redefine. revisit. reload.
Wow its been such an amazing experience really. As I sit down and look back now at these 4 days of non-stop moving and thinking, and frantic rush to make things work, I realise that everything had actually been God's perfect plan. From how amazingly well the pairings of TLs and ATLs worked out though there were so many doubts and worries before, to how He had chosen for us to be at St Francis Methodist School this year bringing personal blessings to each of us, to how He laid down the limit and called for us to have an internal camp this year.
Thinking of it, it really couldn't have been our plan and will to do whatever we have done those few days. Every part of camp just fitted in like a perfect puzzle to form this amazing experience =]
"It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blesses hope - the glorious appearing of our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."
- Titus 2: 12-14
Honestly right from the start, when I was asked to be in the camp committee as secretary and treasurer, I was so excited to be part of this awesome group that had the privilege to serve, and at the end of it produce a camp like every previous youth camp that everyone was hyped up and raving about. 'Youth Camp' was always just pictured as something super fun, exciting, with lots of bonding, great games and great worship. It was the highlight of every year where the youths (us) could experience a time of high and bonding.
And like many of us, I forgot that God was to be the main highlight and focus, not the fun nor bonding.
So when I heard from the first meeting that we were going to scrap flag-making, cheer-making and skits, I was so disappointed! Skits were the highlight of every third night which promoted group bonding, it also meant a time of fun and laughter for the whole camp.
The focus for this year's camp was to be coming back to the basics of being a Christian, and what it meant to us. Because in the previous years, as youth ministry continued to grow in numbers, our spiritual life stagnated that was what the teacher thought. The meaning of 'Radicals' was lost, in a way the roots of YM was lost. So the main theme for this year was to find back what we lost, and start right from the basics like doing QT and praying.
I was scared it was not going to be a good camp, that we wouldn't have as much fun as previous, and that it wasn't going to touch people, knowing that Youths run on fun and adrenaline.
But now, after experiencing camp, all i can say is that God is good. He had everything so well planned that we can't help but to give him the glory. We really saw how He delights in using simple things and normal people to bless others. Like for example, on day 2, it rained and we had to resort to playing handball and a tweaked version of netball. I mean, comon its the simplest a game can get. Just throw them a ball and let them play. But hey, it was this that really allowed the campers to have fun and get to know each other, and from here we also saw how people were taking care of each other as well as aiming for a certain goal as a team instead of individually.
I just want to give thanks to God for letting camp run so well. It was one camp that I think the youths have really benefited and learnt from the sermons and workshops, as well as that have truly touched us. I am so proud to be in camp committee this year and am really grateful for this special privilege given to me. I would not trade this experience for anything else.
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DAY 1. 7th dec
the franticness started right from the previous night. I had so much accounts and registration stuff to settle that by midnight i hadnt even started packing.
the day started at 8 with prayer meeting, then before i knew it the campers started flowing in. Set up my registration booth last minute and spent the next hour welcoming people and collecting indemnity forms. Luckily Lydia and Pearlyn was there to help me!
Unknowingly as i was outside waiting for the last few late people to arrive, time passed and inside the Team Leaders started icebreaking. I was really really relieved to hear so much noise and ruckus from inside the fellowship hall =] They were having so much fun! Michelle's group was sticking masking tape on each other's faces, Miko's was playing bang, and Xinyi's group was playing whacko. and with all these games they were already having so much fun. I think I worry too much so I was just very glad to see all the laughing faces.
Mass icebreakers were really rar rar as well. Zach has this secret talent in hyping people up! hahahaha everything went well by God's grace, and after that was worship and sermon. Aunty Rita was going to be our speaker for all 4 days of camp.
[Sermon 1] -Redefine
Titus chapter 1
- with every choice you make there is a consequence, choose your actions and words wisely.
- redefinition1 : God is not a Christian's partner, He is my master.
- redefinition2 : God chooses whom will be saved.
- redefinition3 : the truth is objective and it is given through the Bible.
- redefinition4 : God does not lie. 1 Corinthians 10:13, Philippians 4:9
- redefinition5 : Things move according to God's timing.
- redefinition6 : God is more interested in a person's character. Proverbs 27:5-6
- redefinition7 : Your actions must show that you know God, wrong thinking is dangerous.
Becoming is superior to being.
- what you become is more important that what you already are. So think through what you really want to be like and work on towards it.
after sermon, camp broke into groups to have bonding over lunch. This was when i got into siling's car, huge bag on lap because all the back seats and boot was loaded with sooo much stuff, and off we went to SFMS. and when we reached, the security guard was not there!!! so we had no keys to open up the campsite and bunks and hall and all, when the campers were going to come in an hour's time! hahah imagine the horror. then i had to call the in-charge, who i later discovered was in malaysia (ahhh my phone bill -.-). then blah blah blah after a while Mr Mustafa came in from the door with his lunch in hand panting cos he sped walk all the way back from his lunch place hahaha. ahhh Mr Mustafa is so friendly and cute. when he came back he just started talking about how he was at the hawker centre then the incharge called him then he had to rush back and how he cannot rush because he just had a heart bypass then he pulled down to singlet and showed us his bypass scar!!!!! hahahahah! Siling and I was just :OOOOOOO -.- omggg..
anyway! Mr Mustafa is really nice he treated us like family and gave us the key, walked around the whole school showing us how to open this room, then open another door etc etc haha. hes so nice really!
luckily we managed to get everything done before the logistics lorry came and the 4 of us, Si Ling, Sherlyn, Daniel and me moved all the musical instruments up to the fifth level worship hall! luckily there was a lift, but still it was a massive job because there were just 4 of us but we made it =] haha the campers came soon after while i was trying to find all the rooms, then figure out how to open all the bunks and stick the rooming list onto all the doors. just imagine the rush haha.
but i made it too phew.
in short the whole morning at the camp site was ups and downs, alot of moving around and shifting stuff. because right after that was amazing race! so after i had to settle the rooms, we had to have station masters debrief in 5 minutes then rush down to city hall in a cab first before all the campers. hahaha mad fun. and in the cab was just madness too because there were so many unsure parts and the communication was bad. there were 4 people in the taxi and all of our phones never stopped ringing throughout the ride there.
I was soooo relieved when i finally reached my station, which was at St Andrew's Cathedral. =] It was such a beautiful and serene place. Inside the church people were having service (in cantonese hahaha so cool), and outside the church there were alot of people gathering and just chatting having a good time =]. I found a nice shady place to settle down, finally compose myself and eat my lunch which was bread haha. whew. If you know, there was standard chartered marathon in the morning and all the roads in the city was blocked off. By God's grace, by 230 when the station masters all travelled down to the city, the road blocks were lifted though on paper it stated 330. and the rain was held even though at the start it was drizzling. =] wow
for the next 2 hours i was enjoying the peace in the cathedral and watching the service from outside while groups came to visit :D My station was : the groups had to form a song from a list of words and tunes i provided to them. Then they had to sing it and i would video them. hahahah all the groups that came were very on about it probably because the other stations were all difficult. My station was one of the most easy ones so it was glad seeing them all have fun churning out rubbish songs haha!
At 530 we gathered back at lavander station to take the bus back to SFMS. On the bus i got to talk to victoria and hannah and Conrad! Conrad is soooooo cute gosh hahahahah! I think hes kind of irritating, the naughty boy kind when you're young, but everybody just cant help to swoon over his cuteness hahaha! and Sherwin just absolutely adores him and treats him like his son hahahahah so cute!
I'll post pics when i finally get the photos! There are alot of pretty photos =] I love SuLyn's camera!
After shower was dinner were there was a severe lack of food! Camp comm had five plates of food and we were just scavenging off whatever was there hahaha =]
And all the guys couldn't have seconds because there was just nothing left. Oh yes it was then we witnessed Tiff's chicken cartilage eating habits. As if its not weird enough to eat cartilage, Tiff eats other people's chicken cartilage gosh hahahah! So she would steal all our chicken bones after we finish the meat. hahahahah gross but so funny!
Workshop was on QT and prayer by Aunt Lay Keng, on the SPECKS way of doing QT. From the feedback, it was a very beneficial session even the older youths brought something out of the workshop. Yay! Its good how even though QT and prayer seem like the most basic thing for Christians, but regardless of age we were all inspired and found new personal insights to QT and prayer =]
After that was practice. we broke up into groups to do QT and team time. Camp comm gathered back in our favourite place - logs room! which was girls bunk too, and did QT and team time together.
Supper was hot dog buns! =] and there was sharing over supper.
then for campers was lights out, while TLs ATLs had debrief. Thanksgiving and surfaced a few issues. then camp comm debrief when everyone was halfdead already. It was a really long day together but at the end of the day we are all happy and contented with how the first day of camp went, and how God was with us every step of the way =] by debrief, we all sounded like frogs and were passing strepsils around. we keep finishing strepsils by the boxes hahaha! then we also had vitamin C eating sessions!=]
we then got to bathe after debrief and finally made it to sleep at 3am. knocked out!
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to be continued
