Calvary Care Home Mini-Camp At Paya Rumput I

Since some time ago, Albert P and I felt the burden to focus on the spirituality of the Calvary Care Home (CCH) boys. As the September holiday was approaching, the idea of a CCH camp became clearer. We planned to have a mixture of the Calvary Life Assembly church camp, home stay holiday and retreat. After taking logistics, convenience and costing into consideration, we decided the mini-camp to be at my house.

I told John with a mischievous smile, "You guys are going to have the monks' life again soon, and three times longer!" His response was a stunned look, "Serious?"

Of course. It was so serious that the home administrator had to type out the schedule neatly to get the official approval from the CCH chairman Ps James. When I received a copy from Albert, I was surprised to learn that it would be three full days from 8am to 10pm. Anyway, as his assistant, my main job was just to provide meals, games and accommodation. So my preparations were to simply plan the menus, shop for food, stuff the fridge, clean the house and think of some games.

On the 9 September morning as early as 7.15am, Joshua already sent the boys to my house. Albert came with Matthew later. Joseph and Isaac who were back from Montfort Youth Centre for holiday were only participating in our morning session.

Ps James was invited as a guest speaker for the first day. His message was about the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:1-17.

Talking about "Honour your father and your mother", he said to the boys, "Uncle Albert and Auntie Lee Sah are like your fathers. You have to honour them..." When I heard that, I felt I was being "ordained" as a special senior priest who was keeping long curly hair, liked to wear skirts and was now holding the title of "symbolic father" as well.

As Ps James was fasting and needed to return to the church office, he did not stay with us for lunch. The two older brothers left with George who had come to fetch them. As few were around, we relaxed in the afternoon by doing some reading, school work, spiritual test, etc. Sis Fei Gin who had spent the day doing some motivational programme with the younger brothers Paul and David dropped them at my house after dinner.

When we were having our devotion and prayer, the fireworks began to be set off in the neighbourhood, which distracted our attention. Albert quickly prayed against it and during the entire evening we no longer heard any loud noise. Praise the Lord!

The first day of the camp was run in a very smooth way. With the presence of two "fathers" and six "sons", the occasional "monastery" at Paya Rumput was more lively than ever.