Staff Blog

Visitors often ask what a typical day is like for those of us working at the shelter.

"Good question!," I usually respond with as I scramble for the words that can best answer that good, but complex question.  And the truth is, there isn't one!

The beauty of CSC is that it is a vibrant place with a pulse.  No day is the same as one you have had before.  We all have job descriptions, but those go out the window when a need arises that has to be addressed.  And sometimes that need was maybe never anticipated.  So, you respond, you address the need.

There are common tasks for all of us: reports we should be working on, pictures we could be organizing, and blogs we should be writing...  ;)  

But there are other tasks that can become part of your day with little notice: spending time with adoptive families or visitors, meetings (in 1 week, I could attend 15 meetings!), taking children for appointments, being on duty (when a house parent is on their day off), sleeping at the shelter when the house parents will be gone overnight, attending birthday parties, taking notes during school conferences, organizing donations, attending school programs, assessing and admitting children, and the list goes on.

Every one of these tasks is just as important as the next.  Attending a child's birthday party and praying over them as they start a new year in life is just as important as updating a report.  

Assessing children for future admittance is just as significant as meeting with the house parents to discuss the health and behavior of the current children in their home.

During assessment:

Now:

The tasks before us on any given day are largely unknown!  We can think we know what the day will look like, but God's plan for our day is usually different than ours.  And that is okay.  CSC is His ministry, He has made it what it is today and it is our job to just do what He puts before us.  And truth be told, serving at CSC and being a part of these kids' lives is truly a blessing.

Life also seems to be a bit more exciting when living in a tropical country.  Last week, during a house parent meeting, I happened to see an unusual shadow moving along the outside of our office.  It was a snake!  There were screams and excitement as we ran outside to see where it was going.  The house father we were meeting with just so happens to like snakes (Thank you, Lord!), so he was eager to catch it.  In fact, he decided to take that opportunity to practice a snake-catching technique he had seen before on TV!  Amazingly, it worked.  He was able to stop it and with the help of one of our guards they picked it up and put tape on its mouth---since it was actually poisonous!

There is never a dull moment here at CSC!  Thanks for being a part of it all!

this guy was born!

I don't know that story, at least not all the details.  But I know it was August 8, 1976.  And that it was a special day. God brought Joemar into this world, knowing full well the kind of blessing he would be to so very many people.  Fast forward several years to July 15, 1985, when Joemar was admitted to CSC.  The details of those in between years are also not all known, but I can guarantee that he saw things or exerienced things we wish he never had.  He was probably scared at times, maybe even hurt and he undoubtedly went without.  That is, of course, why he came to CSC.

It is easy to forget that Joemar has a story that precedes CSC.  He is so at home here.  He belongs here and it just would not be the same without him.  It is also easy to forget that he ever knew pain or heartache because he is just so joyful.  He loves life with a contagious fervor.  I cannot help but smile when he greets me at my vehicle each morning, saying, "Ning, Sy" (Good morning, Lindsay).  He then holds out his arm to take my computer bag for me. He then walks with me to my office, carrying my bag the whole way until he puts it next to my desk.  He immediately begins sweeping the floor and sharing with me whatever news he has.  Some of it I can put together, other bits only he really knows what he is saying.  Either way, I like having him there.

The excitement Joemar had for his birthday was palpable.  His house mother informed me that he had woken up before 4am---too excited to sleep anymore.  In the several weeks preceding his birthday, he had talked to me every day about the cake for his birthday.  He knew I was the one that got the cakes and ice cream for each party.  But the flavor he wanted changed every day!  We finally decided on ube and he stuck to that.  But the day before his birthday, he had mentioned that he was going to have 3 cakes and he held up 3 fingers.  Now, Joemar does not always get his numbers right, but I had to laugh anyways because he was still indicating that he wanted more than 1 cake.  :)

Unbeknownst to him, there would be 2 cakes for his day.  One cake (ube) would be for him and his guests at his birthday, but there as another cake that was brought to him while he was working.  Joemar works at McDonald's every day.  He loves it and they love him.  The employees at McDonald's are so happy to see him and love having him there.  Even if we take Joemar to a McDonald's at a different location, he inevitably has friends there.  This cake was a birthday cake and a "Thank you, McDonald's cake," for all that they do for him.

Auntie Sandy, (or Sausy) as he calls her, and I had surprised him there at the end of his shift.  He was happiest when he had visitors!  But he still felt pressed to do his job, he left for a bit to clear off some tables and he was worried that the second level of the restaurant needed his attention!  After the picture taking, he started to leave with us but the other workers called out that he had forgotten his food.  They sent him home with a chicken and spaghtetti meal, some Coke and a McFlurry.  He was beaming!

It was a day of celebrations culminating into the big party at his house.  He could not wait.  If you talk to Joemar, within 5 minutes or so, Superman will usually enter the conversation.  Joemar LOVES anything Superman ("Perman" usually followed by the flying arm movement)!  There were going to be Superman gifts and he was so excited!  But there were also Superman decorations!

Joemar was also looking forward to having Uncle Sio and Uncle Eldie attend his birthday party.  He often assists Uncle Sio or watches what he is working on as Uncle Sio is always doing interesting projects around the grounds.  

Uncle Eldie is one of our counselors and Joemar makes a point to visit his office during the day also, to share news with him.

Last but not least, was the gift opening!  Superman everything and he couldn't be happier!

What a joy to celebrate Joemar's birthday with him!  And what a privilege to get to know him and be a part of his life.  He is such a precious gift from God and he has blessed CSC in countless ways over the past (almost) 30 years he has lived here.

Thanks for all of your facebook messages for him on his special day and thanks for all of the prayers prayed and the stories shared about Joemar!

The other day I hung around the playground in the late afternoon.  That is our playground's most hectic and entertaining time!  It was such a pleasure to watch the kids in play.  Tumbling from our monkey bars, swinging as high as they can, whizzing by on the scooters, flying kites, kicking balls and playing tag.

While I watched, I caught many precious moments with my camera.  Thankfully, a camera's memory cannot be faulty---it caught every smile, every flip---and in greater detail than my memory ever could.

So, here they are---these precious moments!

I just happened to be walking down the driveway of our compound earlier this week when I noticed small white bits floating through the air in front of me and they were blowing by my feet as well.  I, being a born and bred Minnesotan, first thought of snow (just for a split second, mind you).  I know this Winter has been hard for most and I feel for all of you who have struggled through the bitter cold and the seemingly endless snow.  I pray that Spring makes a glorious reveal in the NEAR future and that Summer and Fall are so wonderful that someday soon this past Winter is nothing but a faint memory.

But back to the white things---they, of course, were not snow!  It is the Philippines after all.  :)  After looking at the white things and hearing many giggles to my left, I decided to examine what that giggling group of small boys were doing.  They were making snow!  They had bits of styrofoam that they were rubbing against the bark of a tree and it was flying around like snow.

And they were SO happy about it---giddy even!  I couldn't help but smile.  If you ask any of our kids here---hands down the thing they are most interested in experiencing is SNOW!!!  It is a puzzling thing to them.  They can't understand frozen water and just how cold a place can be to have piles of it just lying around and not melting. Within minutes of a drink sitting out here, the ice is gone and the liquid is already starting to warm.  And a cold day here is 75 and cloudy (long sleeves are needed).  And that is all they have ever known.

I continued on my way, but I couldn't help but hum, "Let it snow!  Let it snow!  Let it snow!"  :)

God bless you all and stay warm!

I can't help but feel closer to God after visiting Thomas at the hospital.  Thomas was sleeping; he had had his dressing changed earlier and had cried a bit, so he might have tired himself out.  I chatted with the Auntie, getting a quick update on how he was doing.  There has been some drainage from the surgical site over the last couple of days, so there is a potential for infection! :(

I prayed over him and held his hand, but thought I should let him rest, so soon left.  As I was leaving the hospital, I could not help but think on how Thomas is such a testament to God's provision.  We have had several meetings, even since before admitting him, about Thomas, his needs and our ideas about how we could meet them.  We prayed a lot about these concerns and sought guidance, but inevitably, just had to surrender them to God.  And we have seen God provide time and time again.  The financial assistance has come through, but even more than that, our plans for how to respond to the problems or possibilities we feared would occur were not even necessary.  

God is good.

Sleepy at the moment, but still such a trooper!

His toys, the books he likes to "read," tissue and a Bible---the essentials!

Here he is, receiving excellent care from his Auntie.  We are blessed at CSC to have such caring childcare workers!

All the time, God is good.  And we have seen His goodness in Thomas' life so many times already and countless times over the life of CSC.