I’m feeling a little better after a solid two day camp with about 30 youths at the Rawang Lutheran Church Chinese camp. Arrived last night around 1.30am. I enjoyed the late night drive. But one must be very careful because there are quite a view high-speed heavy vehicles!
I don’t know how I managed with a severe sore throat at the camp. The campers were very gracious to me … My mandarin wasn’t great but somehow we could still connect. Again, a number of personal conversations were very precious and energizing – especially with those who are not Christians in the camp.
I noticed the “cultural” difference between the youth I engaged in the last 2 days and those I usually come into contact with in the more urbanized KL and PJ. The element of “respect” for example is so much stronger amongst the youth that I met in this camp- more communal as well … less individualistic.
Had a good breakfast with Gareth today … he had his “Big Pao” and I had my Nescafe. It was good to re-connect with my son. tonight hope to re-connect more with my daughter. She was pretty much asleep last night when i returned. I was pretty much asleep when she left with May Chin this morning. Happy to re-connect with my wife of course, let’s not forget the amazing one!
But, rest I must get …. refreshing is a must … another camp this time more intergenerational and family oriented… and also I suspect I need to swith my “cultural” lense again – to a more English speaking Malaysian setting. Ah … before doing anything more … i shall feed myself and sleep.
It’s hard to rest “in-between” two camps (heavy speaking and interaction kind of engagements). I admit .. maybe because I don’t go just as a professional speaker … I tend to invest a significant part of myself in relationships with those in these camps (even though for some cases it’s more short term then long term) – and all this needs energy. And I’m only human – limited.
and there’s some other family engagements around the corner … I’m looking forward for my kind of first family holiday for the year 2005. And looking forwards to pause, “defragment” myself and “re-organized” priorities, and relook what potentials and watch for limits.