Saturday, December 03, 2005

I just got back from SYFC's Camp Orion (Nov 30 - Dec 3) yesterday night, reluctantly leaving the BBQ dinner earlier because of a pressing mission trip meeting I cannot afford to miss.

In retrospect I was glad I went for the camp after all. I was initially hesitant about going because I had other activities to attend but only one of me. And it didn't really help that I signed up for this camp alone. Others had the company of their friends from church or school. But I was prepared to be a loner 'cause my objective for signing up was not to make friends but to gain a deeper understanding about God's Word. Anyways the whole camp was like a subset of Amazing Race - we had to carry our haversacks and run about the island completing tasks and all. Sorta a prelude to how backpacking(my secret dream!) feels like!

One part of the camp I still vividly remember is trudging through the forest near Upper Pierce reservoir on Friday. It was meant to be a trek from Yio Chu Kang to Choa Chu Kang but I had no idea it was gonna be so... primitive a journey. Not to mention painful. And dirty. I brought a relatively light bag because I knew there'd be alot of travelling involved. I said 'relatively' because in comparison to my group mates' bags it was like, feather weight with heavy weight. I really don't know what they pack, their bags weighed a tonne! I know because I carried it for them. :( Some of my group mates were so weighed down by their own baggage (their sleeping bags, their kiasu 2.5 litre bottle and what nots) that they can't even catch up with brisk walking. Much less survive the forest grounds. So with my own backpack and sleeping bag and an additional tonne of baggage in front of me we trekked through natural trail.

If this is how it feels like to be pregnant, I tell you its not an easy job. Carrying a turtle shell of a bag in front I can't even see my legs in front of me and my back and shoulder hurt from all the extra burden. If it was on levelled pavement I wouldn't have minded, but half the time, or most of the time, trekking in the forest of trees and mud and monkeys, I was trying to avoid the mudpools (I was wearing my favourite Nikes!), balancing planks on streams, huffing and puffing up dirt hills, ah you get the picture. It was terrible. And it seemed never ending. We trekked and trekked but still the end was nowhere in sight. What kept me going was the hope that around that bend we'd near civilisation once more.

Actually I was a little put off by the people without bags, those who have not a baggage on them, but still walked so slowly. I mean, come on, is it so hard to put a little more effort catching up. Tsk. I think I am a little impatient. Okay maybe not a little. Maybe alot more than I think.

So... this camp made me want to join SYFC. Maybe. But it's not for me to decide I guess.
I will follow where You lead.

writing at 10:10 PM

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