Giving Spirit

The past few months have been some very challenging times for CSC, especially in light of the fact that we are early in the process of our latest expansion of the ministry - from three homes to four, including our teen home. Over the three summer months, we have received nearly $100,000 less than what our budget calls for. And although we have been able to make up some of that difference with reserves here in Cebu, it has meant that we are not doing many things we need to be doing for the ministry. We have not had to cut basic daily services yet, but many maintenance projects are going undone, a couple replacements of nearly 20 year old vehicles are off the table, much needed vehicle repairs are being put off, outreach assistance is being restricted, a child's surgery is being delayed, IT systems are not being upgraded, and the hiring of a few more staff needed to fill roles in the expanding work is on hold.

We are trusting that God, who knows all of our needs, will provide. CSC's stateside organization is working to better make our needs known to our current donors while also taking steps to bring CSC to those who don't know about us yet. And it's encouraging that in the middle of CSC's great needs this summer, God has brought two new couples to help our ministry here in Cebu. Two Filipino couples, unknown to CSC before, both found our ministry through the Internet. Both sent e-mails expressing a desire to visit the shelter and to help in whatever way they could. Both couples did visit the shelter and shortly after gave very generous donations while sharing a desire to continue doing so. That has been a very rare occurrence here in Cebu.

We are encouraged that God is showing his provision for us. Those gifts we received may barely dent the summer shortfall we have experience, but they were very generous and help a great deal towards providing food, medicine, and education for our children.

We so greatly appreciate the giving spirit of these two Filipino couples - they were both so excited to be helping the children at CSC!