Monday, July 24, 2006
7:58 PMI'm finally back home from OBS. It was a thrilling, enjoyable and once in a lifetime experience for me. Before going there, my mind was flooding with thoughts of like " What am i gonna do there? Will i enjoy myself? Can my caregroup cope without me? ". But with god's grace, my church ministry went well and i enjoyed myself in the camp.
This camp is not those normal adventure camp or outdoor camp that most people perceive it to be. This camp is neither a torturous nor a camp that involves coporate punishments like most of the camps that i went to during my secondary school days. OBS camp is a camp that allows you to stretch yourself to the limit, entitles you to learn precious values that are applicable in today's life and allows participants to know more about themselves.
I was totally cut off from the outside world, i was totally integrated into basics and away from the so called ' real world'. Everything i do, was without the help of machines. No computer, no handphones, no mp3, no palm tops, no oven or mircowave to cook my food. Food was made ready by using fire produced from lighted solid fuel and using mess tins to cook my maggie mee. Canned food were also eaten immediately after opening the lid, no heating up in a pot or asking our parents to add extra ingredients. Everything was simple and it all falls back to basics. Bread and biscuits were our best friends during the last 5 days for breakfasts and lunch. The funny thing is that, when you're in the camp, u won't care how nice the food taste, most importantly it can fill my big tummy and that's the bottom line. haha. I kept on telling my friends after breaking of camp, i will get myself a big extra value combo of Carl's Junior burger and just drown myself in its aroma.
Shelters have to be build by ourselves. Using what? TENTS. We learnt to pitch tents during the first day and it was more like a remedial lessons for me. Because i used to do that many times when i'm in Boy's Brigade. haha. Apparently, the guys did the hard work of pitching tents while the girls did the cooking. haha. For the next few days, it was a routine to pitch tents. We do not have a fixed campsite so everywhere we go before nightfall, we will have to pitch our tents. If not, we have to sleep in the wild. =) .
During the first day, i was appointed Store IC. haha! I have the authority of taking charge of the store. It was quite a slacking job actually. Just make sure everything in the store remains the same, neat and tidy and also ensure nothing is lost. After that we learnt belaying. Its an vital task that all climbers will have to place their trust in. Haha. At nightfall, when i'm in the tent, the air starts to get stuffy and humid. I shared tent with Nicholas and Evan. Evan was the first 1 to sleep?! Futhermore, he snored so loudly that people from other tents started murmuring among themselves asking each other who's the 1 that is snoring so loudly. HAHA. Nicholas and me was so amused by that gym consultant wannabe Evan Yeo. lol.
We did many activities like, going on a sea expedition. It was real fun, we were to kayak round the outskirts of pulau ubin. Yes, its damn long and tiring. We kayak from 8am to 4pm. We learn capsizing drills. This drill made us capsize on purpose so that we'll know the techniques on how to retrieve back to the normal state. It was super fun too! We did high elements , the one that i had to climb this big wooden sailing ships( those kind you will get to see if you watch Pirates of the Carribean). I was so scared that my legs turned to jelly when i was on top due to my height phobia. However, i was so proud of myself when i was able to get my feet on the ground again. haha!
There are just too many things we did during the camp. Penning it down here would take me hours to do it. This camp seriously open myself up and allows me to see what i am really like when dealing with difficult and away from my comfort zones. There were occasions when i was complaining about pitching tents etc. But all this allows me to learn to appreciate more of what i have at home and in my comfort zone. For too long i have taken things for granted and just throwing them aside, not appreciating things around me. After the camp, i began to say more "thank you" to people when they offer their services to me. I also learn that during harsh and difficult times, the only thing that we get into our head it, never to give up. Continue to pursue your goal and persevere to the very end. The fruit that you'll reap will be a much more satisfying one. Cooperations and teamwork. Both of them are so important in today's life even in our church ministries and in our work place. The camp made me understand a deeper meaning of them and now i began take them more into consideration. My friend used to tell me this, " Individual win medals. A team wins championships." =)
The sight of the airport control tower at the far horizon just beckons me. Childhood memories of the airport began flooding in my mind when i'm looking along the Beaches of Ubin. Surprisingly the airport has always been the place that i love to go to. As if there's this strange sense of attractiveness or some magnetic force that just makes me want to go there. Memories i guess. Not only childhood ones, but also others. I always love the feeling of standing at the beach of ubin, enjoying the sea breeze, looking at aeroplanes beginning to land at the airport. =)
About
Sunny LeowCredits
Layout: tuesdaynightResources: 1 2