I wanted to go for the trip and I wanted to go badly because I know that there was something deep and meaningful that this trip is going to unfold like a treasure chest waiting to be discovered. And true enough this trip has changed my perspective and caused me to look at things very differently.
The first day the bus pulled over at the village entrance I was still in a daze. I did not know what to expect and I did not think much about it before the trip. But as the moment came when we marched into the gates of the Boys’ Brigade Learning Centre (BBLC), the truth slowly set in. My mind took awhile to register that I was no longer in my comfortable lifestyle and conditions back home. I was almost in combination state of mild trance and shock. Especially when the Cambodian youths streamed into the school’s compound and we started to mingle and interact with them.
Armed with our arsenal of ice breakers, knowledge on how to engage youth and all the preparation that we planned, we rolled into action. Starting with volleyball and then Frisbee and then some good oldie games, we went from game to game. Being the delegates that hail from the land of Singapore, we had to show our enthusiasm and all that we got. But at the end of the first day, most of us were burning red and tired out.
It took us awhile to get used to the pace of life and the living conditions. The scorching sun, the lack of electricity, the insects, the 5 cm mattresses and the mosquito nets that made it even warmer to sleep.
By the 3rd day most of us got the hang of staying there and we were starting to enjoy ourselves. The dynamics were starting to shift.
One thing I learnt is that we can come with all the best ideas and have the most detailed planning before the trip but we need to be ever ready and willing to change the program according to the needs of the people and the practicality on the ground. On the first night, Amos and I decided to teach them a song and we decided to sing “God will make a way”. Somehow it turned out that it was our theme song for the trip. The Boys would suddenly burst out singing that song sometimes accompanied by the Cambodian youths. It was so beautiful to hear them sing that song and I pray that one day all of them would understand deeply the lyrics of that song.
One of the reasons why I wanted to go for the trip was that I wanted to get to know some of the Boys better and going through trips like this with them would form strong bonds which may not be possible to form back in Singapore.
I love stories about missionaries. Every time I read stories of great missionaries like David Livingstone I would feel very inspired. This trip in a sense was my first mission trip. Listening to Mr. Reuben share about his encounter with God and what God has been doing through BBLC inspired me similarly. I could see the reality of God in his life. And it was moving to observe how he interacts with the youths in the Khmer language and how all the youths that attend BBLC are so close to him.
And I started to think how it would have been like if BBLC did not exist. Maybe many of the youths in Pouk village would never have the opportunity to hear the gospel.
Thank God for this trip! I have been blessed.
Charles
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