18.11.08
I left for timor. In the morning, my dad drove me to Nat's hse where her mum then fetched nat and myself to the airport. We had to reach at 7.20am. =) There, we checked in our luggages and boxes of lab apparatus before we went separate ways for breakfast. Some youths came to send us off! Jeanette, Josh, Ben, Sheng(who was leaving that evening for europe too), and oops, i cant rmb who else! We prayed before entering into the gates and also took a group photo!
On the plane, we all switched places since everyone was split up somehow. Good thing that there were several empty seats here and there so we could change seats. Nat, Isabel, Shalyn and I sat at the very last row. LOL. I spent my flight there just reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and sleeping. heh.
And we're finally about to descend...
to Timor Leste with the super hot weather welcoming us!
We headed to Isabel's(Shallom's principal) house to load off the boxes first and also had our briefing there. Oh yea, there was a row of kids standing at her gate before we left. AHH so cute huh.
After that, we headed to our hotel, Hotel Audian. Shalyn and I were room-mates. yepp.
Dinner that night was at a restaurant where we had a 5USD Eat-all-you-can. yep.
Back at the hotel, the respective groups started to prepare for the next day's lessons with our kids! My group met with a specific trouble. Our video can't be shown for no one has QUICKTIME! urgh. Thank God Auntie Lily has some bible stories on ppt. Hence, we decided to use those instead.
Finally, we got to rest and sleep...zzzz
19.11.08
We started the day with devotion at Isabel's house before we crossed over to the school for the lessons. My group consisted of Joyce(team leader), Nat, Xuan and myself. Uncle Andrew only joins us for the afternoon class. We were in charge of the P3/4s. They made such a racket when we first stepped in alright. Imagine a classof 78 little boys and girls shouting and fighting. LOL.
We started with telling them the David and Goliath Story using the ppt but they weren't exactly interested. One thing's coz the interpreter kinda sucks and they just had very short attention span since there's also the language barrier. yea.. We tried to do a pass the parcel game and ask questions but it didnt work out. Thus, we just proceeded to do the lion masks. They enjoyed it but it was very messy as they had to share glue and we had to find ways to contain the strips of crepe paper. They did their stuff rather quickly actually. Nat and I did the hole-punching and attaching the rubber bands for them while Joyce and Xuan cut out the eyes for them. yep.
After that, they had their breaktime. A time for us to rest as well. After their break, we decided to just sing songs with them and whoah, i tell you they were very ON about it! haha..glad it still ended nicely.
PHOTO TIME WITH THE KIDS!! haha.. yep.
Had lunch over at Isabel's house and after that, some of us were so tired we took naps be it on the sofa or leaning over tables or some even lying on the floor. haha..At around 2plus, we made our way back to the school. Our group then took the P7 class! We were all looking forward to seeing them once again man. haha.. Uncle Andrew joined us back. We started with the Story-telling as well. Told them the story of David and Goliath. It was much much easier as they were more teachable. Then we got them to play pass the parcel too and asked them questions. Following that, we got them to do a role-play. haha..It was quite funny.
After the story, it was craft-time for them! Joyce taught them how to tear the cross using the paper. We then made into bookmarks for them as well as pasted stickers on them too. yep. After their break, Isabel came over to help us with the worship. heh..The day then ended...
That evening, we had dinner at Restaurant 88 which was jsut a walk away from the hotel. When we were done with dinner, we gathered in our groups to discuss what to do with the kids the next day. We figured that the P3/4s cannot have any story-telling but more craft and songs. Hence, Nat thought of using back last yr's craft idea. We drew pictures and the kids stick coloured paper on them. Another craft was the same tearing of the cross. yep. For the P7s, we decided to tell them the story of Daniel and the Lions using a skit. yep.
That nite, almost all the youths crowded in my room as they helped isabel with doing this booklet thingy for the kids her group was taking. yea.. our noise level was kinda high and got some complaints from an aussie living in the room opposite mine. haha.. oh wells.
20.11.08
Devotion this morning was great. Ps Thom got us to pray in our groups for what's gonna happen and I just felt that that was so needed. Something just kinda broke when we prayed for things that day turned out VERY smoothly! =D
The P3/4s seemed strangely tamer! haha.. They greeted us when we came in and were rather cooperative. Well then, we decided to start with singing first. Isabel came to help us. Then we did the sticking of the coloured paper. This time round, we put the glue for them one by one and issued each kid 2 different coloured paper and 1 picture. yea. They really enjoyed it. Some will bring to us and show us what they've done and when you tell them 'diak (los)', it really puts a smile on their faces. And it certainly put one on mine as well! We collected them after they wrote their names on it before we announced some rather nice ones and awarded stickers. After that, we told them the Colour book story again and also did the cross with them as well. It was good to see they actually listened and were so fascinated when the cross emerged! haha.. When some knew how to fold, some helpful ones helped the others too.
I remember this girl, Claudia, asked me whether I knew teacher Alisa! It took me some time before I heard her clear enough to know she was asking me that! haha.. the kids really miss Alisa. Similarly, we also gave them stickers to stick onto their crosses. After that, we played a Pass The Ball game with them before their break. Whoever has the ball when the music stops was supposed to come to the front to sing a song! Alot of them liked the Donut Song! haha.. hot fave.
Then we gave them their break. Some kids gathered around the teachers' table so I just tried to speak to them a little. Jeffery! He's actually quite a nice boy. Not as naughty... haha.. After they all came back, we continued the ball game and Isabel also came to continue to lead worship for them. It ended off where we quietened them down to sing some slow songs. They closed their eyes and sang this song 'He is Good' and the atmosphere was very very God-filled. REALLY. His presence was indeed with us!
As usual, after having lunch, all of us just rested before going for the PM sessions. That afternoon, we started off with an Alphabet Game which they enjoyed! Then we decided to move to another classroom as the one we were in was really stuffy and like a sauna! haha.. Over at the new classroom, we did a skit on Daniel & the Lions. HAHA. it worked out! we got several kids involved in the acting and yea, main characters were our own pple. LOL. Strangely, the male characters were all portrayed by us females la. haha.. After that, Isabel came over to help with worship. We also sang the song Alisa taught us, Loron Ohin.
Uncle Andrew somehow loved that song. haha.. He made some come out to sing solo and even asked ME to sing solo for them too. After we sang that song, the P7s wanted to do some items for us too. They got Domingoez to sing!! WHOO~ I missed his singing! haha.. then some others came out too..(will prob upload the videos another time yea. this is already a long enough post) After that, they had break time.
We then continued with teaching them how to make a jumping frog and then Uncle Andrew just decided to brief them on what's gonna happen the next day. Class was then dismissed. But we caught them all practising their marching for Proclamation Day on Saturday. heh.
That night, we went to a restaurant and had pizza for dinner. After reaching the hotel, my group just had a short discussion on the games we were going to do for the P3/4s and P7s respectively. We also decided on doing a gift for the P3/4s! Well, we planned to write their names on a RED HEART we cut out previously and also give them indivdual postcards.
Later that night, I spent it doing the heart. It wasnt a 'fasil' job writing the names. The names the kids wrote for us, some were quite hard to determine the spelling! haha.. and I still had to make sure the names have got to fit in altogether. In the middle of it, we put down 'Maromak Hadomi Imi' meaning, God loves you all. =D
The postcards we did contained the message, 'Ami Hadomi O!' which means, 'We Love You!' Gave nat and isabel to help with that coz it was running late and I had not enough time to complete everything. yea. (forgot to take a photo of that!)
THEN SLEEPING TIME. oh yea, really gotta thank God for doing such a wonderful job that day for both classes we took!
21.11.08
Headed to the classes after devotion that morning which was also a good one. We planned a series of games for the P3/4s. They were split into 2 groups, Korea and Espanol. haha.. they named themselves that. LOL. However, the games were quite a failure. haha.. We resorted to just singing songs with them. By the way, there was a power failure that morn and so it was even warmer without any fans. At a point through the singing, Sebastiao, the somewhat ringleader of the whole class, wanted us to sing Loron Ohin with the class. Soo cute right! haha.. So we did and after that, he wanted myself to sing. So i did and then he wanted Nat to do it too but she declined. Instead, we got some boys to come up and sing! haha.. After they sang, we gave them the break.
After break, Isabel came over and we played the ball game again and sang some songs with them again. Finally, we ended by presenting our gifts to them. They became very quiet that time and very orderly. Well, they really appreciated us and the gifts. It showed, really. I was certainly touched by that. yea. THEN, we took a class photo!! and more photos with the kids!
Was really tired out that morning though. I really slept for maybe half an hour undisturbed on the sofa at Isabel's house that afternoon. LOL. Before we left again, my group came to do some last min preparations for the games we were gonna do for the P7 class.
We played a revised version of the alphabet game with them. After this game, we brough them out for a match of captains' ball but it took quite a while for them to understand how the game works out really. The weather was really hot anyway. haha.. After we played that, we attempted to play Blanket Game but it was hard for they either cheated or they were just too competitive and it was susa for us to see who actually called out the name first. yea. So we jsut decided to stop the competition and gave them the break.
After their break, we taught them the English version of Still. I heard they actually have a Tetun version of the song! So well, they took down the song and sang it along with us all. yep. Finally, we got them to write their names down onto this big green vanguard. Did it quite last minute! haha.. Afterwards, we gave them the oreos and eyeglass. Uncle Andrew also took the time to ask some of them about their dreams and claimed them in prayer. heh..
Lastly, we took a class photo and many other photos too!
Dinner that nite was at Paradise, with Isabel, Lydia and Pastor Rui. Along with us were Lishan and Xiuli who are the ones Nat and isabel are attached to during their extended time. yea. Seafood platter and avocado juice. yum.
We also sang a birthday song to Pastor Rui and prayed over him, lydia and Isabel.
our youth group photo again!
22.11.08
Woke up at 5am that morning to get ready to go to the Jesus Statue to catch the sunrise. In the end, Uncle James decided to do the devotion up there as well. Poor JK has to bring a guitar up again. yea. this time, Isabel and I didnt get to sing our way up and down. haha.. sadly. We were just a lil breathless climbing up and also, we didnt know what to sing...
I helped Uncle James lead the worship that morning. yep, felt really at peace standing there and worship God as we overlooked how great indeed God has been to Timor. Anyway, the sharing was also pretty good la. The youths then had a short personal devotion led by Grace. yep. Of course, not to forget, a group photo!
Upon reaching the hotel, shalyn and I put our stuff down in the room before going for breakfast. After eating, shalyn, jk and I just listened to Kelvin with his nonsense Hokkien number songs. LOL. you've got to ask him to know what I mean. Then we also heard his and Grace's well, love story. haha. Apparently, it was the 2nd time they shared it on this trip. haha..
After that, we decided to head back to our rooms to pack our stuff. At 9.30am, everyone gathered for a final debrief where we all shared our reasons for coming to Timor and also what we take home from this entire trip. I would conclude that the children's love and innocence and purity simply touches everyone of us.
For myself personally, I really learnt to love the kids even more than before. The previous times I went, I guess I didnt have as strong a relationship with the kids as this time round. I didnt remember any names in particular, just faces. (only domingoez la..haha..) But this time, despite the P3/4s being so naughty and rowdy, they were my favourites. I feel that they can all still be tamed and got lots of potential for the future. I just felt so la. haha..In addition, I really saw God's hand upon us all during this trip. Many things obviously didnt turn out as what we planned before the entire trip. Alot of the stuff we did were impromptu planning the night before only. Thank God that he saw us through and really taught us that we must must always do things HIS way, not OURS.
No doubt it was a very complicated feeling that we've to leave the children again, but it gives us reason to come back once again to see the kids and do more for them! I just hope that my A's next year can end before the trip! I really really want to go back, not as a habit, but to see the children! Another option I'm thinking of is perhaps to go on those other trips with adults or else, see if I can get to stay there for a month or two to help out. However, I shall definitely continue to pray for Timor and about this matter.
At the airport, we waited for a very long long time and it was super warm there coz the air-con broke down long long ago and they didnt fix it. However, we were all brightened up when we saw that a shop there sold the East Timor phrasebook! Almost everyone bought one home! haha.. And all the youths were like reading it, studying it. LOL. How weird is that that we are keen to learn something we wont be tested for! haha.. Studying is really very interest-based! haha.. I'll be brushing up on Tetun before I go back the next time! haha..
Eventually, we really had to bid farewell! Adieus Timor!
Sat with Shalyn this time round. Nat and Isabel are still in Timor right now. heh. yep. God bless them. =) After 4 hours of flight, we finally reached Singapore once again. yep.. One last youth group photo in front of the luggage belt... heh.
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