BOOM!
Gusto ko sanang subukan i-describe yung experience ko sa Leaders’ Camp kaso mahihirapan yata ako, so magkwekwento nalang ako.
Months before Leaders’ Camp, sinabihan na ako ni kuya Justin, VG leader namin, about this camp. Pagkasabi niya na Php3,500 yung babayaran sa camp, NANGLAKI YUNG MATA KO kasi hindi biro yung ganung amount ng pera para sa isang estudyanteng katulad ko, lalo na’t hindi naman kami mayaman. So sabi ko, pag-iisipan ko muna kasi malaki din yun at masama naman kung i-pressure ko si mama na bigyan ako dahil inaasikaso niya pa yung gamot niya.
Weeks passed, and I slipped the thought of attending Leaders’ Camp at the back of my mind. Pero iba talaga si Lord, magaling sa gulatan. Nakatanggap ako ng text from kuya Mon and ate Juls about helping us financially para sa camp then bayaran nalang before the camp, which is about 2 months away pa. Sobrang nagulat ako kasi hindi ko naman sinabi sa kanila na wala akong pambayad, ang sabi ko lang baka hindi ako makasama. Tinatanong ko si Lord na, “PAANO YUN LORD???!?!? ZOMG!!!!!1!?!?!!!!one!!” dahil hindi ko talaga ma-comprehend kung paano nangyari yun. After 2 months, nabayaran na yung pinahiram nilang budget, and ready na para sa camp! Sobrang grateful ako kay Lord kasi nagproprovide Siya ng LAHAT ng kailangan natin. “…your heavenly Father knows your need.” (c.f. Mt. 6:32)
Tapos nung binabasa ko yung mga post from Leaders’ Camp 2012 sa page ng LifeBox U-Belt,I kept asking God, “Lord, will You let me experience more of You this camp as much as they have?” ,and it made me really excited kasi above the sessions, the food, the fellowship, mae-experience ko si Lord in a wider and more refreshing way.
3 weeks left. Nag-commit ako sa pagpractice ng SAWINGgawi Danz Trup para sa Leaders Got Talent. For 3 days, Cavite-UST-Cavite yung biyahe ko, at nung audition day na, hindi pa ako nakasama (huhu). Pero I still helped in ways that I can. 2 weeks. Naglabas na ng team listings para sa games. HELLO TEAM LIGHT GREEN! Binless talaga ako ni Lord ng mga teammates na matataba ang utak at creative sa paggawa ng chant, logo, etc etc pati na din sa leader naming napakasipag, kuya Jhoven! *applause* Nung nag-meet kami before the camp, napagdesisyunan namin na hindi namin goal yung manalo, gusto lang namin durugin yung ibang teams with gentleness. HAHAHA. 1 WEEK. Getting ready? Ako, medyo sabaw pa nun, kaya dahan-dahan lang yung pag-pack ng gamit. Chill lang. Hanggang dumating ang Thursday night, nagrurush na ko, pero chill lang.
MAY 30, DAY 1 – Nagising ako ng 2:30AM, paranoid na baka ma-late ako. Umalis kami from Cavite at about 4:30AM, at dumatin ako sa Center ng 5:30AM, one hour earlier than our campus’ call time, 6:30. So nagdecide akong bumili muna ng pagkain para sa camp, pero pagtingin ko sa wallet ko, naku po, deliks yata ang budget ko. But my God provides, kaya bumili ako ng inumin at makakain. Sa Bus 2 yung bus assignment ko, na huling umalis kasi may inasikaso pa sa admins. Sobrang saya sa loob ng Bus 2 – pagkain, kantahan, joke time, at pagkain! Wala yatang nakatulog ng maayos sa amin nun. Pero parang may mali, mas matagal yata yun travel time namin. Noong huminto kami sa isang terminal, doon nalaman na sira pala yun clutch ng bus, so kailangang maayos bago umalis ulit. Wala pa kami sa camp, may free time na kami! After a while, naayos yung bus, then bumiyahe na ulit kami. Pero di na kinaya ng bus, kaya lumipat kami. Mas malamig yung aircon doon, at nakarating na kami sa Caliraya (sa wakas) at nakahabol sa lunch buffet. Nagcheck-in kami, at OMAY GULAY natunaw yung kinain ko sa bus sa pag-akyat papuntang Hotel! Pagpasok ko sa room, nilapag ko yung gamit ko, tapos dun ko lang na-alala na dala ko pala yung isang bagahe ni ate Kira, kaya hinanap ko siya, at nakuha na din naman niya yun. After nun, nag-explore kami ni Aldrick around Caliraya, from Hanging Bridge to swings, hanggang makarating kami sa lakeside.
Sobrang tahimik at peaceful nung lugar na iyon. I breathed in the wisps of the gentle air, listened to the gentle nodding of the trees, and saw the stillness of the lake. Then I felt as if Jesus was talking to me. “Hey kid, look at this. The wind whispers, but it also roars. The lake might be still, but it can be wild and vicious at times. Irony, right? That’s how I painted life. In order to be the greatest, you must be the least. Life in death. Beauty in the ashes. Streams from deserts. And if any, I use the darkest strokes, so that in them you find hope, a hope that anchors your soul. Me.” Speechless. Wow. From then on, napagdesisyunan namin ni Aldrick na tawagin yun na Jesus Bay.
We ate dinner, tapos we started the first session at the Session Hall. Windang na windang ako nun kasi ang daming nangyari, pero God kept pressing this verse: “You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3), which really comforted me and kept my mind focused on the thought in the midst of what happened today, He knows what He’s doing, and I shouldn’t worry, because He’s got me and I got Him by my side. Pastor Ferdie spoke about leadership, about how God chose us as leaders even before our birth, but our leading should be based on serving people with love and compassion like how Jesus served and loved people. After the session, one phrase keep rewinding itself, like a broken record. “Love is the bedrock of servitude and ultimately, leadership”. Pagkatapos ng session, my teammates and I had a meeting, then afterwards the men of LifeBox UST had a sharing and bonding time. I went to sleep shortly after that, hoping to wake up early to have my Quiet Time by the lakeside.
MAY 31, DAY 2 – Weeeeeell…I woke up an hour before breakfast, with my original plan of waking at 4:30AM was destroyed. Oh well, as Oswald Chambers had put it, sleep is God’s “celestial nurse” so it’s a win-win situation nonetheless. Ang sarap ng breakfast, lalo na yung pancakes pati yung “Mac & Cheese na lasang itlog” (Kuya Dax, 2014). After kong mag-breakfast, kuya Chester texted me, mag-DG daw kami. So we went by the lakeside at naupo kami sa loob ng isang kubo. Kuya Che, Alan, and I had a fun time catching up to each other’s lives, since 2 months na kaming di nag-DG. Oh how I wish nakapag-VG din kami nila kuya Justin at James! Ang refreshing na makarinig ng kung paano si Lord naging faithful sa buhay nila even if we tend to lose grip sometimes, He holds on. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful…” (2 Tim. 2:13)
Session 2 was led by Pastor Jurray and the main topic was Provision. Na-heart check din ako, kasi minsan nahihiya pa rin akong idulog kay God yung kailangan ilatag sa paanan Niya. Pastor Jurray reminded us that the Word of God should change our PoV as well as it changes our thought processes. But God says that material things won’t matter at the end of day. Heaven and earth will burn and fade away, but His Word will stand. So instead of putting our hearts’ attention to earthly treasures, why not set it on things above, those that are eternal?
GAMES! Kahit di kami yung nanalo, we had fun during the game and had awesome bonding moments with our teammates. Couldn’t be thankful enough for them.
After dinner, we had our Leaders’ Night. Ika nga ng mga kasama kong nagdinner, madami daw ang mga pastor mamaya kasi puro nakaputi hahahahuhuhu. Madaming fun activities at pagkain, tapos nadaplisan pa ako ng pintura (ang sakit huhu). Leaders Got Talent, and we witnessed High School, UST, UE, FEU, and Mendiola (I think??), perform with amazing dance moves and kwela routines. I was jovial when UST won, kasi nakita ko din talagang nagpapagal sila sa practice (congrats friends!). In the distance, I saw thunderclouds flashing with lightning. I was astonished at how they seemed to zip back and forth so fast that the whole night sky glowed with their light, blazing energies reflecting an energetic God. A dance floor and kwentuhan sessions later, I went back to the Hotel, only to find our room locked. Bonding time naman sa room nila Jephtee, Gian, Moi, at kuya Kiane. We played games and ate chips and played games and ate chips (repeat til fade). Slept in late, ready for the next day!
JUNE 1, DAY 3 – My body clock didn’t betray me this time. I woke up to the silent atmosphere that blanketed over Caliraya. It was cool outside, so I decided to take my camera and go take pictures. Makikita mo talaga yung exploding proclamation of the trees, the clouds, the wind, the flowers, the rocks, the waters – all resounding mightily their praise to God. I heard them booming like cannons, gripping my ears, widening my eyes, fascinating my soul to what majesty and brilliance the Creator possesses reflected in these. It was really awesome.
After having breakfast, I took a bath and got my bags ready. We went to Session Hall for the last session, with Pastor Faythe speaking about the lost. “…there are yet four months, then comes the harvest? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are ripe for harvest.” (Jn. 4:35) The verse text really encouraged us to take responsibility in participating at the harvest of souls that is happening at our campus, and be quickER, because the Enemy is quick in devouring and bringing with him souls to hell. We also prayed to receive the Holy Spirit, which is a HOT encounter, that brought a burning sensation to my body, as if I was standing in a raging blaze. During that time I was convicted of my pride, because sometimes I let my pride get the best, hurting people in the process. Indeed, if I am to walk with and in Christ, I have to put to death everything that is earthly in me, and it includes my pride.
Nung pababa na kami mula sa Hotel, nakakita ako ng kambing hahaha! Pero may ni-reveal din si Lord about pride. Di makikita ng mga kambing ang harvest. Bakit kamo? Kasi puro “MEEEE MEEE”. At kung pangungunahan tayo ng pride natin, hindi tayo magkakaroon ng compassion towards people kasi yung attention natin naka-focus sa atin lang. God reminded me that humility is counting others more important than yourself, and results from a compassion for people brought about by our passion for God. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, ang galing talaga ni Lord, kasi sinagot Niya talaga yung prayer ko na ma-experience more of Him sa camp.
Bus 2 ulit pauwi! Lahat kami tulog, but then nagising kami ni Shawn at kuya Apegs and he decided to take selfies with those that were sleeping, na gumising sa buong bus. Sa Bus 2 din nabuo ang Artists for Jollibee United Jollibee United (AJUJU), na isang malaking inside joke sa mga kasama namin sa bus. Hinuli din kami sa SLEX, pero okay lang, may Jollibee naman kami. Nagsabay na kami nina Tristan at Carlo pauwi, at nakarating naman kami sa mga bahay namin ng matiwasay.
And thus ends my Leaders’ Camp experience…not??? SIYEMPRE HINDI! With a month left before school starts, I am more than excited to share Jesus to my classmates, friends, everyone! I am ready to lead and serve my campus, and prepared to take charge in the great harvest set by God upon UST and U-Belt. Pero kaya ko ba ‘to sa sarili ko? Of course golf course hindi! I am able because my God is able, and I am not alone.
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)
FROM U-BELT TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!
Footnotes:
1.Ate Kira’s side of the Ang Nawawalang Bagahe story can be found here.
2.Nawawala yung artworks ng AJUJU. Kapag nahanap, maaring ipagbigay-alam sa mga kinauukulang awtoridad.
3.Nag-Mud Slide ako na walang slide. Mud lang.
4.Sobrang sarap ng ulam. Pwede ba yung Ulam’s Camp 2014?
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