Dom's Sharing

I've already talked a little about my experience with WCCCLC this year on my blog, so this post would be talking about some other stuff that I haven't exactly talked about there.

For those who didn't know already, this was my second year at WCCCLC and I helped out with the promotion team, mainly focusing on the website, specifically online registration. Being a not-so-very-outspoken person, doing the actual promotion was a challenge in itself, since being a SFX parishioner myself, this meant having to promote at SFX, where the approach was a conversational one-on-one promotion rather than a sit-at-a-booth-and-answer-questions type.

To be honest, it was discouraging at times to see some of the people who we approach just say that they can't make it, they were out of town, and various other reasons why they turned us down. But we still somehow managed to get quite a few people from SFX registered (last I checked, 18 participants from SFX!). So I pray that these folks, and especially the newcomers, will spread the good word about WCCCLC and get their friends to come next year!

As a side note to wrap things up, I started a job doing web development around a week before WCCCLC. On Friday, the first day of camp, I received a call from my employer offering me $1000 to not take my vacation (ie. not go to WCCCLC) and instead help with an urgent project he had. Obviously, since I went to camp, I did not take the monetary offer and I have felt happy and touched by God once again through WCCCLC.

If I had decided last minute that I would not go to camp, I do not think that I would have felt as happy as I did during and after camp.

This goes to show that money can't buy happiness, but God can most certainly provide it.

Enriched. Loved. Touched. Moving On.

If you're living in BC, you may recall a piece of news about 2 weeks ago that an hotair balloon was on fire in Surrey which resulted in 10 serious injuries and 2 deaths. Ada has told me from reading the news that those who were dead were a mother and her daughter. This is a piece of saddening news.

* * * *

I am very grateful to be the group facilitator for WCCCLC 2007! I came home with an even more open mind, body, and soul - although the body isn't functioning probably as it should. Fr. Chan has changed my view towards the Jesuits and how they interpret the Bible and the Church. As well, I was able to grow by giving others the opportunity to serve and enriching their viewpoints by sharing what I have experienced or inspired by. I fell in love with the music of the camp this year too! They are truly the beauty from the hearts of many great musicians from the camp. I also get to be in the prayers of many experienced musicians to lead and sing from their hearts - for me! Thanks for helping me to pray deeper!

The group that I facilitated was also called 'Hot Air Balloon.' Isn't that amazing? Well, I had my most memorable part of life on this 'Burnt Hot Air Balloon' - because Horace forcefully put his engagement ring on my finger(s) and from there we have decided to move on our life together! There was a challenge when I firstly facilitated this group, because the accident was very much the first attention that people were drawn to - but luckily, the group members were on the opposite side of spectrum - very helpful, caring, and sharing - that made this journey a bit easier for me to pilot and fly. I've kept praying the rosary for those who were injured and killed by this hot air balloon accident.

How I interpret 'Happiness' (WCCCLC 2007 theme) is very much related to Christian vocation and our relationship with the Eucharist. Ethics is a challenging topic because we need to study and examine our conscience in a systematic way. I am challenged by many thoughts that Fr. has presented in the camp this year (of course, sleep-wise?!), however, it is useful for me to flip through the Bible and use verses to describe the ideas that I would like to communicate. I particularly have found it challenging that I have to truly thank God for all the bad things - bad things - 'garbage' that I think - is a blessing. The example of 'Garbage Hill' in one of the island of Philippines which best describes. I also learn to fast much easier when everyone around me is doing the same. In fact, I always fast myself anyways - not for spiritual reasons, but because I forgot to eat from work. (One of pet-peeves now for me is that for ppl to waste food... I think I'll get mad at them pretty badly ;p) I also got to hear the different stages of how non-Catholics, or even newly-baptised Catholics to view how they are accepted by the Church. I have even washed a friend's foot (so do many other GFs). We played the board game of monopoly + life together, which was also inspiring because it challenges me to organize and gets us to play as if we were in control of everything, but indeed there was an invisible hand BEHIND (or ABOVE) still!

One particular cool thing is that I could see five priests together in the commissioning mass today. They blessed us, as campers, but they also blessed one another in the fellowship of priesthood. They joked and played with us too - I felt so 'at home' when they also could ease up and let us see the joking side of them too!

I love the Church and hope that one day all of us can reach heaven (through any kinds of transportation from the camp) and party again! For those whom I miss... ie. all of my older friends from Ga Sei (as I was flipping through many photo albums of hardcopy pics taken by Zenia)... and whom cannot come, I am keeping you all in my prayers!

**Pls help in pumping more hot air to the balloon so that it continues to fly up high in the sky happily - for the love of God. Amen.**

Love in Christ, pat (taken from my blog site)

Anecdotes of my Happy Moments...

After reading other people's blogs describing their spiritual and physical experience during the camp, I have decided to write something about my emotional experience. That's right! my happiness during the camp. Didn't Fr. Chan say we needed to share the happiness with others? Let me practice it here!

Honestly before I went to the camp I really doubted whether the camp would match up to its title - Journey of Happiness. Would it make me more happier in 4 days?? How would the program team buddies package this event and do the magic to make every camper happy?? At one point I was thinking the title must be another gimmick to attract campers. Sounds like a travel agency promoting a trip on an ad. Also, I expected the run-down of program must be more or less the same as last year's. Same old same old~

Well, to my expectation, father's presentations were quite academic. But I did learn something. I understood what happiness was all about in the biblical and philosophical sense. I heard the word happiness many times. But my emotional brain talked to my logical brain. For the rest of the camp, could I experience happiness through my feelings than merely through listening to words?

That question changed my attitute. Yes!!! I decided to "feel" the happiness rather than just hearing the word happiness. So, I became more aware of the moments that made me happy.... I had captured my moments of happiness during the camp. Let me share these with you:

:) Just flipping the albums near the entrance, I found it quite interesting that some veteran campers looked so young and their hairstyle were so "yeah" 8 years ago. In fact, some of us were laughing. Those albums immediately created funny topics among campers.

:) For a number of times, the musical team members raised their tone super high and super loud at one or two sections of a song. No doubt they were hyped. That moment of exciting feeling was contagious!

:) Usually I wouldn't notice the taste of the bread as it was never served as main course. But during the fasting lunch, I paid attention to the taste. I finally discovered the chemistry between sweetness + bitterness in the bread (cos' I over toasted it). It was so great!

:) After the camp fire, I was saved from any mosquito bites. Thanks God! I felt great. Should give credit to the person who came up with the idea to share the insect repellent.

:) The moment I entered the room I found a bath-tub in the bathroom!! Big deal~~ But this is the first time I stayed in a room with a bath-tub instead of a tiny shower space as there was last year. I enjoyed it~

:) I used the bathroom in the basement every morning to avoid line-up in the room. You know what? I saw familiar faces over there every morning although I actually was not too familiar with some of the people. It is a feeling that you're expecting to meet the old buddies in the same place at the same time every morning. The moment I said hi, it feels great!

:) Remember I did a little sharing on stage as a planning team member? I wasn't really 100% prepared for it. I didn't even have a script in detail. But it turned out ok. Felt great afterwards ...

:) As GF, I washed the foot of a team member. That team member was surprised the water was so warm. I was happy when I knew he enjoyed it.

:) Being served also gave me happiness. I requested for help to change the towel paper in the bathroom. I wasn't there when it was changed. A while later I noticed it was done, I knew someone had served me. (Thanks so much, Simon!)

:) We had Taize in the morning the first time. It was very innovative. Did you notice the Kleenex was not quite used by people? In the past when this event was held at night, there were crying momemts in people. But now we did it in the light. I observed. Some people were smiling instead of crying. Perhaps praying doesn't have to make you cry. We can smile in praying. I also smiled during the taize prayer. What a good idea now I have discovered! The changing of time for this event really gave some campers the happiness.

:) Have you ever had a moment of happiness when you received a surprising gift which was exactly what you wanted? It happens that I broke my cell phone string a few weeks ago. The souvenir just came in handy at the end. It was cool~ Thankyou!

There are many more other moments of happiness I wanted to share with you. But the point is I eventually had been through a journey of happiness after 4 days. I discovered that you don't have to throw a big party or celebration, or receive big gifts to make yourself happy. Happiness exists in trivial moments of life just like the examples I gave. Stop being busy and make yourself be aware of the little things that happen around you. Open your heart and you will feel the happiness. Have you watched the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness"(Will Smith)? 'Pursuit' more or less implies you need to take action to find it. Second, don't let other negative feelings (e.g. sad, angry, disappointed ...) occupy you as two opposite feelings cannot co-exist. For instance, you cannot be happy and sad at the same time. It all comes to your attitute. Do you choose to be happy?

2007加西後感

每年加西我也說明年不會再來﹐ 但是我每年九一勞工節長週未﹐依然是一年復一年去了加西。同樣的時間﹐同樣的地點﹐做著大致相同的事﹐四日三夜的教會生活營。我素來對於教會活動興趣不大 ﹐不過去了加西已經六七年﹐就算多麼抗拒的事情早已成為習慣。早幾年在加西也曾過有剎那間的感動﹐畢竟宗教很能夠刺激人感性的一面。不過近幾年人老了學懂了抽離﹐只會冷眼旁觀小朋友抱擁流淚﹐再裝點笑容說些鼓勵小朋友的說話﹐恰如其份地做個老鬼應做的本份。以前還會找些對宗教興趣的朋友﹐圍著神父談論些深入的神學話題。不過現在我所問的已不是三言兩語可以交代清楚﹐超出神父在閒談間所能解答的范圍﹐其他人更是完全摸不著頭腦﹐所以今年全完沒有深入的宗教討論。雖然今年宗教上沒有新的啟發﹐隨口亂說的靈性成長我不屑一顧﹐但在加西沒有電腦沒有網絡與世隔絕﹐能夠拋開外面生活的一切煩惱﹐也算給心靈一個平靜退修反省的機會。

今年請來的講者是陳耀昇神父﹐ 他以前在華仁教書﹐現在入了耶穌會在美國讀博士﹐主修倫理哲學﹐畢業後在神學院任教。本來我對他講道的內容應該十分感興趣﹐正好是我兼讀倫理哲學的老本行。可是大慨他平時在神學院教書﹐講道實在太像在大學上堂﹐有電腦講義中有大量聖經章節作為參考。我想加西聽講道聽了這麼多年﹐加起來也沒有翻這麼多頁的聖經。第一天解釋聖經中說的快樂是什麼﹐第二天講天主教徒如何會快樂﹐第三天則逐章逐節解釋路德記中的快樂。在講道時也有輕輕帶過道德理論的問題﹐神父採用的是亞里士多德的善人理論﹐是三大道德理論中我最不認同的理論。很可惜沒有機會和神父談論哲學﹐問他若轉用契約理論或後果理論﹐又如何解釋講道提及的快樂。

三天講道其實用一句說話就可以總結﹐助人為快樂之本。這個簡單的基本做人道理童子軍守則也有﹐何須學術性地裝模作樣研究聖經﹐然後才說找到神對世人的教導呢﹖講道的內容實在過份沉悶﹐全程我也半睡半醒中度過﹐不過相信我不是唯一打嗑睡的人﹐很多人也在神父講道時發白日夢。神父悶應該不會嚇怕新朋友﹐ 因為悶已是意料中事﹐講得好笑才不是常態。他們只要聽過一大堆似懂非懂的理道﹐心靈覺得好像有所得著﹐就會認為得值回票價。反正每天也只是悶一個小時﹐只要其他時間好玩就可以了﹐完全不悶才不似教會生活營呢。

講道完全沒有什麼得著﹐其他環節也只是例牌活動﹐創作口號﹐聖經短劇﹐整體遊戲﹐小組分享﹐唱歌祈禱﹐彌撒聖祭﹐還以為今年我會失望而回﹐想不到最後一晚的營火活動感覺卻極美妙。我們在星空在點起野火堆﹐所有人圍著聽神父講故事。今年加西破天荒請了四位神父﹐除了主講的陳神父外﹐還有從美國來探訪的歐神父﹐他年紀很大頗為長氣﹐不過為人卻很返老頑童﹐比我們年輕人玩得過顛。當然少不了溫哥華本地的兩位年輕神父﹐何神父和楊神父﹐當他們還是修士的時候已經很支持加西。在營火會中四位神父給擺上檯﹐司儀與他們玩志雲飯局﹐他們分享了決志做神父的經過。

歐神父的故事最有趣﹐他原本不是很虔誠的教徒﹐給當聖母軍的女朋友捉了返教堂﹐結果越去越信最後還當了神父。我對女友笑言不要常常捉我返教堂﹐歐神父的例子是很好的反面教材。何神父和楊神父的故事很搞笑也很相似﹐都是有心儀對像想追求﹐向聖女小德蘭祈禱求保守。結果原來找錯了聖人﹐小德蘭是聖召的守護聖人﹐於是戀情不敵神的旨意﹐拋下女友入修院當神父。陳神父則是華仁校長派他去開耶穌會的教學會議﹐最初只是打算有免費旅遊一去無妨﹐結果給投身教育工作的神父修女感化﹐決定加入耶穌會當神父。平時神父在台上講悶蛋道理﹐很像高高在上離我們很遠。現在坐在野火旁邊說往事﹐讓人看到神父平常人的一面﹐其實神父與我們也沒有什麼不同。天主教不流行刻意地去講見證﹐沒有肉麻煽情的所謂真情對話。這樣不經意地隨便說說故事﹐反而讓聽眾更容易接受﹐不知不覺間成了很好的見證﹐也許會感動了些小朋友立志當神父。

在加西中大會安排了一個快樂之旅的集體遊戲﹐以小組為單位在巨型棋盤上擲骰子何前行﹐每一個方格也有一個生活上的決擇﹐不同的答案有不同的結果﹐加減手上五個代表著健康﹐知識﹐德行等的分數。在決擇的時候小組之間有互動﹐其他小組的決定可以影響雙方所得的分數。遊戲輸贏關乎星期一那個小組可以先吃早餐﹐所以大家也玩得很投入。遊戲完結計分方法揭曉﹐我們手上的分數完全沒有用﹐遊戲計算的是每個決定中我們不知道的隱藏分數。比喻天父在天上看著我們一生 ﹐給我們所作的每一件事不同的恩典。在天主教平信徒的層面﹐這種類似善有善報的觀念深入民心。這正是基督教常常批評天主教的地方﹐說他們是因信稱義而天主教是因行為稱義。遊戲後有小組分享﹐組員大多數跟從模範答案的思路﹐說要從天父的角度去作出生活上的決定﹐好讓我們在天國有更多的恩賜。我原本想讓他們做點深入反思﹐問他們如果在天國一無所缺﹐那麼積聚恩賜是多是少有什麼關係﹐引導他們思考保羅與雅各﹐兩個截然不同的救贖觀點。不過我那組有五個新人﹐組長又是位第一次帶組的小朋友﹐這些問題大慨對他們來說太深奧﹐我還是幫忙解釋大會指定答案好了。讓新人來加西感到充滿足已經很好了﹐太深的問題反而會嚇怕他們﹐下次不敢再來就不好了。

也許是因為去年加西十分成功﹐今年吸引三十多位新朋友參加﹐是加西十年來最多新人參加的一次。人到中年不認老也不行﹐我與那些讀大學的小朋友真的有代溝﹐除了扮老餅老氣秋橫地說說無聊笑話外﹐與他們找不到什麼共同的話題。這一年大會新人事新作風﹐在節目安排上與以往幾屆有不少改動﹐有些改得好有些不好。把泰澤祈禱搬到早上是敗筆﹐日光日白破壞點蠟燭的宗教氣氛。以前泰澤祈禱不少人感動到喊﹐現在則大家趕著去吃午飯﹐沒有心情去靜心默想。把搞手分享搬去營火會很好﹐我第一次沒有睡覺全程聽足他們分享。這麼多年來在最後一天早上﹐前一天晚上大家談心玩耍累了﹐有誰還有精神聽他們分享。沒有強制執行迫營友去睡覺﹐也是今年力西成功的地方。晚上與一班朋友在地庫促膝談心﹐也是讓人懷念的加西美好回憶。青年人有耗不盡的精力﹐只要能夠早上八時準時起床集合﹐睡少一晚半晚有什麼關係。可惜我年紀大要早點睡覺﹐上床時全房人不見蹤影﹐他們不知在那兒正玩得興高彩烈。明年要度蜜月應該不用去加西﹐結婚以後還去不去隨緣吧。不過就算不入營留宿﹐我也會想駕車入去探營﹐看看新一代的加西小朋友的成長轉變。

It just meant so much more for me this year.

My feeling towards WCCCLC this year is spread across the last 8 months of meetings, craziness, hair pulling, promoting and conflict. But in all this mess, an inner feeling was gradually growing that eventually was expressed during the camp.

In our daily lives, we learn to trust ourselves and be independent. We don't always trust people around us to get the job done, so we inadvertently start trying to step in and finish for them. This not only causes conflict between the parties, but also discourages others from helping in the future. Now, lets raise this a notch. As we grow up, we don't learn to trust God because he seems unpredictable and doesn't answer. I am totally guilty of this and now am I only starting to take those baby steps to build a level of trust with God. There are so many cases in which God as acted and I have not noticed until now.

Being Promotion Coordinator didn't guarantee that I was going to enjoy the camp to the fullest, but it instead opened a new window to see the bigger picture from a different perspective. The bigger picture this year were the smiles on campers' faces throughout the camp. From Friday to Monday, I could see God working through everyone of the campers to bring smiles to their faces. And eventually share this joy and happiness with others at the camp. It is not important for me for someone to come up to me to thank me for telling them about the camp, what is important to me was to know that they have found God in their lives and God in one another.

Sharing WCCCLC with all the planning team members was just amazing. It is not that I am familiar with the people, it is more that I have created a stronger bond between the planners and myself. We all had gone through such a rough Journey this year, and to experience the grand finale together exponentially increased my awareness of God's love for me and those around me. I couldn't resist hugging people around me to express peace, gratitude and love.

The groups sharing sessions we had on Sunday were a huge highlight for me. Not because I could express my opinion, but I could listen to others share and grow spiritually with my group. We would start and stop each session with prayer, and it was during these prayers that I felt really close to God and my team. The strength of prayer groups was clearly demonstrated from this. I am really hoping that next year, we get to do some more sharing =)

P&W and Taize was even better this year. The short talking between each song seem to enter my spirit more deeply. The warm tingly feeling took over my body several times due to the touching prayers and music. I felt that I really couldn't stop myself from singing.

And though maybe the campers didn't care as much, the camp fire and core team sharing was another of those wonderful moments. Every core team member gave a very touching sharing and I couldn't stop smiling while listening to each of them talk. I was so excited to share my spiritual growth with the core team. There was nothing bad I could say about the Core team because they were with me the whole way. This was probably the best way for me to thank them and God for this unanswered prayer. One of my favourite quotes was "just because he doesnt answer doesnt mean he dont care. Some of gods greatest gifts are unanswered prayers". This year's WCCCLC and Core Team was that unanswered prayer of mine. God knows what is best for me, who am I to question some of the obstacles he throws at me. He gave me this wonderful core team and planning members to walk this difficult journey with me and showed me how it all came together at WCCCLC.

To me, it is not enough for me to just participate. Serving and helping others and God is the extra bonus that we can choose to take, why not take it? God has demonstrated to me that I am capable of doing his will, I am the one that needs to have faith in the path he is setting in front of me. I won't be alone. Not when there are many other brothers and sisters out there going in the same direction.

I have to thank everyone on the Core team. And I have to apologize for taking the easy post of Promotion. I have to thank Promotion team. Gary for providing the constant support throughout the year. Joseph, the most wonderful unsung promotion hero. Dominic, for taking care of all the online registration, Walter for reaching out to the SFX crowd, Simon Kwok for managing the website, Yvonne for lending a hand whenever you were in town, Dilyn for MCing at Open camp and pre-camp, Kevin for promoting at CMCC and being MC, Jonathan for leaving me no choice but to take the promotion post and getting us access to Corpus Christi and Christine, for showing the patience of a wonderful girlfriend through such difficult times. Tony, Monica, Gabby, Susanna and Andy, thank you for giving me the chance learn to grow in God together over these past 8 months.

Everything came together on Monday, during commissioning mass. After singing the first line of "Song of the Cross", I couldn't sing anymore because my eyes were filling with tears. God was there with all of us and I could hear him telling me to trust him. Even if the road ahead seemed rough, he wanted me to continue on, to give myself up to him and to others, to lend my hands to God, to serve, and especially to share his love and happiness.

Chris' Sharing

WCCCLC 07 was my 5th year of 加西 already, but this year was something extraordinary. I believe that, through God, this camp can change and strengthen a person's life, not just spiritually, but mentally and emotionally as well. God works in mysterious ways, and some people experience this change during their 1st visit, others perhaps their 8th, but for me, it was this year, my 5th visit.

Although I was born and raised a Catholic, and even actually received an award for "most religious" during my 7th grade in my Catholic elementary school, I never truly felt a strong bond with God. I go to church every Sunday, pray every night, and try to help out with church activities, but there was still something that was missing. Perhaps it is just like Fr. Au said during the Q&A, that people who do not experience suffering, or endured too much suffering, has a hard time believing in God's existence. I admit that fall into the category of the former, as God has blessed me with no sufferings for the past 21 years of my life. However, after going on a pilgrimage to Lourdes this past May, I experienced losses and sufferings that never occurred to me before, and I did not find the cure......until I listened to God's true voice during this year's camp. God speaks to each of us differently during the camp; some may find His voice in Praise and Worship, others in Taize. For me, it was actually during the Gospel of one of the Masses.

I have been the drummer for WCCCLC ever since my 1st time at the camp when I was just 16, and one year I was also a GF as well. However, this year's Core team sharing (and other teams' sharing as well) made me feel that God is calling not just a few, but many of us to help out and evangalize the Good News, and it is not as hard as it may seem. Therefore, in accordance to that Gospel that Fr. Mark spoke of, I would be ashamed to hide my talent under the soil; instead, I would try to double, triple, or even quadruple it. As God blessed me with the talents of guitar, drums, and piano, I would like to double my talents by helping the composition of next year's theme song of WCCCLC, and perhaps even more, with the help of God.

If you haven't, I would truly encourage you to read Odilia's sharing on pg. 69 of the handbook, and perhaps try to help out for next year's camp! See you all there, and may God bless you and open your hearts to hear His voice through our wonderful journey of happiness that is just beginning!

In Him,
Chris

學曉感恩 -- Learn to thank God in the midst of suffering

I wrote a song last year on October. It's about learning how to thank God and rely on Him in the midst of suffering. After Fr. Chan's talk, this song pops up in my head once again. Although I don't have the melody in the computer to share with all of you, I'd like to share the lyrics with you, my brothers and sisters:

沒有苦 怎會嚐倒甜美
沒有離 怎會珍惜團聚
沒有死 怎可會感到慶幸生於世是上主給的恩典
沒有悲 我們怎感歡喜
沒有淚 誰會笑得燦爛
若世間變了烏托邦充滿快樂
人便不懂幸福是上天所賜

沒有苦 怎經一事長一智
原來傷痛是天主特地給予
皆因沒有試過辛酸怎能幹大事
及未跌痛過摔倒怎會依賴主

但願大家能同感恩
在悲痛困惑裡看見天主
記住遇上錯折時
細心傾聽天上真主的意思
祂早計劃了一切
無論是錯敗得失祂已知曉
主特意要我傷過才能幹大事
亦要我在逆境黑暗中成長面對
祂要大家在逆境黑暗中成長面對

OC's worry and joy

As I have said in my core team sharing, I always remind myself to "expect the unexpected" because so many things could go wrong but... I am so glad that there is no big issue at the camp this year. Well, there were some minor ones before the start of the camp but they were all solved by our Lord.

However, there are some miracles in the camp that bring me (and hopefully yours too) some joyful and memorable moments. Here I have listed a few:

1) Weather forecast was wrong - Outdoor Mass and Camp fire can be resumed.
2) All 3 days program ends on time (with no major overrun) provided we have so many ad-hoc and delayed programs.
3) Fr Mark did show up to celebrate Mass with us even I forgot to call and remind him before the camp.
4) Conference call was done smoothly (really?) even rehearsal runs failed with many technical problems.
5) All 5 fathers (Fr. Chan, Au, Chu, Ho and Yeung) were celebrating Commissioning Mass with us. Record high in Gasei's history!
6) Last but not least - positive feedbacks from campers and we have >40 campers who said "Yes" to serve God through Gasei next year.

So, what else can I ask for?

Thanks for everyone's prayers to make this happen. Special thanks to our planning teams' hardwork. And of course our dream core team (Monica, Gabby, Susanna, Simon, Andy, Alan and sister Cham)
** Thanks be to God for everything He has done for the WCCCCLC group especially the camp 2007 and look forward to the post camp and discernment retreat. **

Tony (OC - Overall Coordinator)

Happy Family

WCCCLC is like a big family to me, and he has given me my family and friends. Every year I look forward for the labour day long weekend to have the big family reunion. Think nothing, but just to relax and listen to god's words. As I grow up and become more mature, I have to face more problems. Sometimes, I even get lost in the reality, but WCCCLC will always bring me back on track.

I have helped out at WCCCLC for many years, on and off, but I never had so much fun like this year. I am not only saying it, but I realized, the bigger part I take in helping, the more fun I get. The best of all is no matter what kind of problems we faced in planning or during WCCCLC, they will always work out at the end.

Bottom line is, God creates miracles through WCCCLC.

Gary's Sharing

Praise the Lord for He is good! How can I keep from singing praise to the Lord for He loves us so much! The planning process this year is truly one of the most fun-filled, busiest, humbling, and rewarding experiences over the past years.
Last night, just 10 hours after the camp, I laid on the bed reflecting what I went through this year. I was so touched and leaped with joy in my soul by all the dedicated helpers and all the campers in the camp.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following God’s beloved brothers and sisters as they have pushed me to be a better person, a servant of God, and a better Christ follower:
Tony & Alan: You are truly role models of God’s faithful servants to me. Married working men, who have to take care of your families, also help out in various ministries in the archdiocese and in the churches. You still said YES to God to be part of the core team of WCCCLC 2007. Your hard work, dedication, and passion to God truly captivated me and motivated me to be a better servant of God and a better Catholic.
Simon T.: You are one of the dedicated helpers who have shocked me the most this year. You were like a caterpillar when you started coordinating the Promotion Team, and now you are a beautiful butterfly after coming out from a pupa that shines with God’s talents and gifts. I am honored to be able to walk with you in this journey.
Joseph W.: As I mentioned in the Behind the Scenes, I was so reserved before being a member of the Support team. Thank you for waken me up in the WCCCLC Discernment Retreat last year. You told me that my experience in the past would be valuable to the GS teams. I would have been the person who God took away the only talent in the Bible.
Dai Boh: You have stepped up several notches this year. Your P&W rocks! You have great potentials to be a great Praise & Worship lead worshipper. Don’t let your talents stored under the table.
Boh Ji: You are such a fun guy to work with. You enlightened the music team and the Program planning team with your humors. Yet, you provided great ideas for Program team and have helped leading the music team. I can’t wait to see your talents shine for God.
Monica Y.: You are the one who has shocked me the most this year. You had always been a follower in the WCCCLC planning process. This year, you stepped up and took up the Assistant OC role. I witnessed how you have changed from a follower to a leader of the team. Being able to inspire other coordinators and planning team members. In those two times when you had Shingles and Appendicitis, you still concerned about WCCCLC. Your perseverance touched me to continue serving God in times of suffering. Being able to physically walk and journey this planning process with you is truly God’s blessing. I am blessed to have you by my side. I am so proud of you!
I hope I can see many of you in the post-camp meeting and the discernment retreat. Let us continue to walk on this Journey of Happiness together! May God bless you all richly!

The Making of Journey of Happiness (Game)

Some campers came over in the camp and questioned me about the details of making this game. I guess this blog would be a great place to share about the Behind the Scenes with all of you.

Many of you might have thought that I created the game. In fact, God is the creator of this game. He works through me to have the game done. One night in June, before Monica and I attended the Program team meeting, we had dinner in a Japanese restaurant. I told Monica that we had to prepare the “homework” for the team meeting, so we were scratching our heads and were trying to think about some good team building game ideas. All of a sudden, this game idea popped in my mind. Then, Monica and I discussed the details while we were eating the Hamachi sashimi. In several hours, we had all the instructions and some scenarios created. With my limited ability and creativity, it is humanly impossible to have all the key components and game instructions done in such a short period of time, unless it is done by God.

The hardest task in making this game is to create about 50 Obstacles scenarios. The planning team spent over a month to get this task done. In July, I was surrounded by Monica’s inflamed appendicitis surgery and heart-breaking and devastating family issues. It was one of the most difficult periods of time in my life. I was in serious doubt about God’s existence and presence during this suffering, yet I had to plan this game called Journey of HAPPINESS. What a sarcasm! I was so bogged down by my sufferings. I soon realized that the only way I could stop thinking about my own issues, and could find a moment of peace was to persistently serve God by planning this game. Therefore, I kept on doing it. You might not know, about 25% of the Obstacles scenarios happened on me recently.

In the camp, God, through Fr. Chan, told me that I could still be happy even during sufferings. God revealed my journey of happiness when I saw all the happy faces from the campers when they were playing the game, and when they told me they enjoyed the game very much. I finally realized that I was so blind during this whole game planning process.

Thank you Lord that I can see You again!

Mon da AOC sharing

Before heading to the camp, I was carrying work stress, health issues, family problems and all other wounds in my heart. I was feeling angry, vulunerable, helpless, and exhausted at that time. I was hoping thru this 4 days 3 nights GS camp, God can heal me and solve all the problems for me, and give me that big spiritual booster and leap that I've always longed for.

And then on Aug 31st, I decided to give everything to God and let Him do wonders......

Personally as a camper, it's somewhat difficult for me to enjoy the camp and quietly listen to the Holy Spirit, as I always have to run in and out, up and down to coordinate things. However, I do manage to enjoy the skit planning & crafts on Saturday. Skit is always one of the funniest activities that makes me laugh 'til my cheeks are sore; and as for the craft section, it's amazing to see the artistic and creativity side of so many members. (I've already made some mental notes and getting ready to ask those artistic campers to join Graphics team next year =p)

On Sunday, I would say the singspiration and the core team sharing is my favourite part. Singing and Praise & Worship have always been one of the easiest channels for me to communicate with God. Enable to feel the Holy Spirit guiding me and the whole camp is truly an amazing and undescribable feeling. As for the core team sharing, it just gives me that cozy, warm, and happy feeling, as if a gal is hanging with her girlfriends, having heart-to-heart talk, and enjoying a spa at the same time.

Monday... Monday... Monday...our very last day of the camp! The recruitment P&W is one of the highlight in the camp. From the core team carrying the wooden cross to the stage, to seeing tons of old and new campers willing to step out and hang their new tags on the cross..... I was sooo touched, and tears just kept rolling down on my cheeks uncontrollably. I can't help to ask God "What have I done to deserve your Great Love!?"

When I was on my way heading back home, I asked myself... has God taken away all my problems and gave me solutions miraculously? The answer is No. I then asked, has God given me the big spiritual booster and the leap that I've longed for? The answer is also No. But what God has given me during this camp is an inner peace that I have lacked for months, and the ability to find calmness and happiness in the midst of suffering.

I know very well that the problems that I had to deal with before camp still exist after camp. I know very well that I'm the one who needs to deal with those issues. But the difference is that I don't feel angry and helpless anymore. For I know God gives me courage and a new perspective to see things, and I know He will walk with me everyday.

Besides thanking our One and Only Almighty God, I'd like to thank all new campers for such amazing courage to step out of your comfort zone, and come to a catholic living camp that you've never been to before! I'd also like to thank all old campers for your continuous support and prayer. Moreover, I'd like to thank all working and planning team members for giving out a big chunk of your effort, time & brain juice to make this camp possible. At last,I'd like to thank all my dearest core teammates: Tony, Alan, Gabby, Susanna, Andy and Simon (aka Bun Ju) for walking this Journey of Happiness with me since day 1. LOVE YOU ALL!!! *muah*

Welcome to WCCCLC 2007 blog

hey Dear Campers,

Welcome to the WCCCLC 2007 blog. This is a place where we can share what we have gone through in the 4 days 3 night at the camp and how we experienced God's love with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Feel free to post your messages, pictures and video clips here.

Again, Thank you very much for all your participations and let's praise our lord for what he has prepared for us. Amen!

Tony Leung
(on behalf of WCCCLC 2007 core team)