I have been thinking about Immanuel lately. We use that name a lot during the Advent season, in our scripture readings and Christmas carols. We think of the amazing way that God revealed himself and his presence and nearness through the incarnation. I was thinking, too, of the message of Immanuel that Jesus gave us at the end of his earthly ministry when He proclaimed, "I am with you always, even to the end of the earth."
There are other manifestations of Immanuel that we experience regularly. God is near to us in the lives and needs of those around us. The story of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25: 31ff shows us that in feeding the hungry and in visiting the sick and lonely, we are experiencing Christ. In the Philippines we feel this closeness in daily ways as we reach out to the homeless children that need a place to live and people to love them. We see the face of Jesus in their faces, and it is a great comfort and blessing to us.
But there are other ways that God reveals himself, his nature and his closeness to us. We see him in the lives of saintly people around us. We experience him in community. Yesterday I learned that Viola Carlson, a pillar of our church and one of the finest persons I have ever known, passed away. I think she was 92. She was kind, loving, supportive and faithful. She would come up to me in the church lobby and ask a question about one of our children whom she had been praying for. She wanted updates and reports of answered prayer. She was a pillar of CSC, too, bringing our ministry to the throne of grace regularly. In her life we experienced the nearness of God. Immanuel.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
2011
I know that many people are glad that 2011 is gone. They had a bad year and are hoping that 2012 will be better. Many people lost their jobs, or lost their homes to foreclosure, typhoons, hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes. As I was working on CSC's year-end video with highlights of the past year, I did some searches on the top news stories of 2011 and the results were pretty grim. Charitable giving, in general, has been fairly stale in America with marginal gains over last year, but 2010 was not a good year for giving. Many churches and ministries continue to struggle financially.
In this climate of economic uncertainty and man made and natural calamities, CSC celebrates 2011. It was a good year for the ministry in many ways. Although there were heartbreaks and emotional issues to deal with, and painful decisions to be made here in Cebu concerning some of our kids, God as here. We placed the most number of kids in our history. Two large sibling groups that have been waiting so long were placed, thanks to legislative initiatives and the heroic work of our Senator Amy Klobuchar. Kids found homes, new ones came in. New staff came on board. Plans were made on our board to improve our organization and position ourselves better for the challenges and opportunities of the future. And, once again, our supporters came through in record fashion, giving generously.
Rather than show charts that compare the number of childre
n served or those placed with last year, or a compartive giving chart, I'll tell about Ginda, and how 2011 was a great year for her. At Christmas time in 2010, Ginda was fighting for her life. She was in the hospital and had been for many weeks. She had surgery and was not doing well. She lost lots of weight and, most notably, her smile was gone. For a while we feared for her life. But 2011 brought lots of improvement for Ginda. She responded to medications. A feeding tube was necessary for her, and she slowly adjusted to that type of nourishment. Ginda began gaining weight. Slowly her smile returned.
n served or those placed with last year, or a compartive giving chart, I'll tell about Ginda, and how 2011 was a great year for her. At Christmas time in 2010, Ginda was fighting for her life. She was in the hospital and had been for many weeks. She had surgery and was not doing well. She lost lots of weight and, most notably, her smile was gone. For a while we feared for her life. But 2011 brought lots of improvement for Ginda. She responded to medications. A feeding tube was necessary for her, and she slowly adjusted to that type of nourishment. Ginda began gaining weight. Slowly her smile returned.Yesterday a group of visitors from Cambridge, MN arrived in Cebu. Some of them had been here before, so they remembered Ginda. As we were eating in the Duterte Home, Ginda was wheeled into the room. Everyone greeted her warmly and she rewarded them with a huge smile. Later her auntie (Ginda requires a personal caregiver) brought out her dollie and her brand new toy cell phone. She and I had a quick cell phone conversation and I reflected on what a huge difference a year had made for Ginda. And for so many of our kids. Her smile is the only reward that the staff needs for all the hours of worry, hospital visitation and medical intervention.
Monday, November 28, 2011
In the Gap
The other night we asked some friends to come to Banawa and help us pray for our children. There have been some challenging behavioral issues with some of the children in recent weeks. We felt like we needed to ask for healing, release and cleansing for all of our kids, and for our facilities, and for strength and wisdom for our workers.
We only asked people who are close to the ministry to join us. It was so encouraging to us that we had a group of 20 people praying that night. We went around the CSC compound to every room in each house.
Before we prayed I told our friends that praying for our children is something that we do as parents, almost without thinking about it. But our CSC kids do not have parents, so the staff and workers "stand in the gap" left by parents who abandoned, surrendered or neglected them, or who died or were too sick to care for them. Sometimes it is a big gap. Some of these kids have very deep hurts from abuse and neglect. Some suffer from fears and bad thoughts. What a joy it was to welcome others into the "gap" to pray for these precious kids.
We have a lot of faithful supporters who live far from the Philippines, but who still take the time and effort to pray for our CSC children. They can't join a Sunday night prayer meeting at the Shelter, but they bring the needs of ouf kids to the throne of grace. They join our staff and friends here in Cebu, standing in the gap for the kids that God brings into CSC.
Nothing could be cooler than that! Please, keep praying for protection and release for our kids.
We only asked people who are close to the ministry to join us. It was so encouraging to us that we had a group of 20 people praying that night. We went around the CSC compound to every room in each house.
Before we prayed I told our friends that praying for our children is something that we do as parents, almost without thinking about it. But our CSC kids do not have parents, so the staff and workers "stand in the gap" left by parents who abandoned, surrendered or neglected them, or who died or were too sick to care for them. Sometimes it is a big gap. Some of these kids have very deep hurts from abuse and neglect. Some suffer from fears and bad thoughts. What a joy it was to welcome others into the "gap" to pray for these precious kids.
We have a lot of faithful supporters who live far from the Philippines, but who still take the time and effort to pray for our CSC children. They can't join a Sunday night prayer meeting at the Shelter, but they bring the needs of ouf kids to the throne of grace. They join our staff and friends here in Cebu, standing in the gap for the kids that God brings into CSC.
Nothing could be cooler than that! Please, keep praying for protection and release for our kids.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Marlys on Jacob
I was reviewing the case of little Jacob with Angelie, one of our medical staff, for a report that needs to be made, and hearing about it in greater detail was even more disturbing than what we had heard before. The parents were drug addicts and drunkards, and they beat him nearly to death. The chest x-ray reveals that he had a broken clavicle that the doctor thinks must have been from a blunt blow to his body. He had a fever in the hospital of 106 but the doctor in charge would not give any medication to bring down the fever. He told Angelie to simply wrap him in a warm blanket as he had the worst chills she had ever seen. It went on for a couple of days and she thought he would perish from the shaking. It was heart wrenching that he was calling for his mother at that time. Jacob was living in an area south of the city where there are many horrible things taking place, such as witch craft, and lots of crime. Around 4 am one day dogs were barking uncontrollably but the people in the area were too afraid to go and look so they called the police. When they got to the area there was 3 year-old Jacob lying in a crumpled heap on the ground. He had been thrown over a wall outside of a compound. He had many open wounds and burns that the parents inflicted on him. There were dogs licking his wounds, which could also be a problem, as rabies is rampant here. In fact, a person can get exposed to it and not get sick with it for many years to come so we may still need to give him rabies shots. He has scars on his head that look like he had been cut with a sharp object. He was taken to the government hospital but was all alone there so nobody fed him the whole time he was there. Basically, nobody cared about him. That is when we received the referral. When Angelie picked him up to transfer him to Cebu Doctors hospital, he was skin and bones, and extremely weak. He almost went crazy when he saw food. The doctor told her to give him something to eat and he grabbed it and shoved in to his mouth so fast that he almost choked. When he drank he tapped the bottom of the glass to get every drop out. Thankfully, he is recovering slowly but surely physically, but we wonder how he will be affected emotionally for years to come. The parents were also cruel to his brother Joseph. The sister was the mother's favorite so she didn't suffer like her brothers. All three of them are at CSC. The parents are in jail, so they will never hurt those children again. Thankfully, Jacob and his siblings will never go hungry again, nor will they ever suffer the physical pain of torture and abuse. We pray for wisdom in figuring out the extent of the damage that was done to those precious children. Angelie just informed me that the mother recently gave birth again, and the baby is living with a grandmother.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Remembering Luker
October 31 to November 2 is All Saints Day and All Souls Day in the Philippines. It is also known as "Araw ng mga Patay", "Día de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead) or "Undas". During All Saints and Souls Day, friends and families visit the cemeteries, and pay homage to their dearly departed. The cemetery takes on a party atmosphere, and the holiday is often festive rather than a solemn celebration. Families return to their respective provinces to clean and repair the tombs of their deceased loved ones, and to pay their respects.
Although I do not embrace all of the beliefs surrounding these holidays, I think it is good to remember the lives of those who went before us. Today I've been thinking about Luke, who lived at CSC for 23 years before he died several years ago. Luke was born in 1982 in a charity ward of a small hospital in Cebu. His heart stopped beating during birth and he was born with massive brain damage. He lived his life at CSC without ever having voluntary movement of his arms or legs. He never said a word nor was he able to walk. He lived in the nursery most of his life, and in a seperate isolation room for the past few years.
Luke was a superstar at CSC. His smile could transform people's moods. He struggled to breathe for much of his life, spending months in hospitals. But he taught us so much and we loved him so. I remember him as a person who clung to life even though life was such a difficult proposition for him. The cares and problems of my life always seemed so small and insignificant when I spent time with Luke. Oh, how I miss his smile.
I delivered a sermon on several occasions following Luke's death. It was published in the Baptist Pietist Clarion in May of 2008. I include it here because I think that Luke's life was important for all of us to reflect on. He was a teacher. A minister even. He was one of the great persons I have known in my life. I consider him a Saint, so let's think about Luke during All Saints Day!
http://www.cscshelter.org/shared/lukesermon.pdf
Although I do not embrace all of the beliefs surrounding these holidays, I think it is good to remember the lives of those who went before us. Today I've been thinking about Luke, who lived at CSC for 23 years before he died several years ago. Luke was born in 1982 in a charity ward of a small hospital in Cebu. His heart stopped beating during birth and he was born with massive brain damage. He lived his life at CSC without ever having voluntary movement of his arms or legs. He never said a word nor was he able to walk. He lived in the nursery most of his life, and in a seperate isolation room for the past few years.
Luke was a superstar at CSC. His smile could transform people's moods. He struggled to breathe for much of his life, spending months in hospitals. But he taught us so much and we loved him so. I remember him as a person who clung to life even though life was such a difficult proposition for him. The cares and problems of my life always seemed so small and insignificant when I spent time with Luke. Oh, how I miss his smile.
I delivered a sermon on several occasions following Luke's death. It was published in the Baptist Pietist Clarion in May of 2008. I include it here because I think that Luke's life was important for all of us to reflect on. He was a teacher. A minister even. He was one of the great persons I have known in my life. I consider him a Saint, so let's think about Luke during All Saints Day!
http://www.cscshelter.org/shared/lukesermon.pdf
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
A Panorama of Blessings
I was "on duty" the other night in the Eicher Home, reading with the kids and praying with them before they went to bed. After they hit the sack I spent a few quiet moments sitting upstairs just looking around and reflecting on God's goodness. There are so many reminders in that home of his love and provision. There are several cross stiches on the walls, given lovingly by Marie Hagfors. Marie is the grandmother of Lindsay Hoeft, who is working here for a year. Marie made more than 40 of these works of arts for all our homes. In the corner is a large mobile made by visitors Nancy Thielen, Becky Hallstrom and Mary Mork a couple years ago. On the bookshelves are many volumes, all sent to us by thoughtful friends in the U.S., Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada. Some of the kids were playing with puzzles and board games, all of which came over in boxes from the States, compliments of friends of CSC. Several of the kids were wearing tee-shirts with Cherry Hills Community Church (one of our faithful supporting churches) on the back. Every part of that home, and our other residences, has the mark of our supporters on it and in it.
As I was getting ready to pray with the kids I inquired about who we should pray for. Some mentioned the sick kids or the staff or their birth families. One girl said, "supporters!" Our kids know that there are people behind all of the good things that they enjoy. We talk to them about all of you and encourage them to thank God for you and what you mean in their lives. For tee-shirts, art work, books, food, medicine....everything that they have here at CSC.
We really want to raise children and young adults who are thankful people.
As I was praying
As I was getting ready to pray with the kids I inquired about who we should pray for. Some mentioned the sick kids or the staff or their birth families. One girl said, "supporters!" Our kids know that there are people behind all of the good things that they enjoy. We talk to them about all of you and encourage them to thank God for you and what you mean in their lives. For tee-shirts, art work, books, food, medicine....everything that they have here at CSC.
We really want to raise children and young adults who are thankful people.
As I was praying
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Arman
Last year I wrote about a homeless guy who was living outside the wall that surrounds our house.
http://thehealyblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/somewhere-out-there.html
He just showed up one day and started living there. He never hassled anyone. But he bothered me. I still think about him when I pull my car up to the curb near where he would sleep. I wonder if he has reconnected with his family in Mindanao, and if he is feeling safe and secure.
His name was Arman. I suppose he made me feel uncomfortable because he was a symbol of poverty and the ravages that it inflicts on people. He wasn't a category or a statistic. He was Arman, and he was outside our wall while I was comfortably inside the house. In many ways he was everything that I wasn't - homeless, desperately poor, hungry, without hope. Every day he would wake with a blank slate. There was no money or food or job prospects to carry over for the new day. But it wasn't really a blank slate, because the hunger would carry over and the despair would accumulate. But he would greet me with a smile when I'd park near his cardboard bed roll. It would probably have been easier for me if he was beligerent or demanding or posed a threat to me or my family. I could have called the police and had him taken someplace else. His smile and his total poverty haunted me, and continues to bother me as I reflect on Arman. As I mentioned in last year's blog, we helped him get a ticket for a boat back to the province in Mindanao where he told us he was from. Did I do that primarily just to get him out of my sight and lessen my guilt? Was there more I should have done to help him while he was here?
The issue of dealing with poverty is an every day thing here in the Philippines. You can't escape it. Beggars confront you while you drive through the city. Often it will be a young girl with a baby on her hip. I drive to the Shelter and pass people who cannot afford public transportation, so they walk. I buy medicine for my family and outside the pharmacy are people who are sick and dying for lack of that same medicine. I sit down to eat knowing there are hungry people going without lunch. I sleep in my comfortable bed while Arman and the thousands of other Armans curl up on a piece of cardboard.
I hope you are not expecting that this blog will have the answer here. I don't know why some people have to suffer and I don't. No speaker or author has answered that question for me in my 57 years of life. And I confess to being more than a little numb to the realities of life for the poor. Maybe I'm just not really willing to share my bounty. I can always hide behind my job, telling myself that I'm doing a lot to help homeless kids and prevent other Armans being on the street. Or I can just ignore the needy people all around me. The needs of Arman confronted me because he came to my house to sleep, and I was forced to deal with him and look him in the eyes and experience his poverty.
I don't think that I'll ever forget Arman. I think that is a good thing. Maybe we all need to live with an Arman in our head, reminding us of the desperate needs around us and the disparity that exists. Jesus did not isolate himself from the Armans of his day. As a man, He was limited in his access to the needs of all the poor people. But to those He confronted or that confronted him, He offered something. Maybe it wasn't always what they wanted but it was something they needed. Maybe Jesus knows our emotional and spiritual limitations, and the Holy Spirit's work in our lives is to move us with compassion for those that He selects for us to help. Maybe that's why out of the crowd, Arman stepped into my life.
http://thehealyblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/somewhere-out-there.html
He just showed up one day and started living there. He never hassled anyone. But he bothered me. I still think about him when I pull my car up to the curb near where he would sleep. I wonder if he has reconnected with his family in Mindanao, and if he is feeling safe and secure.
His name was Arman. I suppose he made me feel uncomfortable because he was a symbol of poverty and the ravages that it inflicts on people. He wasn't a category or a statistic. He was Arman, and he was outside our wall while I was comfortably inside the house. In many ways he was everything that I wasn't - homeless, desperately poor, hungry, without hope. Every day he would wake with a blank slate. There was no money or food or job prospects to carry over for the new day. But it wasn't really a blank slate, because the hunger would carry over and the despair would accumulate. But he would greet me with a smile when I'd park near his cardboard bed roll. It would probably have been easier for me if he was beligerent or demanding or posed a threat to me or my family. I could have called the police and had him taken someplace else. His smile and his total poverty haunted me, and continues to bother me as I reflect on Arman. As I mentioned in last year's blog, we helped him get a ticket for a boat back to the province in Mindanao where he told us he was from. Did I do that primarily just to get him out of my sight and lessen my guilt? Was there more I should have done to help him while he was here?
The issue of dealing with poverty is an every day thing here in the Philippines. You can't escape it. Beggars confront you while you drive through the city. Often it will be a young girl with a baby on her hip. I drive to the Shelter and pass people who cannot afford public transportation, so they walk. I buy medicine for my family and outside the pharmacy are people who are sick and dying for lack of that same medicine. I sit down to eat knowing there are hungry people going without lunch. I sleep in my comfortable bed while Arman and the thousands of other Armans curl up on a piece of cardboard.
I hope you are not expecting that this blog will have the answer here. I don't know why some people have to suffer and I don't. No speaker or author has answered that question for me in my 57 years of life. And I confess to being more than a little numb to the realities of life for the poor. Maybe I'm just not really willing to share my bounty. I can always hide behind my job, telling myself that I'm doing a lot to help homeless kids and prevent other Armans being on the street. Or I can just ignore the needy people all around me. The needs of Arman confronted me because he came to my house to sleep, and I was forced to deal with him and look him in the eyes and experience his poverty.
I don't think that I'll ever forget Arman. I think that is a good thing. Maybe we all need to live with an Arman in our head, reminding us of the desperate needs around us and the disparity that exists. Jesus did not isolate himself from the Armans of his day. As a man, He was limited in his access to the needs of all the poor people. But to those He confronted or that confronted him, He offered something. Maybe it wasn't always what they wanted but it was something they needed. Maybe Jesus knows our emotional and spiritual limitations, and the Holy Spirit's work in our lives is to move us with compassion for those that He selects for us to help. Maybe that's why out of the crowd, Arman stepped into my life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)