Sheep happens.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Children's Camp/ Graduation Night 2006

Apparently, the 'O' levels are over. I am still waiting for reality to sink in, but then again, it takes time and I am still living with the guilt of not studying everyday.

It ended 7 days ago.

Meanwhile I shall ramble about the children's camp; another ephemeral experience which has left me pretty much attached. Not the first time something like this ever happened. Well, in short, it was pretty awesome.


The inclusion of little me as a guitarist for the children's camp- which I am utterly convinced that it was an entirely thoughtless act- had resulted in some really cool outcomes. Me and Rebecca Gan (both first-time performers in their debuts) had to play for the worship sessions when Tian Yao was not around. Surprisingly we did quite well. Very oh-so-absolutely well I must say, except for a few very minor glitches. My suggestion of placing "I Love You Jesus" has also been ULTRA successful. Now I myself am addicted to the song.

The children's camp was an amazing experience, quite unlike previous years where I acted as a dumb social outcast who barely breathed even a word for most of the time. This year, it was entirely different.

I was more of a cheerful person than anything else except for Monday night when I got all emo because the stupid operation took longer than usual. 14 hours! Crikey. Thanks to the guys who bothered to try to console me or anything. Appreciated deeply.

The games were very good, I must say. Water bombs especially. My group tried to ration, but our bombs were being annihilated by the opponents. Ended up whacking everything randomly. Bible quiz was pretty much enriching and fresh, Crazy Taxi was indeed crazy, and the movies were awesome (both lakehouse and eight below).

Apparently I clocked in only a miserable total of 4-5 hours of sleep in three nights. A record for me? Year by year, the children's camp is the milestone by which I gauge myself in comparison to the previous year, to see how much I have grown and matured. I have accomplished much this year, and I thank God for His providence.

The kids were awesome, even though I was treated in every aspect as a punching bag at one point of time. I had to admit that I was pretty much pissed off then, but I learnt to live with it and move on the better things. Kids will be kids! Someone gave me a tight slap on the face though. Hurts like mad.

Everything was good though, and I would like to thank everyone for this wonderful experience. The teachers, the kids and especially the "xiao lao shi"s. It was fun.

Somehow I was reassured of my stand of wanting to be a teacher. I am pretty sure that it is not an easy job, but the satisfaction felt when the job is done would definitely be tremendous. This, however, is a by-product. For I do not want to teach for my own satisfaction. I want to change lives.

Which leads me to the topic of Graduation Night @ Sentosa.

It had to rain.

The rain had changed the course of our graduation night, and the venue was switched to the ballroom. I was quite disappointed at first, so I went to play tabletennis, and all disappointment was dissolved. Mr Leong, I am so going to beat you one day.

The food was nothing much, actually. Excess pasta was emptied onto undeserving plates (certainly not mine) and there went my dinner. NO PASTA D: The only good thing about the dinner were the cakes. OMG THE APPLE PIE. That thing seriously has to go out into the open market. Awesome stuff.

Won a Billabong wallet from the lucky draw, the first time in my life I have won anything in a lucky draw. It's quite nice, actually. Poor Cheng Yew won some Mongolian BBQ voucher lol. He gave it away.

It was quite an experience, and my last one as a Catholic High student. There ends the days filled with billingsgates and so-called unwholesome acts. I embrace the new life that is greeting me, beckoning for me to courageously leave my old life; cross the hurdle and continue the race. I will do so, and may God grant me strength to forge on.

Somewhere in outer space,
God has prepared a place,
For those who trust him and obey.
Jesus will come again,
And though we don't know when,
The countdown's getting lower everyday.

Ten and nine,
Eight and seven,
Six and five and four,
Call upon the Saviour while you may.
Three and two,
Coming through,
The clouds in bright array,
The countdown's getting lower everyday.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Growing Old.

The old man trudged with much difficulty down the ashen path. He winced with every step he took, grimacing as jolts of pain shot through his body. Halting momentarily to catch his breath, he silently stared at the winding road ahead. When I get to the end of this road, he thought, I am going to get my due reward. He patted his own shoulder and slowly shuffled on with a brilliant smile on his face; down the winding path and to where, only God knows.

Meanwhile, somewhere in a village not too far away, a woman was near hysterics; her father had disappeared from right under her nose, and now he was nowhere to be found.

"Crikey, it's almost as if he vanished into thin air!" The village chief exclaimed. The entire village was clueless on the whereabouts of the old man. Where could he have gone to?

"Village! Listen up! We'll split up and search, report back here before the sun sets!" The chief ordered. Immediately the villagers set out into the wilderness to search for the old man.

The old man halted once again, this time at the end of the path, holding on to his walking stick for support. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he glanced at the scene that lay before him. Gasps of awe escaped him as he surveyed the impending sunset; it was as if it was his first time viewing that amber sphere descending from all its majesty. It would have been a lot more enjoyable if not for the rheumatism, he thought, as he seated himself on the lush green grass.

The woman got more and more flustered by the second. The sun was already setting, but she still saw no sign of her father. She tried to convince herself that nothing unfortunate had befallen him, but her imagination ran wild. No, the other villagers must have found him, she thought to herself. Holding on to the last remaining strands of hope, she hastily made her way back to the village.

No one had found her father.

That night, the woman carried an oil lamp and went out into the wilderness, searching for her father. She ravaged through the forests and looked behind every rock, but to no avail. Her father had vanished. The woman knelt down and wailed in anguish.

Just then, she heard a familiar sound in the distance.

"Clunk."

It was the sound of...

"Clunk."

She could not remember what that sound belonged to. The sound grew louder and louder...

"Clunk!"

It was the sound of...

"Clunk!"

Wood on rock! She remembered now. It was the sound of her father's walking stick!

Soon she saw the figure of an old man shuffling towards her. She rushed up and hugged the old man.

"Father! Where did you go? I was so worried about you. How could you disappear like that?"

"Where did I go? Ha! Why should I tell you? Its my little secret!"

The way her father talked reminded her of a small child. As they trudged back to the village, hand in hand, she felt as if she was guiding a child who had just learnt to walk. Her body was young, but her soul was old.

How she wanted to be like her father.