"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:17, ESV).
HAPPY NEW YEAR
This certainly has been a whirlwind of a year. In our last post, I tried to use pictures to give you a glimpse into our lives here in Cebu. This time, I'll use stories.
The following update was sent to the CSC Board just days before Christmas. It was sent the week of Dec. 16th, right after the funeral service of one of our long-time residents and a great brother in the Lord, Jacob Collamat. My family and I want to thank all of you once again for supporting us and making it possible for us to serve the Lord in Cebu. So much of what the Lord has done, and is doing, is beyond my ability to describe. Hopefully the pictures from last week's post, and the stories from this one, help you understand a bit of the heart that the Lord has given us for this ministry and for these kids.
I pray that you all have a wonderful and blessed New Year! In many ways, these stories, along with the pictures and videos from our last post, sum up our 2019 in Cebu. Thank you for being a part of this amazing ministry!
Last week Heather and I, along with Paul, Marlys, and many others, made frequent trips to Cebu Doctor’s Hospital to be with Jacob Callomat. It had only been a few days since we’d attended a Christmas Concert with Jacob. He was smiling, humming, and playing air guitar along with the music. It’s hard to imagine anything more heart-warming than seeing the joyful expression on his face. Today those happy memories carry deep meaning; they’re remnants of Jacob that will stay in our hearts until we are with him again in the presence of Our Heavenly Father.
Back at the Shelter there was a mixture of emotions. There was a noticeable buzz and excitement for the CCHS Christmas Play. Ace ran up to me during Raffy’s birthday party just to double (and triple, and quadruple) check that my entire family would be coming to see her perform. I told her we wouldn’t miss it for the world. That excitement, however, was tempered by the gravity of what was happening a few kilometers away. On Thursday morning (the day of the CCHS performance) Heather and I sat with Jessa, Jemarie, and Analisa in the gazebo by Cherne Home. They were still in shock over the news of Jacob’s passing, so we simply sat together while they shared stories about Jacob.
Fast forward to this week and I’m sitting in the office, finishing this update, and thinking about *** (name removed for privacy)18th birthday. Her birthday will be six days since Jacob’s funeral, one week since the CCHS Christmas Play, and just under two weeks since we attended the Christmas Concert with Jacob. On Thursday *** turns 18, and I’ve been asked to help with her mini-“debut” (pronounced day-boo in Filipino). A debut is a remnant of old Spanish colonial times, but one that is near and dear to the hearts of all Filipinos. It’s a coming of age celebration marking when a girl becomes what Americans would call a debutante; a celebration that includes food (of course) and a special dance. Auntie Jinkee asked if Dietrich and I would dance with ***. I told her we would be honored to.
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I think the hardest and most unexpected thing about moving here has been how quickly we fell in love with the kids and community at CSC. I suppose, in many ways, that’s precisely what we would have wanted; to follow God’s call and fit in so well that loving these kids came naturally. But it has added a layer to the role of Field Director that I hadn’t anticipated; something that I don’t think anyone could have really prepared for.
For example, I was asked to lead a grave-side service for Jacob. Having served as a pastor, this wasn’t the first time that I’d been asked to do this. But this time was different. The ministry of CSC is such that losing Jacob wasn’t like losing a church member, nor was it even like losing a long-time friend. There’s a closeness and love at CSC that made giving that message feel a lot more raw; like I was speaking at the funeral of a close family member. I hadn’t expected that, but I welcome it, and I feel honored to be able to care for and lead this ministry into the future.
We want to wish you and yours a very blessed New Year! Thank you for praying with us
Learn more about the Children's Shelter of Cebu here.
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