Staff Blog

Most of the kids at CSC speak some level of English which is great for me because I don’t speak much Cebuano. I’ve noticed that when one of the kids doesn’t want to answer a question or try to figure out how to say something to me in English, they appear to forget how to speak it altogether. They know I get lost in that language and they can usually squirm out of a question like “Did you just get called inside for bath time?”

The children here are very well behaved so this isn’t a huge issue, but I’m pretty sure a cute little kid smile and my lack of language skills have gotten me conned into letting a few youngsters get away with something they probably shouldn’t have.

I was playing around with a number of the kids the other day. We were running, chasing, playing tag, and giving piggyback rides. We were having a great time. At one point my friend here started stomping around and was beginning to speak loudly in whiny, mumbly half Cebuano half English. I knew she wanted a piggyback ride but I didn’t want to reinforce her behavior. In an unusual moment of how-to-deal-with-little-kid clarity I got down to her level and said “Please stop whining and tell me what you want”. 

It was incredible…in about 2 seconds the embellished poor-me behavior stopped. No more stomping, she opened the squinting eyes that were trying to produce tears and in perfectly clear English she said that she would like a piggyback ride. I thanked her and she rode off all smiles and joy (I had to ask her to stop screaming in my ear though)!

I get blown away at moments like that; when I can step aside from the look on a child's face and realize that sometimes its a false indignation meant to produce a result! I'm sure the practiced parents out there are laughing at my lack of skill here but it is clear to me that while I may be the adult, it’s usually the 4 year olds that have me figured out. At least, every now and then, I can peak around the curtain and realize how much I have to learn!

Jerry Salgo is one of the many people behind the scene making everything go smoothly. He is in charge of the CSC facilities, along with the maintenance and security personnel. While classes have been out on break, his team has been working to repaint and restore the school so that it will look as good as new when the students return near the end of June.

One of the projects they were working on was removing a whirlpool from the therapy room. Cebu Children of Hope School acquired the whirlpool several years ago and it was a great asset, meeting some of the physical therapy needs of our kids. It has since worn out its welcome and is no longer being used. The decision was made to remove it and sell it if possible. Uncle Jerry, being the conscientious steward that he is, needed first to ensure that it was working properly. As a man of high integrity, no task is too small or too silly for him to oversee the details personally. It is one of the many reasons we appreciate his hard work.

Once the removal is complete a new project will begin. The therapists, Jinkee Reasoner and Marwin Abong, have begun developing plans for a sensory wall to be installed. This will provide different tactile stimulation and be part of the therapy treatment for kids at CSC.

I think the CSC banquet is always going to prompt a time of reflection for me, at least since attending in 2014. Last year wasn’t my first time there, but it has changed everything.

One year ago my wife Megan and I sat at the CSC banquet pleased to be donors and planning to ask Matt Buley out for coffee to see if there were any other ways we could help; we were picturing something like stuffing envelopes.

This year we watched the CSC banquet from the Children of Hope School library in Cebu through a live feed. We’ve been here 4 months. We did get to stuff some envelopes, but we also ended up moving to Cebu.

Looking back, I’m not really sure how it happened. I had a good job that I enjoyed and Megan was just completing grad school, we weren’t really looking to move to the other side of the world. As best as I can figure, God just had a different plan and it kept getting clearer to us that we needed to listen. We had this growing feeling that God had taken the reins and we were now along for the ride.

I know I’m in God’s hands whether I’m in St. Paul or Cebu City, but it’s felt a little different since the banquet last year. My hunch is that this is a normal feeling around CSC. This ministry has been relying on God to sustain it since Marlys Healy came in 1978. I’m just one of the latest people to get wrapped up in what God is doing here. Through CSC, God is generously providing opportunities for all of us to labor, laugh, donate, and share in the work He is doing in the world. It was hilarious to see the video of Paul and Matt looking for Jared Gustafson and a special treat to see the tribute video about Sandy’s work at CSC, then to look over and see her sitting a few feet away smiling (appreciative, but not particularly thrilled about all the fuss being made over her). I loved watching Pastor Gustafson mark off the banquet attenders on his fingers who were going to donate an extra $100 just so we could set a new donation record.

Thank you for being engaged in this work too! I wonder where the next year will take us!