advocacy as we work to care for children in need in Cebu City, Philippines. We are grateful for you!

This past weekend we hosted a retirement picnic for our founders, Paul and Marlys Healy. They were obedient to God's call on their hearts back in 1978 to care for the people of the Philippines. They moved to Cebu and immediately started caring for vulnerable children and families. They helped plant churches, worked with local missionaries and took in more children as the need grew. They have left quite a legacy. The organization of CSC continues on, providing for children in need, with a great leadership team, wonderful staff and amazing donors.

It's impossible to adequately thank Paul and Marlys for their 43 years of service. We offered our current CSC staff and residents the option of writing a note to Paul and Marlys. As I was thinking about how we could try to say a word of thanks, I came across this note that summed it up well:

"Congratulations on making it to retirement. None of us have completely witnessed every ounce of effort and care you poured into CSC, but God certainly has. May the Lord continue to bless the toil of your hands, even as the seeds you have sown in our hearts continue to grow."

Each spring, we hold a fundraiser in Minnesota to raise donations for the shelter and school in the Philippines. This year, we decided not to gather in-person, but instead to celebrate the work online. This allows us to connect with more people all over the world.

I realize you are probably tired of online gatherings and staring at screens, but will you please consider joining us on Saturday evening at 7pm CST? We promise to keep it short (less than 30 minutes). Here is the link to the Facebook event where you can join the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/cscshelter/posts/10159367966463151. Or you can watch on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSeeDmuHlUE.

Our theme this year is "Every Child Has a Story!" and we see this everyday at CSC. Children often come to us with a trauma-filled past. Their story might mean the loss of a parent or living on the streets for a period of time. But at CSC, their story changes. God uses YOU to change their lives, one story at a time. So tune in Saturday evening on our Facebook page. We'll tell you a bit more about the work, highlight a few stories of changed lives and share some of the challenges we're facing as a ministry. And you'll get a chance to see a bunch of adorable kids of course!

Thanks for being a part of CSC's story.

Those were the words I said when the accounting team added up the donations at our recent banquet. We had a lower attendance this year: 650 instead of our usual 750-800 people. Statistically, the offering should have been substantially lower than usual.

The day of the banquet, the staff and volunteers gathered and prayed for the event. We prayed that God would work in the hearts of those who were attending and those who couldn’t attend, that the night would be honoring to God and that the donations received, whatever amount, would be what we needed to sustain this part of the ministry. 

And then all of you showed up. You stepped up to sponsor the event, gave donations that night, and many of you gave gifts despite the fact that you could not attend the banquet. So at 8:30 pm, when the accounting team gave the total of $142,820.90, we weren’t sure what to believe. Could it be possible that even with fewer people in the room, we broke a record for our banquet offering? Yes, it was possible. 

Just over a week later, when the online donations have been processed, all the checks have been double and triple checked, and a few other gifts arrived in the mail from those who wanted to contribute to the banquet offering, our total is now sitting at $144,686.43. It is amazing and is only possible because God used all of you to make this happen. We certainly aren’t in the clear for the rest of this year. The banquet total is about 14% of our budget for the year. But we know we will be all right because with God all things are possible.