The theme for our Church Camp this year is 'Reigniting the Flame'. We were so privileged to have an old friend of ours to share the Word of God with us. This year, we had an overwhelming response from the church members as well as brothers and sisters from other churches. Although there were some hiccups along the way, God saw us through and eventually things fell into place.
As I was involved in the children ministry this year, I missed out on all the 'fun' in the main hall. However, I have never regretted taking up the challenge. Being absent in the main session doesn't mean that God couldn't speak/minister to you. In fact, months of preparing for the teaching has taught me so much about the Armor of God - which is the theme for the children ministry. I am honored and really thanked God for His wonderful blessings.
It wasn't a smooth ride initially. There were so many things to get ready. From choosing a theme for the teaching to putting the lessons together, preparing the workbook for the children, searching everywhere in Melaka even all the way to KL for the props, brainstorming with hubby on the treasure hunt, and everything else you could possibly think of. It was exhausting. Pressure pumped in as the day drew near. Everyday my free time was used to the maximum. As the days progressed, I began to see the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
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| Door gift |
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| Teaching aids |
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| Teaching aids |
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| Workbook |
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| Teaching aids |
Finally, the day had arrived and we reached Cheringin Hill - our campsite. The arrival of campers was an exciting moment. Finally they were at camp after weeks of anticipation. The first thing all campers did was to check in and get settled into their rooms.
The worship team was as busy as before. Many of them arrived early with the musical equipments.
The camp was officially kicked off with the welcome address and the ice breaker. Then, everyone headed back to their respective rooms to freshen up, some roamed around the resort before we went for our dinner.
Session One began immediately after the dinner and I was caught unprepared how active and energetic these kids were. After all, the last time I was involved in children ministry was one year ago. It was a smaller group compared to this one. I really thanked God for having 3 wonderful helpers - Allyna, Amanda and Debbie. They certainly carried tons of weight off my shoulder.
A simple introduction to the Armor of God and the first piece of the Armor - Belt of Truth was taught through a short clip, a skit and a game. The group was then divided into two - Junior and Senior. The little ones did some colouring activities as well as craft work. Whereas the older kids were given some challenges. Their ultimate goal was to find the combination number to unlock the first lock of the treasure chest.
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| Group activity - senior |
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| Group activity - junior |
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| I really have no idea what he was doing?!? |
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| My sweet princess |
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| Looking for something, my guess??? |
The next day, we woke up to a beautiful morning to start the second day of camp. It is quiet and peaceful here in the mornings with the sound of nature - remote and close sounds of chirping birds, and buzzing insects. One of the things we experienced here at camp is the unparalleled beauty of nature and peace.
The first order of the day was morning devotion followed by breakfast. Then the children continued their lesson on the second piece of the Armor of God - the Breastplate of Righteousness. The highlight of the lesson was the game - Water War! The children had fun playing water gun, getting themselves drenched from top to bottom. Honestly, I too, had fun. Loving to see the smile on the children's face. I guess now I know why I love children. They are true to their feeling. They do not pretend. They do not put on a mask. Our laughter must be so loud that even some of the adults from the main hall came out to check on us. Oopss!
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| My little boy dislocated his arm few days before we went for the camp. Nevertheless, it doesn't stop him from having fun! |
After the children dried themselves up and got changed, we went back to the children hall to watch a movie. A time to chill out and replenished our energy before we start our next lesson - the Shield of Faith. A puppet show and an impromtu skit from the floor helped us to realise how important it is to put on the shield of faith in our Christian walk with God. Next, we moved on to face/body painting.
Lunch was served. Our stomachs were rumbling after all the fun in the morning. The children joined the adults for some fun time while I headed back to my room for a nap. Sleepless night the days before + all the hyper energy activities with the kids = exhaustion.
The kids went for swimming after the nap. One may wonder, "Where do all their energy come from?"
We touched on Helmet of Salvation and Sword of the Spirit for our last lesson. I was thrilled to see the faces of the children when I did the magic trick. One child commented, "Teacher, you know how to do magic ah?" That was the best!
The little ones did the craft - shield, while the teacher sculptured a balloon sword for each of them. As for the older kids, they needed to complete a few tasks in order to get the combination number to unlock the last lock on the treasure chest. The winning groups received a Popular voucher as their reward.
Day Three, which was the last day of camp had arrived. Camp sure goes by fast. It just seemed like yesterday we were welcoming campers and lighting up the candles as part of the ice breaker. As with each day this week, we had a cool night and woke up to a cool morning; however, the temperature quickly rose by mid morning.
A simple worship followed by a group photo, then some headed back home while others drove to the market at the nearby town. As for my family, we packed up and drove straight to McD - a treat for the kids. After all, they had been surviving only on bread and white rice. Sigh... picky eater they are.
At the end of the camp, I did feel a little sad. As it is I am not an overly excitable person. And most times I feel that events like this require me to be excited and eager and loud - if for no other reason than to make the kids excited and eager and responsive. And when you have pushed yourself to the top, coming back down to the middle ground takes another round of effort. After surviving the camp, teaching, organizing, cleaning and etc ain't that hard. But I definitely need a good rest, simply lazing on my bed, even for a couple of minutes.
Thanks to every committee members, participants and the management of the hotel for making this camp a memorable one. A big thank you to Khai Chew for taking all the lovely photos. Above all, thank you God for Your presence, protection, and grace that abound so richly in each one of our lives. See ya next year!
