Traveling to new places sometimes has a way for creating funny comments and exchanges in conversations. 

When the students "visited Brazil" for United Nations Day they were greeted with the challenge of crossing the "Amazon River" in a zip line.  John Ray has brittle bone disease so riding the zip line was not an option for him.  His job was to tell the other students when it was safe to cross the crocodile inhabited "Amazon River".  John Ray is a very nice boy who is very considerate of others, but with the megaphone in his hand he changed.  He started telling the crocodile (played by the school janitor Uncle Bobong) to, "Eat the children!"  It was funny to hear John Ray's little voice over the top of the noise of excitement chanting, "Eat the children! Eat the children!" Of course he was joking.

Arnel is in Level B (3rd grade).  He was trying to enter Russia when he was stopped for questioning by Teacher Francis.  "What is your purpose in coming to Russia?" Teacher Francis asked.  Arnel thought for a while.  Teacher Francis asked the question again.  Thoughtfully Arnel answered, "Colonize."  CSC teaches to dream big dreams.

Its was a great day!  Follow this link to see what fun a zip line over the "Amazon River" can be!

Rubik's cubes are everywhere!  And a high percentage of them are solved!

Several weeks ago there were only a couple, now lots of the children have them, and they are getting really good at solving them.  Melvin is the resident champ among the children.  He said a friend timed him at 1:53 (that is one minute and fifty three seconds)!!!  I will need to time him to believe it.  While we were talking he solved one (casually) in less than 5 minutes!  I finished one side and got stuck (the stopwatch was NOT running for me).  I will have to get a lesson from Master Melvin.

Supporters send letters to the children of CSC, mainly through the child sponsoring program "Foster Friends."  When letters arrive in Cebu I deliver them and help the children respond.  Because of this a common greeting I receive is not "Hello" but, "Uncle Joel, do I have a letter?"  Most days I have to answer "No."  On Saturday, at least 6 children had asked if they had a letter as I entered the shelter.  Then Arnel came up to me, gave me a hug and said, "Hello, Uncle Joel!  How are you today?"  I answered, "I am doing well Arnel.  Thank you for asking.  And how are you?"

CSC may be the first place these children have been given a letter, a chance to go to the movies, and those are just surface things.  It stands to reason that they will ask me every day if they have a letter.  Having Arnel come up and genuinely ask how I was made my day.  It reminded me that the children are grateful to receive letters and all the other things, but they may not know how to express it.  Showing gratitude and understanding giving and receiving falls under the job description of the CSC staff and workers.  Arnel's greeting is just of many examples of a child learning to think of others first and not focus on their own wants.  It is encouraging to say the least!