Lonely in Singapore

There will always be ONE trip in a year that I will always save up for and that is Church Camp. Unfortunately, due to some reasons, I am unable to make it there. That, in history, makes it the very first time that I am missing a church camp since I re-dedicated my life back to God.

Thursday
2pm: I "sobbed" to my colleague "I wish I am in Malacca now for my church camp."
5pm: I told my manager "Hmmm.. I wonder is it Praise & Worship now or is it Teaching or maybe it's just Free and Easy?
10pm: (On my way home from work) "I think it's de-briefing time now..."

Friday
7am: (Walking my dog) "Maybe it's group Quiet Time..."
12pm: "Lunch time @ Malacca. Wondering is the food better at a 5-star hotel? *Hee*"
8pm: (On my way home from work) "Now should be Praise & Worship.. after dinner"

Saturday
8am: (Walking my dog) Sudden realization that it's the first church camp I have missed since I re-dedicated. **sobbing in my heart** I wanna a break... :(
4pm: (On my way home from work) Sudden realization that my phone has been rather silent cause most of my close friends are camping. Did receive a SMS from my shepherd who is also unable to make it to church camp.
7:14pm: (Current time) Feeling "lonely" in Singapore.

My colleague asked me "Hmmm... What do you exactly do in church camps ah? Why is there a need for a church camp?"

In reply, "Church camps is always a good opportunity for the whole church to come together. When a church is a tad too huge, then it may break into various groups like "Adults Camp", "Family Camp", "Filipino Camp", etc. I personally feel that camps are a great opportunity to really get to know one another cause next to CG & Sunday Service, it's rare that we will come together, stay overnight & have fun altogether. It's also a time to pluck ourselves physically away from Singapore and concentrate on just fellowshipping & the objectives we have set for ourselves. To me, physically removing myself from the Red Dot Island is very therapeutic. I tend to see my issues with a bird's eye view. Then, I could also realign myself. To me, a church camp is a need cause as humans, we are really made to fellowship, to have relationships. What better way than to stay together for a good 4 days and 3 nights. And oh yah.. Somehow, people just gets crazier when they are in camp. :P"

When I was on the train home back from work today, I started to recollect the memories I had from previous camps. One very visible trend I see was that after every camp, I will be re-energized & I will really try to correct mistakes I have made. 2004 was one camp that I dreaded to go yet it was the one camp that refreshed me & caused me to see mistakes made. First thing I did when I went back to Singapore was to *ahem* correct a huge wrong. I can't believe that it's been 3 years already.

This year, I was also quite determined to be refreshed by God despite not going to the camp so in my own little room, I re-aligned my goals for 2007. Hoping never to be far from God.


P.S. I am missing out photos for the camp at Orchard Hotel in 2003. That's during the SARS period thus held in Singapore. Anybody reading this has it? Let me know? :P