Staff Blog

God is in control of each of our lives.  He has a recipe for our lives.  Since each of us is a different creation, we require different ingredients in different amounts to produce the end product, us.

There are many people and things which God uses to influence each of our lives.  Some are big things that influence us in big ways.  Some are small things that influence us in big ways.  And some influence us in small ways which will change our course in life drastically.  We need to take time to remember the people and things that God has used in our lives to make us into the people we are today. 

Recently, several former CSC residents shared the ways in which God has worked in their lives.  It is wonderful to hear from the children about God’s recipe for their lives, helping them grow into the young people they are today.

What is God’s recipe for your life?

Uncle Edwin and Uncle Ike were washing one of the vehicles and waiting for the next errand in need of a driver. Joemar was hanging out with them.

I asked Joemar, "Is Uncle Edwin a good driver?"

"Yes," he answered.

So I asked, "How about Uncle Ike, is he a good driver?"

Without thinking, Joemar answered, "No." And then a huge smile spread across his face as he started to laugh.

All four of us busted out laughing. Joemar had jumped on the chance to tease Uncle Ike, who is always joking with Joemar.

Uncle Ike, Joemar, and Uncle Edwin

I walked away, still chuckling. Joemar looks up to Uncle Edwin and Uncle Ike. They have driven him all over the city--to work at McDonald's, the doctor and dentist. They have helped him get on the right jeepney. They have been great role models for Joemar.

It is wonderful that Joemar can feel comfortable and at ease with the men he looks up to enough to joke around with. It is wonderful that they welcome him to joke with them. Love surrounds the children of the shelter.

The 2013-2014 school year came to a close at Children of Hope School, culminating with the graduation ceremony.  Four students graduated from preschool and are ready to move onto kindergarten and elementary school.  Three students graduated from sixth grade and now high school awaits them. 

Smiles were all around, teachers smiling because of all the hard work of the students, proud house parents smiling at the children, and students smiling because of a job well done.

Mitch Ohlendorf, CSC Executive Director, gave an inspiring speech to the graduates.  The sixth grade graduates performed a dance with four fifth grade students to the song, "Children of the Heavenly Father."  The preschool graduates were super cute as they performed to the song, "Come Young Citizens of the World." One fifth grade student even sang her own original composition, "Savior of All." 

The graduation was a great symbol of the great school year.   Now the students and teachers can take a break of a couple months before starting into the next school year.

A Saturday full of crafts, games, and new friends is always a great day.  Recently, a group of visitors from Taiwan came to the shelter and turned a normal Saturday into just that—a great day. 

There was face painting, crafts, coloring time, nail painting, reading time, jazz music, and Mandarin lessons.  The children rotated to different activities in the morning.  Then after a Jollibee lunch picnic style, it was a free-for-all in the afternoon.  Some children went back for more face painting or crafts. A touch rugby game started up, then a volleyball game.  Through it all lots of friendships were created.  The day culminated in a drum circle with the visitors and the children—everyone working together to make great music. 

A few nights later, the Taiwan group also invited the recent graduates of elementary and high school to join them for a dinner at a nice hotel.  It was another great time of fellowship.  It is amazing how children from different places and different backgrounds can find common ground in seemingly no time at all.  After dinner the children arranged an impromptu concert next the beach.  Children from each group joined together for songs, showing what they could do. 

CSC is blessed by visitors giving their time to the children at the shelter. 

The end of the school year is only one month away for the students of Children of Hope School.  They have worked hard and learned a ton of great things. 

Recently, they took some time to share some of the things they have learned.  During the math and science day, each level presented things they had studied.  Some of the Level B students have been learning about systems of the human body.  They explained the workings of the skeletal system and the digestive system to all the other students. They did a great job identifying the bones!

There were many highlights during the reading and writing day.  Many students shared stories and poems they had written.  Check out one of the students reciting the poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Wind.”

In between the presentation by students were games.  The tongue twister challenge was a blast.  See if you can do any better than the Children of Hope students!