Time passed by so fast and suddenly it is now end of the group. Without your knowing, it has been 12 months we have been together in group Eleazar. We have been through sweetness, bitterness, lose, victory, fun, sadness, happiness, arguments, disagreement, joy and much more that words can’t express. We experience the lowest attendance as low as 14, yet by God’s grace God allows us to break the PYP records by having 51 members. We went through last place, third place, second place and even first place in games.
I still remember that our group attendance was really low, hardly can get 20 members. Therefore we have tried many ways to encourage our members to invite their friends to join us. We have our brother Richard, who did the Monthly New Letter; we distributed it to our members so that we could help them invite their friends in an easier manner. We also did plan for many interesting activities like barbecue, sweaty day, battle of the sexes, sushi making competition, treasure hunt and so on. Few months have passed, yet our attendance still low. During that time, I, as the group commander, am really discourage, thinking whether am I not doing my part as commander, or am I a very bad and lousy commander. Then I come to a point where I started to give up, but as this thought came to my mind, God seems talking to me, ask me not to rely on my own strength, but rather, rely on God alone.
I know that I can only commit the group unto God alone. Even before the group started, I already keep praying for the group, for the member, for the leaders. Hence all the more I need to pray and uphold the group unto God’s hand, pray that God will help us to be prepared. For if we don’t prepare for the rain, how then can God sends then rain. Lo and behold, after few months, God did answers prayer and started to provide our group with new friends like Sim Lu, Ian and Bryan, even our members like Aaron, Jenny, Kae Shyan and Kae Che started to join us back.
I can say the Camp Transformation 2009 was really a turning point for our group, we have altogether 31 campers (I still remember 2 weeks before the camp, the number of campers still below 20; Yannie and Andrew finally able to join for the full camp; Thomas Charlie and Raymond from Myanmar joined us, Jen Ruw’s friends Chee Kar and Brandon last minutes sign up, and this is how God provides if we waited patiently). Though we won many games and even became the best group in camp, yet, what matter the most is able to see how God works in this camp and we are getting closer with one another. This is really a joy to see how the sisters have their “fellowship” in socks making and how the brothers have their “fellowship” during the bathing time, and we really can see how close their bonding has build.
After camp, our group started to grow in numbers, we have new friends and phantom members started to join us, like Thomas Chin, Joseph Bosco, Don Bosco, Miko, Ezra, Monica, Sim Lu, Kae Shyan, Kae Che, Ian, Qi Hui, Eugene, Chun Kit, Kar Shing, and so on. What news can be more joyous than knowing Steven and Miko accepted Christ Jesus as their Lord and personal saviour.
It is really sad to say group Eleazar is going to end, after this, the group only will be in our heart and memory. So I urge you and challenge you, if there is anything that you think God wants you to do in group Eleazar and you fail to do it, don’t give up. For instance, bring friends to church, serve Him by loving other, or reconcile a broken relationship and so on. Do not be afraid, just commit all your cares and worry to God, God surely will hear your prayer, He will give you the courage and strength to do what is right.
Group Eleazar has truly been blessed by your attendance and involvement in the activities that have been held. Many many thanks to all of you, for putting aside your precious time just to come and join us. I really hope that I can continue see you to join us and grow in the Lord for the years to come =)
If not because of you, you, you and you, group Eleazar will not be group Eleazar.
And I am really proud to be part of Group Eleazar.
Wen Cheong =)
E.L.E.A. ZAR~~~
ELEAZARRR!!!
