CSC is here for the children.  I came here to help care for them.  The longer I am at CSC the more I realize that it is a HUGE team effort.  The American missionaries (I am one of them) are by no means the only people caring and providing for the children.  There are childcare workers (aunties), guards, social workers, accountants, teachers, therapists, guards, Stateside office staff, etc.  Those are just the people employed by CSC.  Local people also lend a hand in helping care for the children as well as supporters around the world. 

I have been able to spend time with some of the workers at CSC outside of working hours.  Several of us found we have a common interest in riding bicycles. In the past year, we have have met up several times at Jollibee (Filipino fastfood chain) early in the morning to pedal.  The traffic and scenery keep you on your toes through the entire ride.  When my dad was here in Cebu in June, we made sure to organize a ride up the coast.  Our group in is a make shift group of guys.  One guy works at CSC part time, another used to work at CSC, another puts in more hours than there are hours in the day and there is me, the odd-ball American.  Having a common bond in our interest for biking has been a real joy. 

In January, councilor Victor and I started a Bible study with the older boys.  Every Wednesday we gather the boys 13 and above and head to our usual meeting place--the Children of Hope School library.  We started by looking at men in the Bible and how God used them and worked through them.

There is a fine line for teen boys between having fun learning, joking, being engaged in the topic and complete chaos.  It is great when the group can walk that line.  Victor and I want the boys to be comfortable and relaxed so discussions can be candid and open.  The silliness and comfort levels seem be settling in at a good balance.  The boys are opening up more, asking more questions, offering more ideas.  When it comes time to close in prayer, all the boys shout out prayer requests from thanking supporters to new construction, healing sick kids to asking for adoptive parents.  However, it is hard to get the boys to volunteer to offer up the requests in the group.  Over the past months, Joevanie and Christian have stepped forward to pray almost each night.  Joevanie has since left for adoption, but Christian is picking up the slack.  The moments of openness and volunteering to pray are encouragements for me. 

Something in Boys' Club must be fun. 

• The 12 year old boys count down the days until the first night they can join. 
• Throughout the day on Wednesdays, I am asked several times, "We have boys' club tonight?" 
  
• Joemar calls Boys' Club "church."  Monday mornings Joemar is already asking me when we have "church" next. (Joemar is a 33 year old guy with mental limitations.  He can hold three or four thoughts at a time.) 
• The girls keep asking to join.  However, the criteria for attending Boys' Club is strict: 1) You must be a male.  2) You must be 13 years or older.