Camp Cameron 2016
Being an ordinary university student, it is my pleasure to spend my semester break wisely. Just when I thought my semester break will be filled with lots of sleeping, eating and chilling—an Earthly repose from all obligations in university and Catholic Student Society (CSS) matters, a news aired in before it even begin. Our Campus Ministry Officer (CMO), Jameson Tan Soo Hee, introduced Camp Cameron 2016 (CampCam) organized by Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES) Malaysia which somehow takes place during our sweet semester break, from 18th July till 6th August of 2016.
I thought of joining it as a bad idea for it takes 3 weeks of my 2 months holiday. Is it even worth it? With 101% hesitation and so just-to-please our CMO, I signed up along with my two other campus friends, Rachel and Sheila. Honestly, I never thought of CampCam to be a major life changing moment for my entire 21 years breathing on this planet. My life went upside down and right side up in the most wonderful way my Creator would have put me into. Early in the morning of 6th August, I left CampCam with a better me, like how Jacob became Israel after wresting with the angel of the Lord– I dare to say, the Lord my perfect potter moulded me into a new Mika that I had never even asked for. What a sanctifying grace!
As much as I am not in favour with CampCam, I am now having a hard time to move on from all the tears and laughter-the unforgettable memories I had experienced with my CampCam family in Methodist Centennial Chefoo Centre, Brinchang, Cameron Highlands. YHWH Elohim had blessed me with the hardest goodbye in my entire life. On the other hand, I received more love by my family over there – Abba Father was very alive and was stirring my heart with uncountable thoughts to ponder upon. As one of the youths in the 21st century, I would recommend the rest of my brothers and sisters in Christ to partake in the future CampCam. I BELIEVE it did not only touch my life but also Rachel’s and Sheila’s too!
So what is really special about this camp that made me did not want to leave? First and foremost, I fell in love with the unity of all the Christian denominations in this camp where all campus students are gathered – from Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, East Timor and Canada, then to the hospitality of the FES staffs towards us, as if they have known us for years. Not only that, their ever-open-senses to listen to my laments, wearies and the things that weighs me down had also made me a stronger Child of God. They gave me the golden opportunity to be listened, to know that someone care to know about what bothers me though I may just be one dull, ignorant and innocent youth to the community. But to them, my wretchedness do matter.
There, we would call the FES staffs by the title Grandpa, Grandma, Aunty & Uncle which made it more of a family-like camp, and not a facilitator-to-participant type of camp. As for me, my grandmas and aunties, not to mention their names, had brought me up from a hopeless seed that is afraid of the light to a seedling chasing for the sunlight like a cheetah chasing hungrily for a deer. To me, it was more of the personal moments and counsels that were given to me, which moved my heart and renewed my faith in God once again.
CampCam had changed the way I view my God. As we engage in our daily Praying Scriptures, the first thing we do as soon as we rise, it created a big change for the whole 19 days of my life there. It was never in my regular daily routine to startup my day with His word, frankly speaking. Then, The Chronicles of God and His Kingdom (CGK) session gave me a great slap on my face. It covered the storyline from the beginning of the Bible-Genesis till the book of Revelation. Going for 6 years of Sunday School and 2 years of studying the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles was not enough for me as a Christian. It made me realized that those 8 years did not manage to help me cover all the books in the Holy Bible. From that moment, it ignited the Spirit within me to challenge myself in order to finish reading the precious word our God had given to us, His beloved people.
On top of that, we were also introduced to another session known as Redeeming Relationship (RR) session consisting of RR with God and myself, with family, in friendship,
“At first, I was informed to join a certain camp for 3 weeks in Cameron Highlands. The camp turned out to be a discipleship camp – CampCam. I asked myself, am I ready to take up the challenge to draw myself closer to God? It hit me hard when we started with our first session of The Chronicles of God and His Kingdom (CGK). I realized that my foundation of my Bible Knowledge is very weak as compared to other participants. They really prepared themselves for the camp and that made me eager to learn more from them. Another thing that I had discovered during the camp, was of how the participants took care of each other in spite of their different backgrounds and that includes me myself. Other than that, we were also taught on how to facilitate a Bible Study and make it even more interesting than the usual one we used to have. And for me, it was the most interesting session throughout this camp. I am really thankful and indeed grateful that Abba Father had given me the pass to be a part of this CampCam family because it really changed me on how I view and tackle things in my daily living.” – Sheila Mae Su, CampCam participant.
in courtship, with gender and nation. Most of these sessions had personally touched my life because all of them were relatable and somehow, most of the scenarios are happening in my current life. Likewise, it is said that obedience is far more appreciated by our Jehovah Jireh than our sacrifices. RR sessions taught me to be honest with the Everlasting Father. My service meant nothing to Him if I did not place my heart into His loving palm to be cared for, although mine may be a stony heart, neither shattered nor rebellious. He will always have a pedestal to place it.
Aside from all the sessions, I fell in deep love with my SELAH and HAGGADAH moments with the Lord. Selah is a silent moment with our Creator for approximately 7 hours on Sabbath, fasting, leaving the world behind and just talking to Him-making a one-to-one reflection as a Father and a treasured child. In silence, I was able to hear His merciful voice pleading a lot of things from me. In silence, I realized that my heart is very noisy inside. Psalm 88 and Lamentations 3, the passage I endured during my Selah had proven Abba’s authentic and genuine love towards me, that albeit He’s silent, He is still speaking to me in His most gentle ways. Whilst, on the other hand, Haggadah, similar to the Seder in memorial of the Passover and the Last Supper with the LORD, gave me the courage to capture my journey of life, relive it, experience the pain once again, and yet be grateful for His deliverance. The symbols, songs, personal name of God that I had given to Him, and my story of deliverance contributing to my Seder arrangement is like a personal encounter of mine with Jesus who died on the cross to rescue me from my sins.
Apart from all of these, Leisure times, Camp Special, Expressions and Games had educated me on genuine happiness without boundaries with my siblings in Christ from other denominations. We are truly united in the name of God, for nothing can separate us. It made me a stronger warrior of God after my honest and real breakthrough, and nonetheless made us, the participants, reliable leaders for His Kingdom on Earth like King David – a man who is after God’s heart.
“CampCam was awesome! Not only does it opened my eyes to experience the friendship, joy and love of others but it also opened my heart to encounter God in every situation I face. In CampCam, I learned that faith alone is not enough to anchor ourselves to God. In order to keep growing in faith, one must read and understand the Bible, the most powerful weapon of all which is the word of the Lord. CampCam had taught me ways of studying the bible in a different but fun level as well as importance of redeeming relationship with others. CampCam had definitely changed my mindset not only towards the Bible but also the welcoming feeling of being in one big family of Christ.” – Rachel anak Remus, CampCam participant.
To put in a nutshell, CampCam was indeed a blessing in disguise for the three of us. If only we had the chance to replay all of the memories we had there, we would. One word for it, we are BLESSED!
– Mika Angelika Enriquez, Student of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Johor Bahru Campus.