CSC's Children of Faith

CSC has been a ministry of faith since its inception nearly 32 years ago. All of our missionary staff who founded the work with homeless children here in Cebu City were people of strong faith; that continues until today with several new staff members added along the way. A ministry such as ours that works among the poorest of the poor in a country of great injustices could not survive long without leaders who have a strong faith in a just God. Our work with children who have faced untold atrocities needs a purpose. Our purpose is to serve and honor our living God – a God of great faith. It is a faith we don’t wish to keep to ourselves.

We like the 80 children in our care to know why we do this work. We want them to know why we are here from a different country caring for them. It is important for our children to know we are away from our families for a greater purpose. Our faith in God brought us here, it keeps us here, and it enables us to weather the challenges and difficulties we face caring for children from abusive and neglected backgrounds. We want our children not only to experience the benefits of our faith, but we want them to have that faith as well.

Our children are at many different levels of faith, much depending on their level of maturity. It is very encouraging that when we have visitors, they comment positively on how our children know scripture and the stories of faith from the Bible. Our children benefit from regular devotions and prayer in the homes, attending weekly Sunday school and worship in a local church, and special activities such as vacation Bible school and Bible Month activities at our school.

There are also other special activities geared toward our more mature children. On a weekly basis, CSC staff Joel Reasoner leads Boys’ Club for the teen boys. Assisted by our counselor, Eldie Allocod, Joel leads the boys in studying scripture and faith issues particular to them. Every Saturday morning, a dear missionary friend hosts our adolescent and teen girls in Bible Club. In addition to regular Bible learning activities, a small group of older teen girls are also mentored to be Christian leaders. These girls, in turn, host a weekly Bible story in our home for all of the younger children.

I meet on a regular basis with our children who are matched with adoptive families and waiting to leave soon. We talk about many issues important to their adjustment in their new families and a new culture. But we also talk about carrying with them what they have learned at CSC, including matters of Christian values, morals and faith. We don’t want our children checking those things at the door when they leave. As CSC staff members, we often refer to our children as seeds being planted around the world. We want our children not only to experience their own, faith, but we want them to share that faith with others as well. It’s a faith we don’t wish them to keep to themselves.

They're All Gone

It's been quite some time since I posted a blog. Not that I haven't had anything to blog about. I always do, but I get conflicted about how to do it. So many of the the things that I would like to share involve very personal situations with the kids or the ministry that I can't put in writing. So even though I think it would make very interesting reading for those who care about our children and CSC's ministry, it stays stuck in my head. I don't suppose most of those things will ever come out to my tappings on the keyboard.

But I was sitting in my office today and I looked up at the wall where I have a big picture of our 2006 CSC Twins baseball team. I went down all of the faces in the two rows of kids and thought to myself, "he's gone, he's gone, he's gone, he's gone, she's gone, she's gone, she's gone, and so forth. They are all gone, save for one kid I still have in my house. He's soon to be gone, too. That was a great season with a lot of terrific memories. We won every game and the championship. Anthony (a kid I used to have) and Neil helped me coach the team and every kid filled an important role on the team. Baseballs sprayed to all fields with the Twins at the bat and our defense was sterling.

But the best memories of those kids are not what they did with a glove on their hand or a bat at the plate. The best memories are of what they were like when they came to CSC, how they blossomed under CSC's care, and what they have become now that they have joined adoptive families. We hear about all of them from time to time, speak with one or another on occasion using some form modern technology, or even get to visit a few when we are in the States.

Some have continued to play baseball, while some have gone on to less demanding sports like basketball, football, soccer, or tennis. Several are excelling in music, while at least one is active in drama and dance. Most seem to be active in their Christian faith, while some are showing an interest in missions. One is even going off to college this fall. Oh, and that one kid I used to have is now a U.S. Marine.

I know how I feel when I look at that picture and see the bundle of personality, talent, humor, potential, challenges, and fun those kids were. The thing is, I could be looking at any picture from three years ago or 25 years ago and the feelings would be the same. I am grateful for the chance I had to be a part of their lives and for them to have been a part of mine. I hope they are grateful for the role CSC played in their lives, that they are serving God, and honoring their parents. I hope they see the picture the same way I do.