Adventure of the Greywolves

Sunday, June 13, 2010

I woke up, and took a shower before breakfast. After breakfast, we went to the opposite site of the chalet. I stayed there last autumn with Daddy, Mommy and Shalom during his Tyndale retreat.

At the shed Glenda lead a simple devotion on Psalm 15. Later on, we walked back to the camp’s basement and had worship there. Someone put up a slideshow by combining all the pictures taken at the camp. It was quite funny to see people in weird posses and positions.

After the slide show, we went to pack up our stuff, and held our final battle of Boys vs. Girls in Tug of War. The girls won (surprisingly), because we had about 16 girls, and the boys had only 7 members.

Because the boys weren’t satisfied with the results, they called for a re-match in Tug of War after lunch. But, they lost miserably for the next three times. They were really unhappy this time, and called for a volleyball game, with a bit of variations in the rules, which is whichever team that gets a point also gets a water balloon. The teams are also allowed to use the balloons at any point of time. And we ended up losing this game too.

Then, the boys started a water fight, and started attacking us mercilessly. They pelted us with water balloons, and someone came prepared with water guns. Pandemonium broke out. Girls were running and screaming for their lives while the boys attacked and charged forward without mercy. The only safe haven for the girls was in the Girls’ Lodge, so everyone ran in there as fast as they could. Luckily, I escaped the war-zone still perfectly dry, with no injuries. But there were many casualties suffering from wet and cold.

It was around this time that the bus arrived, we loaded the bus and set off. Again, the bus ride was boring. But this time, I decided to sleep on the bus.

Bela

Saturday, June 12, 2010

I woke up around 7 and took a shower. I was feelng really tired, but the shower made me wake up. Breakfast started at around 8:27a.m. We have scrambled eggs, bacon, fried potato cubes, and cereal and milk. It was a very delicious buffet style breakfast.

After breakfast, we proceeded to the basement and had our morning devotion there.   We read Genesis 1:1-19, I was really curious on how God was created?

After devotion, Glenda said that we could choose to play volleyball or do something else.  I chose volleyball.  It was a Boys vs. Girls game, and obviously, the boys won. There were only two people on my team who could actually play volleyball, me and another girl. The other 5 can’t handle ball at all.  .

We had a free time after lunch until about 3:51 p.m., so I decided to go to my room and take a nap. But Glenda suggested that we go for a walk to the tuck shop at Fair Havens.

I ended up buying 3 inspirational cards before we left the shop. When I got back, I decided to resume what I originally wanted to do: sleep.

After I woke up, free-time was almost over, and our next activity was High Ropes . I hesitated at first, but finally did. However, I only climb up to the top of the ladder before I chicken out.

Dinner was pretty good. We went back to our rooms after dinner to practice for our Talent Night. At around 6, we got down to the campfire, and BBQ some marshmallows before proceed to the basement for the Talent Night. I played ‘Titanic’ on my recorder. Surprisingly, I won third place!

Then, we were supposed to watch a movie, but I was too tired and ACTUALLY slept.

Bela

Friday, June 11, 2010

So today, I started the 3 day 2 night Youth Retreat thing at St. Paul’s. The bus ride to Fair Havens was really long, so I just stared out of the window and watched cars during the whole journey.

When we reached the place, I realized that it wasn’t exactly the same place that I thought it was, rather, but a different part within Fair Havens. A special site reserved for youth camps.

We then unloaded, and were assigned to our rooms. I wasn’t able to get a room with Shalom, but I tried to ask Glenda if I could be in the same room as her. She told me no because we need to make more friends. I was a bit happy and yet a little sad with this news. Happy because I can make new friends, sad because there isn’t anyone that I know in the room.

A few minutes after that, all of us went down to the basement with our notebooks and Bibles. We started our first lesson by introducing ourselves, and some Bible lesson.  We read from 1Corinthians 12:12-13. Glenda pointed out some keywords for us to learn.

Later on, we continued with games. We played a game called ‘Battle of The Sexes’ where the boys and the girls separate into two groups, Boys and Girls. We competed by answering questions asked by the host. It was really exciting and fun, but the boys got really annoying by making a lot of noise when they lost.

After the game, we were supposed to watch a movie, but I was too tired since it was already 11:00 p.m. My roommates, Olivia, Cherry, and Ray, were already getting ready for bed when I finished washing up and changing. But, Ray suggested that we play a game of Truth or Dare without the ‘Dare’ part.  We ended up staying up until 1:00 a.m. even though we didn’t watch the movie.

On the first night, at around 3:00a.m., fire alarm went off really loudly, causing everyone to wake up. No one knew why it rang out.  It turned out that was false alarm afterall!

Bela

I have lived in the tropical island for more than 30 yrs, and have survived 40 ºC heat in India.  But somehow, I enjoyed battling the cold winter in Canada.  I am new to this land, and have a lot to learn about winter, snow and ice.  Somehow, I embraced all these challenges with gladness.  I am wondering if there is something got to do with Mongolian heritage.

My grandparent was supposed to be from the northern China.  In those warlord days, there are hardly any food there, and they came down to the south where food are plenty.  Very soon, they ended up in Malaya.

Perhaps that is the reason why I am alright with the cold.  But perhaps, it was the training I have with SAF (military), that is, to be prepared in every situation.  I always research on the subject matter before embarking them. Thus, I always dress slightly more than sufficient in the cold, and have no problem with the snow or ice.  Even the Canadian said that I am over-reacting.  

My school is about 5 km away from my house from point to point. But the Subway/Bus route will journey some 15 km and take about 1hr 15 mins for me to reach school. Total cost is CAD 5 per day, with is about Singapore $7 a day.

From the map that I have been reading since last year, I noticed that there is a forest track just east of my school leading south. Thus, I have decided to take the track back today. I deem that if I can walk back, I can cycle back.

After orientation, I started walking at about 14:15. All I saw was a landscape that looked like Lim Chu Kang minus the heat, with low vegetation next to the track and tall tree just a distance away.  Swarm, plain field and even river can be seen along the way.

If you ask me, I think Lim Chu Kang is much harder. Even with a much stronger and fitter body as a youth, I need to battle the uneven terrain, with pebbles on the mud road plus the heat. 

Once thing Lim Chu Kang doesn’t have is clear stream flowing, with fishes swimming! (I can imagine baking or steaming the fish, fish with ginger surely taste good). Squirrel, chipmunk, crane are common here, and they don’t even pay attention at you!  It is so Wonderful just to watch them play.

The entire track was properly paved and marked with road signs.  There are also many information boards about flora and fauna found within the forest, eg, wolves, bear and puma.  (Just joking).

The journey home is about 7 km, and I took about an hour and half. Ha. . . my ‘2-stroke engine’ can still match up to the public transport, not too bad for a fat man like me.

From my observation, it should be a pretty easy ride, much easier compared to our Pulau Ubin track from the jetty to Noordin Beach. No steep slope, not as winding, and definitely much cooler even the hot summer sun.

I have decided to get a bike to ride to school, just like my secondary days. Beside getting to school faster and cheaper (3 months break-even), it is also a good form of exercise for me compared to jogging. However I can only do it before winter is here. 

Now that I have discovered this track, I shall bring my children to explore more often. I am sure they will not like it when they hear that. But children need to grow up experiencing more nature, rather than computer and books alone.

“Count your blessing name them one by one. . count your blessing see what God has done. . count your blessing. . . .“

This is one of the contemporary song I sang in Sunday school some 30 yrs back.  This song may be old, and perhaps no one sing it anymore.  However, the simple meaning stills holds true to many of us in that His grace and mercy know no end.

As I look back, what am I that deserve the attention of the great Creator of universe?  I have never doubted him even when my wife’s life was threatened.  But I do get a little angry when he seems so quiet as I look to him crying out all the struggle I was put through.   

Yet he has in many ways provided friends to come alongside us, walking with us in this journey.  He also places many who are stuffering along this same road, so that we too can provide for them.  In doing so, his blessing is going round and round and round. . .  So wonderful, so interesting.  Lord himself is so marvellous.

The Creator allow us to ‘reboot’ our ‘system’ by placing us in Toronto to restart.  A friend told me that before ‘rebooting’, we need to ‘reformat’ and ‘reload’ original software.  In plain language it means to have a renewed spirit within us (Psalm 51).

We will enter this place with thanksgiving and praise, as well as preparing ourselves to face any possible challenges coming our way.  Wow. . new adventure, new challenges, new fresh air.