Birthday at Jeremiah School

Really, my birthday in JS wasn't what I expected at all. To be really honest here, I was expecting something more grand than I usually have back home. Sure, there was cake and I also celebrated it with my bro in Christ Ian who was also born on the same day as me. But we were so busy that night; preparing for the presentation the next day to be presented to the congregation of Living Water Sanctuary. In the midst of planning they brought the cake and sand the song. That was the climax. Let me start from the beginning. 


       The girls were whispering to each other that night. I knew they were up to something. When I woke up on 19th of February, one by one wished me "Happy Birthday" and I was still in my sleeping bag. What the girls initially planned was to wake up at midnight and wish me Happy Birthday but failed cause everybody was too tired and they didn't hear Becky's alarm. Chris heard but Becky didn't and everybody just couldn't open their eyes. LOL! PLAN FAILED! 
              I called mum after doing my quiet time. Talked a lot and ended the conversation. Went back into the room and found a thick journal with a turquoise cover and the word "peace" on my sleeping bag. I flipped it through and it was mentoring group's gift to me with  4 pages of wishes from Venn, Bea, Becky and Dee. (Thanks you guys!) 
           Later the other mentoring group gave me another journal which design was more complex and it was thinner and smaller. Still, I loved it also. (Thanks Eva, Su Ee, Cindel, Rachael and Chris!) 

Left: My mentoring group,
Right: The other mentoring group

That whole day, I remember it was quite serious. Despite it was my birthday I still have to focus on God as we were entering into the field work in Ayer Tawar. The leaders sensed that there was disunity among us and we had 1 hour quiet retreat to reflect on anything that we did to offend or to cause the disunity among us. Later after that 1 hour the girls and guys gathered together separately in our own rooms and shared. I remembered the girls, most of us poured out a lot. Especially Eva. The girl we saw who was tough and really independent. She shared about her life when she had to move to Teluk Intan and stayed with her relatives and was separated with her parents. She cried. That would be our first time seeing her cry. Becky too. Some of us shared that during CNY break, we felt like outsiders; aliens to be more precise. 

         As the president of my Youth group in church, I came back knowing nothing and I was seriously the blur case. I felt horrible actually. It's a horrid-gible feeling. All of us felt that sort of rejection in a way. Coming back to the sharing...

           All of us shared before and after our trip to SMK Methodist CF meeting. We fellowshipped with them and got to know a few. I am struggling now with who is who. There were so many people we met and talked with. And it was such a short time! Going to a CF in a school really opened my eyes and I learned something new. It made me think back of the CF back in my school. I wonder whether they are still meeting up. 

         After the sharing... I can't exactly remember what happened. Oh man... now I can really feel the importance of journaling. Sheesh! But after resting and dinner, we had to practice for worship and the presentation. Oh yeah~ Now I remember what happened during the break. 

     Denise treated me to a manicure and did my hair. (Thanks Dee!!)

Ok... moving on to the night. I was the pianist for the worship. Although in between that week Samuel also played for Pastor during the prayer meeting. And as Ian was explaining the sequence of our presentation which was a medley of 4 songs: One Way, Running After You, The Time Has Come and Take It All. It was really cool! Yeah... As I was saying, during that time, they brought the cake and wala! The climax. Here's a photo of our cake.

That was all for my birthday. Although there was one unpleasant thing which I over-reacted about. But that's all resolved and in the past. When I got back, it was another story. 2 presents were waiting for me back home. One from a guy who had a crush on me when we were in form 2 and another one posted all the way from the USA, my penpal Melissa Kratz. 

From Daniel

From Melissa Krazt
(I love you!)

And not to forget my best friend in JS, Fong Su Ee... 

She gave me these...

From Fong Su Ee

And my best birthday present from God is my dad who drove the family up to Ayer Tawar for my graduation and commission. Thank you, heavenly Daddy...