kem kelana

kem kelana took place at masjid pertempatan melayu sembawang, just off sembawang park. this camp, like kemBARA was intended to impart basic skills of education, morals, and islamic values to kids who are at high risk of dropping out from school, due to familial, financial or other reasons.

some of my thoughts on the whole event.

i opted to become a station master, so that i will not be too burdened with the running of the camp. i have learnt that lesson before, and it was just a lot of work, something i was not ready to do. but on the second day, i was asked to be emcee, and i could not turn that down, for various reasons. after all, i had to help nonetheless, in all the ways that i could. though at the beginning i was rather shaky, i got the hang of it once more. and yes though i may have grumbled at having to undertake the position, i retract them. i am thankful that i was made the emcee, because it gave me the chance to work with the committee closer. and through the ups and downs of trying to get people to cooperate, and in decision-making, i guess i learnt new things, about people, about trying to organise events, and about working together. also, being emcee helped me get closer to the kids, which is part of the point of going to the camp in the first place. so there, all is well.

i busied myself as and when i could with the kids, talking to them, and playing with them. and got sufficiently bullied by the kids. hehehe. and somehow i am thankful that i got to do that. it sorta readied me to take on the next post, as facilitator. wakakkaka. anyone reading this?

a brother told me that he was not sure that everyone went home with something. i found it sad that these people could spend three days, and not learn. just kind of weird to me, how sometimes people are so blind to the lessons that are being taught to them through the events that happen around them. and how could they not even see what was being shared by the kids? it all returns to the original intention - what have you come to the camp to do? i guess it is this that makes anything and everything that was seemingly unpleasant to me, acceptable. i was doing it for the sake of Allah, and for the sake of the kids.

and the kids' hugs at the closing ceremony, and their tears, made it all worthwhile, all over again. sigh.

i did not cry as badly as the last camp. in fact i even managed to smile as i hugged the children. i guess i am better at controlling it now.

but the surety of longing for the kids is definitely there.
and the surety of longing for my friends, grows even more, the more i meet them.

Lord, love us all and bless us all with happiness and peace, and bring us ever closer in Your religion, Al-Islam. Amin.