Monday

First day of block leave to chillout! Went baking with the cell. We made random butter cookies and jelly heart cake and marshmallows dipped in nutella! Our cookies turned out worse than we hoped but  we still had fun spending time with each other and laughing our heads off. I swear nutella goes well with everything~





TUESDAY

Met up with Architects for dinner at night. Kinda love how we're still together as a group since mroe than a year ago. This is the only sole group that disproves my notion towards camp groups being one-off and temporary. It shows that if we chose to, we could make it happen. I'm thankful for everyone in the group, and being accepted for the joking idiot I am there.


WEDNESDAY

Had a superb and meaningful time with cell. Was invited to lead that week. Racked my head the whole day over what I could bring in that week. It wasn't till the around last hour (6pm) that I somehow managed to pull together something, revolving around the accountability and upholding of christian brotherhood. A God-led session, I'd say it was. It's a feeling that's growing ever so familiar. To lead not by my own wisdom but through the grace of God. The things you do, the words you speak, you just know it isn't the typical you doing all this. Had a really great activity once again much to the anticipation and excitement of some members, that which I am extremely grateful and thankfully extolled for. Love to see the cell members enjoying themselves.






THURSDAY

Interpreting for a deaf staff from NP at a workshop organized by Rohei. Rohei is a really good organization, I'd like to dream working there. Their workshops, camps and acitivities and thoroughly well planned and aptly designed to invoke and capture specific learning outcomes, something I greatly envision and admire. The people too have a special touch to them, something undeniably attractive, I wonder what's the secret behind them.

Anyway, got to interpret for this deaf staff which I met for the first time. Interesting thing is, he comes from deaf parents. Deaf fmailies develop very differently from that of mixed conditions. He's a really nice guy, outgoing and friendly. And a pity, my reading skills have rusted terribly, especially finger-spelling. Had to "chicken" re-spelt before I could even get anything close. Sighs.


FRIDAY

First half of the day was back at interpreting again. Glad to have the exposure. Rohei offered to pay us, which would have been an insane amount of $120 for that day. I declined feeling terrible to take money for a simple service like this.

At midnight, the cell executed our plan for night cycling. Some of them couldn't join us at the last minute sadly. The rest of us were mostly worn out by the day's activities. Nonetheless we enjoyed ourselves. Our route was from pasir ris to east coast park down my route march, and then through the park connectors on our return. Rode a double bike with Jewel after great persuasion. I love double bikes, I love the increased inertia that propels our bike forward for a longer pace, and that it feels like a rocket, and lastly that there's someone riding together with you. I made Jewel yell and scream a lot with my silly antics, it was quite entertaining. All in all, when the day ended (started to be exact) we all flopped around in macs waiting to return our bikes. And it was a night well spent~Saturday



SATURDAY

Went to TSS followed by meeting up with Tim for our one-to-one chat. Really great having a friend like him to share our deep thoughts with. Sometimes there no other people that can understand the things we share and our chemistry has something special to it. Updated each other on some of our happenings as well as some of the issues we were facing currently. He's really a brother for keeping, I pray to God that I won't lose him, at least for as long as I can.


SUNDAY

Last day of the week. Had my last visit to church before confinement. I love going there. It always brings be back closer to God no matter whhat I've done, where I've been. Refresh myself all over again,together with a new teaching and principle to lay down in my life. Headed out to Bake & Brew with cell for lunch. Spent a lot of money there but the food was definitely good.

Labels: cell, church, deaf, frenz, God, life, memories

Back from the deaf conference in Phil. It's such a great experience that words cant fully capture the things I've learnt and felt. It's a different thing altogether, uniquely only to the people present. Been to really random conferences now heh, deaf missions, homeschool.

The overall highlight would be actually seeing firsthand a deaf community, and an international one at that. Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, America, (all that I can remember for now). Yet even with different backgrounds, cultures, and languages, it was pretty amazing to see how everyone could be gathered together in communion, reaching out to one another, bridged by a combination of common gestures and and body expressions.

At the same time, the participants of the conference comprised of quite a bunch of people in the deaf ministry, ranging from pastors, reverends and many other people. But on the other hand, everyone felt on the same status, that wasn't much of segregation on levels, everyone interacting as equals. It took me some time to realize me a random nobody was casually signing and joking to another seemingly normal person and that some of them were pastors and so when I asked about their work. The intimacy present regardless of the status we all had made it feel so sweet and family like. Much different from the contemporary churches today. I'm thinking being in missions trains you to build relations, and maybe it's something I gotta prepare for.

And then there's two memories I would love to keep as stories.

One was the stimulation overload of having 5 translations going concurrently in real time. Taiwan speaker (sign) to chinese voice, to english translated, and then back to asl sign, coupled with Japan's signing. Having 3 people on stage while listening to two voices in different language in a small room was certainly one of the coolest sight of interpretation I've ever seen.

Second one's more inspiring. The two Americans was definitely something one couldn't pretend not to see. One of them was both deaf and blind, if you could even imagine the impact of that dual disability. And he is still able to overcome it through reading sign language via his friend being his reflector. With one hand. Amazing much. Finally plucked up the courage to talk to them on the 3rd night. Him holding my hands to read my signs, and then ending our chat with a big hug. One of the best quotes I love from him was, "I can still see God, I can still hear God." Doesn't matter where we are, what sufferings we face, with our eyes fixed on God, anything..., anything is possible.

Labels: deaf, life, memories

Monday

First day of block leave to chillout! Went baking with the cell. We made random butter cookies and jelly heart cake and marshmallows dipped in nutella! Our cookies turned out worse than we hoped but  we still had fun spending time with each other and laughing our heads off. I swear nutella goes well with everything~





TUESDAY

Met up with Architects for dinner at night. Kinda love how we're still together as a group since mroe than a year ago. This is the only sole group that disproves my notion towards camp groups being one-off and temporary. It shows that if we chose to, we could make it happen. I'm thankful for everyone in the group, and being accepted for the joking idiot I am there.


WEDNESDAY

Had a superb and meaningful time with cell. Was invited to lead that week. Racked my head the whole day over what I could bring in that week. It wasn't till the around last hour (6pm) that I somehow managed to pull together something, revolving around the accountability and upholding of christian brotherhood. A God-led session, I'd say it was. It's a feeling that's growing ever so familiar. To lead not by my own wisdom but through the grace of God. The things you do, the words you speak, you just know it isn't the typical you doing all this. Had a really great activity once again much to the anticipation and excitement of some members, that which I am extremely grateful and thankfully extolled for. Love to see the cell members enjoying themselves.






THURSDAY

Interpreting for a deaf staff from NP at a workshop organized by Rohei. Rohei is a really good organization, I'd like to dream working there. Their workshops, camps and acitivities and thoroughly well planned and aptly designed to invoke and capture specific learning outcomes, something I greatly envision and admire. The people too have a special touch to them, something undeniably attractive, I wonder what's the secret behind them.

Anyway, got to interpret for this deaf staff which I met for the first time. Interesting thing is, he comes from deaf parents. Deaf fmailies develop very differently from that of mixed conditions. He's a really nice guy, outgoing and friendly. And a pity, my reading skills have rusted terribly, especially finger-spelling. Had to "chicken" re-spelt before I could even get anything close. Sighs.


FRIDAY

First half of the day was back at interpreting again. Glad to have the exposure. Rohei offered to pay us, which would have been an insane amount of $120 for that day. I declined feeling terrible to take money for a simple service like this.

At midnight, the cell executed our plan for night cycling. Some of them couldn't join us at the last minute sadly. The rest of us were mostly worn out by the day's activities. Nonetheless we enjoyed ourselves. Our route was from pasir ris to east coast park down my route march, and then through the park connectors on our return. Rode a double bike with Jewel after great persuasion. I love double bikes, I love the increased inertia that propels our bike forward for a longer pace, and that it feels like a rocket, and lastly that there's someone riding together with you. I made Jewel yell and scream a lot with my silly antics, it was quite entertaining. All in all, when the day ended (started to be exact) we all flopped around in macs waiting to return our bikes. And it was a night well spent~Saturday



SATURDAY

Went to TSS followed by meeting up with Tim for our one-to-one chat. Really great having a friend like him to share our deep thoughts with. Sometimes there no other people that can understand the things we share and our chemistry has something special to it. Updated each other on some of our happenings as well as some of the issues we were facing currently. He's really a brother for keeping, I pray to God that I won't lose him, at least for as long as I can.


SUNDAY

Last day of the week. Had my last visit to church before confinement. I love going there. It always brings be back closer to God no matter whhat I've done, where I've been. Refresh myself all over again,together with a new teaching and principle to lay down in my life. Headed out to Bake & Brew with cell for lunch. Spent a lot of money there but the food was definitely good.

Labels: cell, church, deaf, frenz, God, life, memories

Back from the deaf conference in Phil. It's such a great experience that words cant fully capture the things I've learnt and felt. It's a different thing altogether, uniquely only to the people present. Been to really random conferences now heh, deaf missions, homeschool.

The overall highlight would be actually seeing firsthand a deaf community, and an international one at that. Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, America, (all that I can remember for now). Yet even with different backgrounds, cultures, and languages, it was pretty amazing to see how everyone could be gathered together in communion, reaching out to one another, bridged by a combination of common gestures and and body expressions.

At the same time, the participants of the conference comprised of quite a bunch of people in the deaf ministry, ranging from pastors, reverends and many other people. But on the other hand, everyone felt on the same status, that wasn't much of segregation on levels, everyone interacting as equals. It took me some time to realize me a random nobody was casually signing and joking to another seemingly normal person and that some of them were pastors and so when I asked about their work. The intimacy present regardless of the status we all had made it feel so sweet and family like. Much different from the contemporary churches today. I'm thinking being in missions trains you to build relations, and maybe it's something I gotta prepare for.

And then there's two memories I would love to keep as stories.

One was the stimulation overload of having 5 translations going concurrently in real time. Taiwan speaker (sign) to chinese voice, to english translated, and then back to asl sign, coupled with Japan's signing. Having 3 people on stage while listening to two voices in different language in a small room was certainly one of the coolest sight of interpretation I've ever seen.

Second one's more inspiring. The two Americans was definitely something one couldn't pretend not to see. One of them was both deaf and blind, if you could even imagine the impact of that dual disability. And he is still able to overcome it through reading sign language via his friend being his reflector. With one hand. Amazing much. Finally plucked up the courage to talk to them on the 3rd night. Him holding my hands to read my signs, and then ending our chat with a big hug. One of the best quotes I love from him was, "I can still see God, I can still hear God." Doesn't matter where we are, what sufferings we face, with our eyes fixed on God, anything..., anything is possible.

Labels: deaf, life, memories