So.. it's been a while since I last made a blog post.
I'm here with a recent camp I went to. A Catholic Camp.
It's a Form 3 Pre-Confirmation camp.
My previous thoughts about this camp is like everyone.
'This camp is gonna be so boring.' 'I bet I'll just doze off to sleep.' 'This is lame. No electronics.' 'I just come here to have fun and be with my friends.'
That's what everyone thought of.
Later did we know, this camp, change us all.
I'll tell you what happen in those 3 days of camp from the 1st of June until 3rd of June.
-Day 1. 1st June
I had a rushing day and all, I got scolded and all and I was so pissed off. I got scolded by my grandfather and I was so pissed. And when I reach our camp base, I first step in with all the boys there and some were staring at me or I think they were.... I felt lost and I was like 'This is gonna end up so badly..' and I'll skip the rest.
I head to my dorm. (Room 13 :D) and I was glad that most of the people I'm sharing room with are the ones I know.
After settling down and placing my bags in the room, we soon had to go to a place called 'The Conference Room'.
There I saw some guitars and some mics and I thought, 'Shit. We're gonna do some mumbo jumbo stuffs.'
We had an ice breaking session. I soon know the guy that was talking was named Jason. He seems alright. (Btw, the way we sat was like divided. Girls one side, Boys one side.)
We had to make an adjective with the beginning of our name. Each and everyone of us had one. Mine was Angelic Amber. (I am not angelic at all.)
Soon after, we had a Praise and Worship session, we started with a song called, "Undignified', our so-called theme song. Then we sang a few. At first, I love dancing but doing the actions for the songs were kinda awkward. But I took some time to grew comfortable with it.
After that session, we had a talk by a funny guy called Mervin. He has a pretty wife,Lydia and two kids of 5 and 12, if I am not wrong, Luke and Monica. They're such a cute children.
So my thoughts when we had this talk? 'This is gonna be so boring.I am so sleeping and all..'
I was WRONG.
The talk was about God. It was just simply amazing. Despite Mervin putting some humor in, I was touched by the talk. After that we had tea and all ( I am gonna skip all these breaks because there's just to many of them.)
So everytime we had breakfast,tea,lunch,dinner or supper, we girls sit in a round table and we call it, the girls table. Some of the facilitators who sat with us (Jason, Jasper, Aaron and Terence.) were given girl names by us. [My personal favorite was Aaron's which is Noraa with the double A~]
After that, we freshen up and all and we were group into groups of Do,Re,Mi,Fa and So. We had a manila card and were instructed to write our names in front with a drawing of how God looks like to us. I drew mine a picture of a house. Because like a house, God keeps me secure and safe from the dangers of the outside world. After drawing, we had to explain and soon we were given breaks after
At night, we settle down in the conference room with a movie called, Facing The Giants.
My thoughts of the movie?
'This is gonna be another lame football show and I am gonna sleep halfway through it.'
Again, I WAS WRONG.
This story was about a coach and about the ups and downs in his life. People called him a failure and all and there was a part where he open up to God and everything just changes. He inspired his football team and they won.
Aside from checking out David's leg in a part, I was inspired by the movie. I learn that, even in times of sadness and troubles, God is always there to help.
After the movie, we had another group discussion and were soon dismiss for the day.
Our given curfew was 11, if I'm not wrong.
But we girls, being girls, we gossip and talk until 1.
And then we slept.
-Day 2
I was the first to wake up since I'm in charge of waking the rest. Skipping that and breakfast, we went back to the conference room and had a session of Praise and Worship again. Of course, not forgetting out theme song, Undignified :D
After the session, we started a talk of 'Who Am I' and we had many talks that day.
There was one session 'Parent-Child Relationship', we had to write a letter to our parents. And being from a broken family, I only wrote a letter to my dad. I wrote about 10--12 words and I start to break to tears. I had never thought I would write such a emotional letter. Tears were stained on the letter but I just went on writing, pouring out my feelings. I weep and weep but I never stop writing until I finish it. I bet some of us broke to tears as well. After writing, we all left to our rooms and some for dinner, I think.
Later at night, we had a 'inner-healing' session. Before entering, we saw some candles and the statue of God and some of us we already preparing tissue (including me.) When we went in, the chairs were all position in a separate manner. We took place sitting next to our besties. And all of us remain silent. Mervin even commented on how we were all quiet for the first time and how 'scared' he was which made some of us laughed.
We soon moved on to two video in which the first one was like a musical where there's this young girl with a guy in a robe which I assume was God. It was nice to watch where they're like dancing. Then, a guy in a black shirt pops out of nowhere and danced with the girl which I assume must be the boyfriend or something and more and more pops out. Society, Suicide and some mean girl or something. There was a part I was on the verge to cry. The part where the girl was struggling to go back to God. There I sat, reflecting on myself and put myself in that girl's situation. After the video, another video came out with the song, ' We Are The Reason'. (I am not putting the video up because I do not want to like..watch it again.) The video was the one where they always put up on Easter. Despite watching it when I was younger during Easter, I still could not bare to watch the part where Jesus had to be whip and all. I cried. I've always hated violent movies especially the ones where whipping and abuse had to happen.
I watch like 1/3 of it and I closed my eyes, not wanting to watch more.
After the video, we started the session. we were asked to close our eyes and to open up to God.
I did as told and I was actually half asleep. Mervin then asked us to take the hands of our God and all and the same song, 'We Are The Reason' was played. I felt tears were about to shed and some did, unconciously. Before I knew it, I was crying. What I tried to picture was Jesus with some bright white lights around him. Then images of the part where those Pilates stab Jesus hand and blood appeared followed by images of ghost and everything I was afraid of. Blood. Darkness. That's what I saw. But then, I saw a light. But everytime I tried to reach for it, it goes further and further. I ran after it and I tried to shout 'No' to all the images that appeared. Soon, I was at the light and I hug God. He was comforting me. I then felt a hand on my shoulder and I thought it was God, but the truth it was Stephanie. She asked me if I was alright and gave me a hug and I just let out everything. I cried more.
Skipping that, I soon open my eyes and I saw Rachel. We both went out and sober up and gave each other hugs. We went up and saw Edwin and Kenneth and we asked them if they wanted hugs. We gave.
After freshening up, we went back down and waited for everyone so we could give them hugs. One by one everyone came out. Most of us cried, even the bad boy of the class, Issac cried too. I think in the moment where everyone gave each other hugs, we grew fonder. Boys hug girls and vice versa. No one bother. We all just went on giving each other hugs and comforting each other.
After the crying moments we had, we played truth or dare with everyone who was there and some of the dares is just so epic. Then after, we were given a curfew at 12.
But as usual we girls again, slept at 1.
- Day 3
We all woke up and as usual Praise and Worship session were done. We all grew so close together with Praise&Worship session. The facilitators were so happy that we all were closer than how we were on the first day. We then given back our manila cards where everyone had to write something or a short message on our card. I receive a lot of sweet messages like 'pretty,great smile, happy and all' and some were even Kpop related. I TELL YOU.. I wanna be friends with all of them :3
Anyway, after we had our messages written, we had a time where we had testimony session.
All the testimonies we sweet and when the twins, Charles and Christopher presented, I broke down. It's just so touching. And not forgetting Nicole's and Rachel's. Everyone broke down and we all just gave each other hugs. It's just amazing how we all from Day 1 just act like we don't know each other and stay far away but until Day 3, we all just grew closer.
After that, we were given breaks and parents came in at about 1.30 and onwards. I bet all of us we're all nervous since anything might happen.
During parents session,it's funny how when we do the Praise&Worship session together. We young people were so hype up doing it and some of our parent did it in a awkward manner.
After that, we had to go down and we dread because it was when our parents letter were in our hands and we have to give them personally.
We were all like 'I don't wanna give them.' 'I'm so gonna cry' 'What did I write it already?' 'Must be full of my nonsense'
The moment we walk in the hall and gave the letters, some of us began to shed tears.
And Mervin just HAD TO play a sad song.
But all ends well, we had a short break and mass was carried on.
It was fun. We soon said our goodbyes which was quite sad because we wanted more.
Mervin,Jason,Lydia,Jasper,Aaron and Stephanie gave us a spiritual fun in those 3 days and I would do anything to have more.
My final thoughts for this camp.
- I really enjoyed this camp and I WANT MORE DAYS.
- I made new friends and I knew some more secrets on others *winks winks*
- I learn that God will always be there for us no matter how much sin we did. He will always be there for us.
- I also learn that even guys have trouble. So don't think of them like some bad-ass mofo and all. Deep in they are just like us,girls.
Like Mervin said.
God did not make us perfect.
He made us VERY GOOD :3
I would like to thank everyone for keeping an open mind and for being there for each other.
I hope that during Sunday class,we all still give each other hugs :3
