Staff Blog

"We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough."         -Helen Keller

The level A1 class has just finished the theme STICK TO IT. As a part of our wrap-up activity, the kids tried their best to build houses out of cards.

They enjoyed the activity and they all wanted to build houses, even if it wasn't easy. There were times when the cards tumbled down and sometimes it was hard to make them stand but these kids were eager to achieve their goals. They always told themselves to keep on trying and to never give up.

After several attempts and construction success, a huge smile on their faces showed that the "stick to it" attitude was worth it!

       Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature – Gerard De Nerval

       A flower is one of the cutest things one person can give to another. It has long been a symbol of love and care. The children at CCHS love to give flowers to their teachers and it is one of the most humbling experiences to be reminded that the kids here really love us. These kids are beautiful and surprise us at times when we don't expect. Almost every morning they come to school with flowers in their hands and give them to their teacher with bright smiles on their faces. There have been instances when the child will bring the entire plant including the roots.

       Maybe as they picked the flowers they were thinking about those teachers whom they care about. This shows how the kids love their teachers and that they are grateful to them. This lovely act of our kids could truly melt the hearts of the teachers and turn our not-so-good day into an inspiring one.

       It is truly a wonderful gift that we definitely love and appreciate. #ForeverGrateful

     Bible trivia at CCHS has helped a lot in cultivating more love for God's Word in the hearts of the students. It was something we started in school so everyone can know more of our great God. Every week each level is given one question to answer and one verse to memorize. And every Monday is Bible Trivia Day. Names of students who answered and those who will say the verse are picked. The latter one is quite challenging especially for the bigger students since they are given longer verses to memorize but the teachers are doing a great job of encouraging them to master their bible verses. Praise the Lord for the hardworking teachers who inspire the students to learn more about God's Word!

      Bible trivia made a great impact on one of my boys in class. Recently, I noticed something really cool about him. Before, he chose books with colorful pictures to check out from the library but for the past three weeks he has also checked out a Bible. During free time he used to copy and draw pictures but now he chooses to copy verses from the Bible (below is a picture of some verses he copied). There are times that he would also prefer to read the Bible rather than play games with others during free choice time. At first I found it really unusual. In my mind I was thinking, "Why does this boy choose to spend time in God's Word instead of doing other fun things?" One day I got the chance to ask him about it. He answered me with these four words, "I love the Bible."
      What a wonderful answer! What a wonderful boy!

    The Philippines is a tropical country. It has only two seasons: the rainy and dry seasons. The rainy season starts in June and lasts until October.

      Well, it was not a surprise that the first week of October was kind of rainy. On a recent Thursday the students in level B2 had their third subject in the afternoon. The rain was pouring hard when the class started. Then suddenly lightning flashed which was closely followed by a loud roar of thunder. As it happened, some students just closed their eyes while others covered their ears and still others, to their surprise, suddenly screamed because they were afraid of the thunder.

      When the lightning and thunder was still on display, I grabbed the opportunity to encourage the students not to be afraid because God is greater than lightning and thunder. We began to pray. Their fear subsided, they calmed down, and we continued the class as if nothing happened.

   Maybe some of you have been "that" parent of "that" child when you went to school for parent-teacher conferences. I know I was "that" parent many times through the years. You walk into your child's classroom and are met by a team of professionals who all give you an awkward smile. You know they didn't take time out of their day to come to the conference and tell you how happy they are to have your child in class. They are there to explain in chorus that they have some serious concerns about how your child is doing.

     Recently at the Cebu Children of Hope School we had parent-teacher conferences (actually houseparent-teacher conferences). If you had walked into the room you would have been amazed at how many people were assembled to discuss each child who attends CCHS. Some of the adults present were the classroom teacher, a social worker, the principal, the education director, Paul and Marlys Healy, a therapist (when needed), the houseparents, the behavioral specialist, and the child development director. It was an encouraging time to discuss not only the academic progress of each child but to also celebrate how far each one has come in their self confidence, social skills, and emotional stability.

     Normally a conference with this many adults in one room raises up a red flag that a child is struggling in class. The exact opposite was true at CCHS. Each child is given the best care possible at CSC and that means several adults blocking out many hours in their week to come to school and discuss the growth of each child, where they currently are at, and then brainstorm ways we can better serve and help each child to become more of the person God created them to be. CSC is blessed to have so many caring and skilled adults, specializing in different areas, to give outstanding care to these great kids. Thank you for helping make all of this possible!