Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Mission Trip (in no order haha)
I think I've found the person who I want to lose my first kiss to. His name is William, or Willy for short. I miss him already!!! I think the last four days were the happiest ones in my entire year. Seriously, I think I'm suffering from depression now. I miss the kids in Batam so, so, so badly. I am definitely going back.
I really thank God for sustaining me through the trip because I was sick almost the entire time, with my sore throat, running nose, and fever on and off. Everyone was very understanding and kind, especially Felicia, Joyce, Sarah and Derek who provided me with an endless supply of panadol and other medication, and even Boon Jin who practically ordered me to lie down and sleep, much to my dismay.
I was the pianist for singspiration, and I really think that I'm the happiest when I'm playing for kids. Because even though the kids didn't understand english (some can barely read it and Joy to the World was our theme song?!), they did all the actions with such gusto and sang the best they could. I'm really always so amazed by how children can sing with all their hearts. OH and they have a coool piano there! It's so out of tune, its out of tune by a whole semitone! Whee! I had so much fun playing it and all my songs came out in a different key from what I expected!!! And Boon Jin is really really really really really good pianist ahh envyyyyy.
Oh I must talk about this song that they sang! It's called "Telephone to Jesus" and it starts with the kids saying "Ringring! Ringring!" then they pick up the imaginary phone and sing "Telephone to Jesus" four times, before pausing and saying HELLO! It's too cute for words!!! Then the next stanza is "Jesus says I love you" hahahaha Imagine Jesus calling you to say he loves you!
Another fun song was "Stand up and shout" because we were having so much fun coming up with the random actions for it! Qiu Ying has a really good voice, like with natural vibrations! We had stand up and shout, sit down and whisper, and hi-five your friend! I think the kids love it really! And when you ask them whether they love Jesus.. something like "cinta Yesus?" they all put up their hands!!!
We also performed a skit about the nativity story; I was one of the magus. Mary(QiuYing) had to appear pregnant on the stage, then quickly un-pregnant herself and place her baby (jacket stuffed under her shirt) into the manger. Hahaha. The kids were not fooled.
Sarah and I were in charge of music enrichment, which included singing and teaching of recorder playing, especially with their presentation tomorrow! The primary 1-3 kids were simply adorableeeeee, but the moment we handed out recorders it was utter chaos. I found myself shouting "Diam" and "Jengan Tube" in an attempt to control the class, which often did not work... but they look TOO CUTE BLOWING THE RECORDERS AS HARD AS THEY CAN. I often left the class with the sound of recorders ringing in my ears. The primary 4-6 kids were of course much better, though our attempts at canon were mostly driven by competitive spirit so any sort of harmony was of course abandoned. The girls, who were more musically inclined, could play "Jesus loves me", while the boys were relegated to "Mary had a little lamb" I miss scolding them, chiding the boys for blowing when I was talking, laughing at them when their recorders squeaked despite their best attempts to control their breaths. ANd Sarah and I have formed a fanclub for Kevin - WHO IS A HAMSTER DISGUISED AS A BOY - too cute for words!!! His friends have started calling him mouseboy haha oh dear.
Together with Nat, I took several girls for discussion about Bridge to Life - Sally, NorthAuntie (it's not spelt this way but I pronounce it like that), Lifiliah, Christine (incredibly exotic looking) and Siska. I was speaking to them in broken Indonesian and Chinese and much pointing before the teacher informed me that they could understand basic english haha. They are all Christians, but some like Sally are from non-Christian families so it's great that their parents allow them to come to church! I wish I had more time to talk to them about the bible.
When we visited the orphanage the church supported, Sarah and I were super pleased with their immediate success at playing the recorders, which was mostly because they were older I think. The visit was really enjoyable, especially the games and our skit, because it was initially aimed at the younger kids in church haha. EVeryone enjoys SPLAT hahahaha I think I screamed into the poor boy's ears beside me eeks. Apologised to him afterwards heh "Maaf"
The last day, we did a detour to the shelter home, where Willy, whose parents are divorced, dragged me into his room to show me where he sleeps! He shares a lower bunk with Junta, but later Raphael said that the room stank because the older boy smokes - which I apparently failed to detect because of my blocked nose! Kezia, an extremely adorable girl, but of course, quite spoiled, demands that we take pictures with her haha. Sometimes I pretend to not understand her. :p They performed this really cuteeee song that had them hopping to their left and their right together!!!! They live in a really village-like area, but thank God that the home is quite well equipped and all. But sometimes when I play with the kids, I find it difficult to believe that they are orphans, or missing one parent, because they are always smiling and having fun, which is more than what I can say for others.
OH I LOVE HOW KIDS CAN HAVE SO MUCH FUN AT JUST SCISSORS PAPER STONE. It's too incredibly mind-boggling. They queue up in two lines and take turns to play scissors paper stone with each other and all the mission troopers were simply amazed at how much they enjoyed themselves at such a simple game that we joined them and had so much fun too! It was one of our impromptu mass games. They love SPLAT too. Hahaha. I think they can play it all day.
Devotions were led by Derek and Sherlyn, which were more like mini sermons really. Heh. Derek talked about having a vision (Jonah) that is aligned with God's vision, and single-mindedness to that vision (Jeremiah) The lesson was good, and I liked the questions raised which included why the book of Jonah does not reveal the outcome of Jonah. Sherlyn talked about denying self, taking up the cross and following Jesus, and Boon Jin of course, being the usual difficult person during discussion, cited it as a lofty aim. We hear it very often, but as to whether it impacts of transforms our lives is another matter altogether. I wonder how Project Serve is going to shape my life and my mindset ho ho ho.
Craving a cheeseburger. Now!
10:50 PM
Friday, December 25, 2009
I just wanna be a sheep
I just wanna be a sheep
So I can follow my shepherd
Wherever he goes, his path my feet will tread
Step by step up the hills
Past quiet waters and pastures
His rod and staff, they comfort me
I am his sheep
And the Lord is my shepherd
Now if I were a sheep
I could creep into that stable
That special one with that special star
For the birth of that special babe
Just maybe I could snuggle
Beside him whilst he slumber
Oh what an honour it would be
To rest my head at my Saviour's feet
But I am not a sheep
God didn't make me one
He made me in his image instead
To live my life out as His child
To love, to cry, to rejoice
To feel as He does
And then join Him in heaven
Where I can truly be a sheep to my shepherd
9:35 PM
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
I don't know how to love anymore.
How do I love if I'm the only one loving?
10:34 PM