30hrs Famine Camp

"饥饿30" A camp that I want to join long time ago.

This is an annual event of World Vision. In Malaysia, this camp is held in Kuala Lumpur. As an Ipohian that work in Penang, is troublesome for me to join the camp. Besides, I have gastric problem, this also make me hesitated to join the camp.

At the beginning of 2009, this idea pop up at my mind again. Since I'm in Singapore, I should at least find out about the "30hrs Famine Camp" in Singapore. When I browsed thru the website, in such a good timing, they are looking for VOLUNTEER. Just right for me, give me a chance to be an observer (before becoming a camper), and is been a long time that I didn't help out in this kind of activities :)

I have forgot about the signing up as volunteer, until I get an email from the organising commitee of "30hrs Famine Camp", early May. The camp will be held on 5-6Jun. As a 1st timer, I decided to join only as a general helper. Game master or fascilitator is too much for me. After making sure that I could take a day off on 5Jun, I accepted the offer :)

Without any knowledge about the camp and what is the task of a general helper, I registered myself on 5Jun, 9am at Anglo-Chinese School, Baker Rd. The school is already full of teenagers early in the morning, eemm, I'm surprise and happy to see that the new generation are so enthusiatic with charity event :) After registered myself, I started to help in the registration of fascilitator. Surprisingly a lot of them are teenagers too, even most of the game masters are teenagers, eemm. After that, I was assigned to register the campers. In this camp, the campers will be catagerised into different countries and in the country, they are further grouped into different families. There are a total of 1012 campers!!! :-O You can image how busy is the registeration counters!!! Again, all the campers are teenagers, this make me more curious, I have to find out more from the World Vision staffs when I have a chance. As far as I aware of, the campers in KL are from all age group, seems like in Singapore is different.

My 3rd task, as an usher for media, which is to bring the media to a conference room for media conference. I was then have a chance to chit chat with the World Vision staff. In Singapore, foreign charity organisation is not allowed to held a big event to get donation from the community. That's why the famine camp in Singapore is only meant for those teenagers, 18 above, most of them who are still in high school and junior college. They will pay SGD30 for the camp, and during the 30hrs they will have lots of games (even under the sun) and they will also spend some time to collect old newspaper from the community (this year is Tampanies area). Money that earned by selling old newspaper will be donated to World Vision for figting hunger around the world. I think this is really a good idea, to let the young generation aware that, they are actually in a very comfortable and blessed condition. While they are demanding to get new laptop or PSP, there are children out there don't have food. Maybe not all the camper can really understand the meaning of the camp, but I sure there will be some, and gradually there will be more, sedikit sedikit, lama lama jadi bukit :D

As an usher, I have special reward, hehe. A-Mei (张惠妹) is the ambassador of the camp. She walked pass me, which also mean there is a few minutes time, she is just beside me!!!! :-O I think I'm really old, my reaction is so slow, I was stunned and don't know what to do when she walked passed me!! I should have shouted out her name, welcome her and shake her hand, lousy me :p A-Mei is petite. She is wearing a 5in high heel, and just as tall as me. But of course she is gorgeous. This is not the end of my reward, I have a chance to attend A-Mei Media Conference :) thanks to Jenny, allowing me to off duty early :D

In the media conference, A-Mei, share her experience in visiting a World Vision sponsored area in India and her feeling as a child sponsor. When a reporter ask her about an attitude in this society that she dislike, this is her answer: 阿妹说:"这个社会,缺乏了爱,人与人之间,缺乏了关心.希望大家可以从身边的家人和朋友开始,付出多一些爱与关心......" (This society is lack of love and caring between human being. I hope that everybody can start to give more love and careto the people around us, starting from our family and friends......) Such a simple and meaningful words, you and me aware of it, but have we put into action? I'm a volunteer, trying to help people, but have I "help" my parents enough?? Her words somehow, make me think a lot more, which I will in the future too on how to show more love to my family.

As the ambassador, A-Mei also appeal everybody who has economic capability, to join the "sponsor a child" program. In Singapore, you only need to pay SGD45/month in order to sponsor a kid. SGD45 = 1 meal in the restaurant or 1 handbag or 1 dress or 1 pants, so it's really not that hard to sponsor a kid. In Malaysia, you only need to pay RM50/month to sponsor a kid. I know, because I'm a child sponsor for few years already :) My son is at Xin Jiang. (Eemm, I should write more to him). Hopefully economy become better soon, no more pay cut, no more freeze increment, then I could sponsor a 2nd child. Actually a lot of my friends already a child sponsor, so if you are still not one of them, please consider, this is a good way to repay debt to society.

Ok, let's talk about my feeling as a general helper. I'm glad that the World Vision staff that I met are nice and friendly. Since human is not perfect, there are something I hope they can improved. I think they should have better define the task of a general helper. From the 1-day-experience, I felt that they assign the task, spontaneously. Most of the helper didn't know what is schedule of the camp, when is the campers registration started, when is the opening ceremony (didn't even know if there is an opening ceremony) etc. Some of the helpers didn't know what to do when the task assigned is completed, should I go home already, do they still need my help, are some questions that always pop up in our mind. I just felt this is unfair for us, the working adult, who are taking day off to help out in the camp. Some of the helpers were being told that their help is no longer required after campers registration (which is around 1pm), if this is being told early, the helpers might only need to take half day off. I was being told that my help is only need for 1 day, not required to overnight at the camp, in fact I already packed everything for overnight. (I brought my backpack to the camp, haha) I don't really mind, but just prefered if they can told me early. There are still room for improvement :)