CSC has long arms! They reach out to 80 children who have no other place to call home. They reach out to families in crisis and to children that have returned to their biological parents but still have needs for medical care and education. They reach out to adoptive families around the world: New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, England, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada and the United States. And they reach out to supporters, helping meet their need to be involved in ministry to needy children that is done in Jesus' name.
But this ministry also reaches out to our many workers and their families. Many of our workers, in spite of earning a good wage and receiving health benefits through CSC, still live in difficult circumstances. Many are the sole wage earner in their whole extended family. Many are responsible for the health needs of their parents and siblings, not to mention their own families. (Most people in the Philippines do not have any health or life insurance.) Many are not able to accumulate savings because of the many needs of their families. The culture of poverty affects most of our workers in major ways on a day to day basis.
This fact came home to me in a big way in the past few days. One of our workers lost her father the other day and she needs, in addition to comfort and emotional support, money for funeral expenses. Another worker is in the hospital and needs blood. Another has to buy medicines that the health insurance doesn't provide for. Sometimes we can offer salary loans or emergency help to our workers. But the needs can seem overwhelming. And I wonder about the families that don't have a member who works for a benevolent employer like CSC.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
A day's work
As I was driving around Cebu today I got to thinking about all the work that our staff does, and the many jobs that are required for a ministry like ours to run smoothly. Maybe I'm thinking about all of this more these days because Mitch and Ruth Ohlendorf leave at the end of the week and I'll have lots more administrative duties to attend to. Or maybe my reflection was due to the fairly hectic schedule that we have today.
Today is a day when all of our vehicles are needed. We have a team here from Colorado (www.cebukids.blogspot.com) that is doing biking and adventure activities with the children. We need our van and two jeeps to take the kids, team and bikes to the venue. We made two separate runs to the airport today. Amy Luck from our staff arrived at 6:00 a.m., and an adoptive family from the U.S. got in at 10:30. After bringing the couple to CSC we had lunch with them. As I was driving down the hill from lunch a group of our child care workers was walking up to start their shifts. And I saw Jerry driving up with Joemar, bringing him back from his job at McDonalds. Marlys and the nurses were catching their breath before an afternoon run to several doctors offices with some kids. The houseparents were buying food for some special meals with the Colorado team. At the Teen Home, Edith was preparing food for a birthday party tonight for Joevanie, who is 17 years old today. (We will all be attending the party tonight!) Tomorrow, the adoptive family will have four different meetings: they will discuss their children's education with their teachers; the will have a chance to ask questions about their background information with the social worker; they will review their medical history with the nurses, and will talk with our counselors. Meanwhile, the Colorado team will be taking a big group of the kids south and to the other side of the island for an adventure outing, with several of our people (drivers, staff, nurse) going along. The teachers in our Children of Hope School are getting ready for the start of the school year, even as our maintenance guys get the building ready for the opening. Our social workers are out in the field, trying to get the birth documentation for our children so that they can be presented for abandonment hearings in court or for adoptive placement. And our buildings continue to go up, which keeps Jerry and Mitch busy.
CSC is fairly small in terms of our overall budget. But it is a very labor intensive ministry. We have more than 70 employees for our shelter, school and office, and each person has lots to do. On days like these I am thankful for the skill and hard work of everybody as we strive to meet the many needs of our children in an efficient manner.
Today is a day when all of our vehicles are needed. We have a team here from Colorado (www.cebukids.blogspot.com) that is doing biking and adventure activities with the children. We need our van and two jeeps to take the kids, team and bikes to the venue. We made two separate runs to the airport today. Amy Luck from our staff arrived at 6:00 a.m., and an adoptive family from the U.S. got in at 10:30. After bringing the couple to CSC we had lunch with them. As I was driving down the hill from lunch a group of our child care workers was walking up to start their shifts. And I saw Jerry driving up with Joemar, bringing him back from his job at McDonalds. Marlys and the nurses were catching their breath before an afternoon run to several doctors offices with some kids. The houseparents were buying food for some special meals with the Colorado team. At the Teen Home, Edith was preparing food for a birthday party tonight for Joevanie, who is 17 years old today. (We will all be attending the party tonight!) Tomorrow, the adoptive family will have four different meetings: they will discuss their children's education with their teachers; the will have a chance to ask questions about their background information with the social worker; they will review their medical history with the nurses, and will talk with our counselors. Meanwhile, the Colorado team will be taking a big group of the kids south and to the other side of the island for an adventure outing, with several of our people (drivers, staff, nurse) going along. The teachers in our Children of Hope School are getting ready for the start of the school year, even as our maintenance guys get the building ready for the opening. Our social workers are out in the field, trying to get the birth documentation for our children so that they can be presented for abandonment hearings in court or for adoptive placement. And our buildings continue to go up, which keeps Jerry and Mitch busy.
CSC is fairly small in terms of our overall budget. But it is a very labor intensive ministry. We have more than 70 employees for our shelter, school and office, and each person has lots to do. On days like these I am thankful for the skill and hard work of everybody as we strive to meet the many needs of our children in an efficient manner.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Follow-ups
We have written about some kids who came to CSC earlier this year, and it might be a good idea to provide a follow-up. I know some of you have been reading and praying, and are concerned about the well-being of these kids.
Jovan was the pathetically malnourished boy we took in back in mid-January. He has spent quite a bit of his life in the hospital, but is currently doing better. He still recurring upper respiratory infections, but these are less severe lately. He is catching up developmentally, scooting around in the walker and working on taking steps.
In early March we took in his twin sister, Jeralyn. She had been given to someone when she was just a few weeks old, and that person had not pursued legal adoption. So, together with the government social workers, we decided to work on getting her. It took a while but eventually she was able to join her brother Jovan in our Cherne Home nursery. It has been great fun to see them get to know each other and interact as twins. Jeralyn is way ahead of Jovan developmentally, as she enjoyed decent health and nutrition as a baby. It is great to have them reunited and to know that they will have a chance to grow up together.
There are other children in the family who have been referred to us, and we are considering the possibility of taking in at least two more. Right now we don't have available space but there are nine children leaving fairly soon so we will have room for them. So the story of Jovan continues to unfold. We are thankful for the opportunity to work with Jovan and his sister, and to see the incredible changes in their lives.
Joevani and his siblings, Sheila May, Jayson and James, are also doing well. Joevani has responded so well to the changes in his life, and the opportunities that he now has at CSC. He lives in the Teen Home and has been enrolled in our school in a bridge program to prepare him for high school. He will continue that program for one more year. He works hard at his studies and wants to be successful. During summer vacation he is taking a computer class and spending extra time with his siblings at the Shelter. He loves to push James around in the wagon and help feed him. Sheila May (9) is a very active young girl, who loves to run and play and who has made good friends at CSC. She will need some surgery on her jaw and face, and we are consulting with plastic surgeons here about that possibility soon. Jayson (5) had a good start to pre-school and will be in that class again in June when school starts. James (17 months) is a very happy little guy who usually has a big smile on his face. He loves the attention of his older siblings.
Just a few short months ago, these kids were suffering in dire poverty and hopelessness. Now they are on a different path, and we are excited to see what God has in store for them.
Thanks for your prayers for all these kids. Opportunities to help kids like these are one of the great things about our jobs here in Cebu.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Joevani
In October we got a referral for five kids on Mactan, where the airport is. The story was that their mother died after giving birth to James in December, 2006. The children were devastated, as she was a loving mother and the stable force in their lives. Their father was a drunkard and had six more children with two other women, which added to the children's grief and suffering. In September, 2007, the father died. Although there may have been a sense of relief, the children were traumatized to lose their father as well, and a feeling of total desperation swept over the eldest child, Joevani. Joevani was 16 at the time. He felt the extreme burden of how he could possibly care for his four siblings. An Aunt, living in extreme poverty, offered to help them but she did not have the resources to care for an additional five children so Joevani dropped out of school and his daily routine was to go to the nearby dump to look for morsels of food or anything he could find to sell, just to care for his siblings. Thankfully, he did not resort to stealing but instead, went to that filthy place every day just so his siblings wouldn't starve. Consequently, Joevani became very ill. A pastor of a small Protestant church in the community knew about the family, as they attended his church on occasion. Joevani was the one who brought the children to church, if he was able. When the pastor and his wife heard that the children were starting to get sickly, they took them in to their home, even though they have six children of their own. They did not have the means for such an undertaking, but were moved by compassion to do what they could. There simply was not enough room for all of the children, so Joevani slept on a narrow wooden bench in the church, which was better than nothing, but must have been terribly lonely for him. (The pastor's wife is a sister to one of our house parents so that is how we became involved in the children's lives.) Since we were full at the time, and unable to take them in, CSC intervened and gave them food and clothing until we had room for them at the Shelter in late November. Paul and I visited the children at the pastor's house before they came to live with us, and Joevani just stood in the corner, hunched over with his head hanging, never looking directly at us. He looked much older than 16 years of age, and as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Shortly afterwards, we brought him to the doctor and he was started on medications for pneumonia. The following day the pastor's wife called with panic in her voice to inform us that Joevani was unable to walk. He was so weak that he couldn't even get up from the bench. They rushed him by taxi to the hospital in Cebu where he was admitted for severe pneumonia and other complications from a kidney disease. which caused temporary paralysis. Joevani was admitted as a CSC kid that day and the rest of the siblings came the next day. He was hospitalized for a week. The eventual diagnosis was that his illness was exacerbated by tuberculosis, in addition to the parasites that robbed his body of nutrition. Joevani was later told that he would live at the Wally Johnson Teen Home, as it was very likely that he would not be adopted, since he is nearly 17. He knows that his siblings may be adopted without him. He told us that he doesn't care if he never has a mother or father again, but he asked us if he could possibly have an education. He dreams of being an engineer. Joevani visits his three siblings at the Shelter whenever he has the chance. He is attending our Children of Hope school for the remainder of the year, in preperation for returning to high school at some point. Joevani struggles academically, as he had such a slow start in education, but with his determination, and the patience and dedication of our teachers, we hope to give him every opportunity possible to do something with the potential the Lord has given him. The children from the Shelter eat lunch at the home during their school day, so Joevani goes to the Cherne House where his siblings are living. He wants to spend as much time as he can with them. They adore him and it's obvious that he is very protective of his sister and two brothers. How wonderful that he no longer has to worry about them, however, as he knows that they are lovingly cared for at the Shelter. (Sheila Mae is 9, Jayson is 5 and James is 14 months old.) Sheila Mae was at camp with the Central Team in February. When Sheila Mae was about 3 years old she had a terrible abscess of her jaw, which left a disfiguring scar on her left cheek, and destroyed the teeth on the bottom on that side of her mouth. One night after hearing many stories from Pastor Chuck and Turnip, she asked the teacher in her tent if there really is a God. The other girls in the tent were enthusiastically telling her that most certainly there is a God. A look of sadness came over her and she asked, "If there is a God, why did He make me so ugly?" We would appreciate your prayers for Sheila Mae. She will be seen by a plastic surgeon in the near future, and we hope that the doctor will be able to restore that area that makes her feel so self-conscious. Joevani was moved to tears after hearing the many stories at camp. He told several of us that he believes in God and knows that Jesus Christ is His Savior, but being in the midst of everything going on at camp made him realize what a miracle has happened in his life, and that he is so thankful that he and his siblings were rescued by Children's Shelter of Cebu. There is another sister still living in Mactan. Jenevie is 14 years old. She has had some very difficult and traumatic experiences that would make it extremely hard to have her at the Shelter or the Teen Home, so for now, she is living with her Aunt. Naturally, Joevani is very concerned about her, but realizes that he is not able to help her at this point. Thank you for your part in helping us care for Joevani and his siblings. Without the support of people that love this ministry to the homeless, neglected and orphaned children in the Philippines, we would not be here to help them and to this day, Joevani would still be digging through the dump in Mactan. Worse yet, he may have not survived.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Our Annual Banquet
I am currently in MN working with Matt Buley and others to prepare for our CSC Banquet on April 12. We have had this banquet almost every year since 1980, and it is a great evening of fun. Last year was one of our best banquets ever, in my opinion, with lots of festive decorations and dances and interesting perspectives on the ministry.
CSC is a ministry that touches a lot of kids' lives in meaningful ways. One of the strengths of CSC, I believe, is that we have kept our focus over the years. Although there are many needs in the Philippines, and lots of things that need doing, we have kept our eyes on the things that we were called to do. I think this has helped us greatly, as people can readily understand what our ministry is all about. Even as we grow and develop, we are still about caring for homeless children in a loving, Christ-centered residential setting.
The only down side of this is that sometimes it is really challenging to come up with new and fresh ways of presenting the ministry. Although the children are constantly changing, the things that we do are pretty much the same from newsletter to newsletter and banquet to banquet. It certainly challenges our creativity to present new looks and approaches to the same ministry.
This year we're taking a look at the various "roads" that have led people to CSC. Our main speaker is going to be Eddie Henry, the first child that CSC ever took in back in 1979. Eddie as one day old when he came to live with us. He is now 28, and, together with his wife Hannah, expecting a child. He has had an interesting life and recently had a reunion in Cebu that he will be telling about. This is going to be really meaningful and emotional, and tell another side of the ministry that many probably don't think about.
Come and see the "Road to Cebu" at Bethel on April 12.
CSC is a ministry that touches a lot of kids' lives in meaningful ways. One of the strengths of CSC, I believe, is that we have kept our focus over the years. Although there are many needs in the Philippines, and lots of things that need doing, we have kept our eyes on the things that we were called to do. I think this has helped us greatly, as people can readily understand what our ministry is all about. Even as we grow and develop, we are still about caring for homeless children in a loving, Christ-centered residential setting.
The only down side of this is that sometimes it is really challenging to come up with new and fresh ways of presenting the ministry. Although the children are constantly changing, the things that we do are pretty much the same from newsletter to newsletter and banquet to banquet. It certainly challenges our creativity to present new looks and approaches to the same ministry.
This year we're taking a look at the various "roads" that have led people to CSC. Our main speaker is going to be Eddie Henry, the first child that CSC ever took in back in 1979. Eddie as one day old when he came to live with us. He is now 28, and, together with his wife Hannah, expecting a child. He has had an interesting life and recently had a reunion in Cebu that he will be telling about. This is going to be really meaningful and emotional, and tell another side of the ministry that many probably don't think about.
Come and see the "Road to Cebu" at Bethel on April 12.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Jovan's Story by Marlys
On January 14th we received an urgent message that there was an extremely ill child in a squatter village near the city bus terminal, so one of our nurses, one of our social workers and I went there immediately to assess the situation. There was no place to park so the government workers brought eleven month old Jovan to the vehicle. It was hard to believe that Jovan was even alive, as he was so emaciated and malnourished. His bones and veins were barely covered by a thin layer of skin and he was so weak that his cry was a mere whimper. He was severely dehydrated so he didn’t even have tears. His mother was out begging when we got there so we took him anyway with the assistance of the local officials. There was no time to wait for her return. Our hearts were breaking as we rushed him through the crowded streets of Cebu for an exam at our doctor’s office. We wrapped him carefully, as he was so frail, and gave him milk very slowly. His little tummy was not used to real nutrition. The desperate mother had been giving him watered down rice water, which was somewhat better than nothing.
When Jovan was born his mother gave away his twin sister, as she was so distraught and wondered how she would feed another child when she had eight more at home. The father left his whole family, leaving the mother and nine kids to fend for themselves. No wonder she gave away Jovan’s precious sister. I wonder how she decided which one to give away. (Our social worker is presently trying to find Jovan’s sister.)
Later, when the mother returned, she heard that we had her son at the doctor’s office, so she went there right away to watch the exam. I can’t imagine what she must have been feeling as she watched her son slowly fading away from her in the dark and filthy shack she called home. There he was being carefully examined by our compassionate and tender loving pediatrician in a safe and clean clinic, just a few miles from her village where her son was literally dying. (The doctor was so moved by meeting Jovan that he didn’t charge for the exam.)
When I pulled in to our yard at the Shelter an hour later, the mother was about to leave with the barangay officials. She was there to see Jovan’s new home, and she met some of the Aunties and Uncles that care so tenderly for our children. She walked straight over to the window of the vehicle and there was genuine peace in her eyes as she stood outside, thanking us for rescuing her son. Maybe she slept a little that night, knowing that Jovan would no longer suffer the pain of starvation, but looking around her at the other eight kids must have quickly brought her back to reality.
Jovan was admitted the following day for severe pneumonia and diarrhea, and after receiving medicine for de-worming, he passed an awful worm that was robbing him of any tiny amount of nutrition. Surely, there are more of them that we are anxious to get rid of with several weeks of medication.
He has gained some strength, but he’s still very weak and barely able to cry to make his needs known. Yesterday was a thrilling day, however, as he was able to smile momentarily. He tires quickly. One thing is for sure, he will never again have to go to bed hungry, and never again will he ever want for anything. Just as I was about to leave I bent down to say good-bye and was so touched when he put his scrawny and frail little hand on my cheek for a few seconds. Oh my, tears came to my eyes as I thought what a blessing it is to have Jovan under our care!
We would like to ask for your prayers for Jovan as his body starts to grow and change with proper nutrition and tender loving care. We pray that Jovan will recover quickly and that he will not suffer life long affects from the severe malnutrition. Thank you being a part of Jovan’s life and for your loving support of this ministry that enables us to take him in to the caring environment at Children’s Shelter of Cebu.
Jovan is one of 76 children that we presently have. Each of them has a difficult past. None of them would be here today if not for the faithful partners of Children’s Shelter of Cebu. Bless each one of you!
When Jovan was born his mother gave away his twin sister, as she was so distraught and wondered how she would feed another child when she had eight more at home. The father left his whole family, leaving the mother and nine kids to fend for themselves. No wonder she gave away Jovan’s precious sister. I wonder how she decided which one to give away. (Our social worker is presently trying to find Jovan’s sister.)
Later, when the mother returned, she heard that we had her son at the doctor’s office, so she went there right away to watch the exam. I can’t imagine what she must have been feeling as she watched her son slowly fading away from her in the dark and filthy shack she called home. There he was being carefully examined by our compassionate and tender loving pediatrician in a safe and clean clinic, just a few miles from her village where her son was literally dying. (The doctor was so moved by meeting Jovan that he didn’t charge for the exam.)
When I pulled in to our yard at the Shelter an hour later, the mother was about to leave with the barangay officials. She was there to see Jovan’s new home, and she met some of the Aunties and Uncles that care so tenderly for our children. She walked straight over to the window of the vehicle and there was genuine peace in her eyes as she stood outside, thanking us for rescuing her son. Maybe she slept a little that night, knowing that Jovan would no longer suffer the pain of starvation, but looking around her at the other eight kids must have quickly brought her back to reality.
Jovan was admitted the following day for severe pneumonia and diarrhea, and after receiving medicine for de-worming, he passed an awful worm that was robbing him of any tiny amount of nutrition. Surely, there are more of them that we are anxious to get rid of with several weeks of medication.
He has gained some strength, but he’s still very weak and barely able to cry to make his needs known. Yesterday was a thrilling day, however, as he was able to smile momentarily. He tires quickly. One thing is for sure, he will never again have to go to bed hungry, and never again will he ever want for anything. Just as I was about to leave I bent down to say good-bye and was so touched when he put his scrawny and frail little hand on my cheek for a few seconds. Oh my, tears came to my eyes as I thought what a blessing it is to have Jovan under our care!
We would like to ask for your prayers for Jovan as his body starts to grow and change with proper nutrition and tender loving care. We pray that Jovan will recover quickly and that he will not suffer life long affects from the severe malnutrition. Thank you being a part of Jovan’s life and for your loving support of this ministry that enables us to take him in to the caring environment at Children’s Shelter of Cebu.
Jovan is one of 76 children that we presently have. Each of them has a difficult past. None of them would be here today if not for the faithful partners of Children’s Shelter of Cebu. Bless each one of you!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Two Blessed Events
When people make positive comments about CSC and the work that we do, I always say that the nature of our ministry is that we get more than we give. This past week I had a couple of experienes that help prove that contention.
Early in the week I was part of a reunion. One of our first kids had the opportunity to meet his birth mom. He was adopted as an infant, and, about 28 years later, though a series of extraordinary events, was able to meet his birth mom in Cebu. It was an incredibly emotional time for everyone. It was such a blessing to be a part of that event, and to know that it was a very significant thing for both of them. Increasingly, an important part of our work is to welcome back former residents, to help them find birth families, and to facilitate reunions.
Later in the week we had the chance to tell one of our sibling groups that they will be adopted. They were so surprised and excited by the news. I try to imagine what it must be like to get news that is so lifechanging. The staff was able to show them pictures of their adoptive family, their house, school and church and to tell them a little about the state where they will live. Again, it was a very emotional time for everyone.
The ministry of CSC requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice. But we are very much blessed and these experiences renew our commitment to working hard for the children that God brings to us.
Early in the week I was part of a reunion. One of our first kids had the opportunity to meet his birth mom. He was adopted as an infant, and, about 28 years later, though a series of extraordinary events, was able to meet his birth mom in Cebu. It was an incredibly emotional time for everyone. It was such a blessing to be a part of that event, and to know that it was a very significant thing for both of them. Increasingly, an important part of our work is to welcome back former residents, to help them find birth families, and to facilitate reunions.
Later in the week we had the chance to tell one of our sibling groups that they will be adopted. They were so surprised and excited by the news. I try to imagine what it must be like to get news that is so lifechanging. The staff was able to show them pictures of their adoptive family, their house, school and church and to tell them a little about the state where they will live. Again, it was a very emotional time for everyone.
The ministry of CSC requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice. But we are very much blessed and these experiences renew our commitment to working hard for the children that God brings to us.
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