Chinese New Year Camp for Campus Students

Mar 06, 2015

JOHOR BAHRU: Feb 18 – 21, 23 campus students from Melaka-Johor Diocese attended a Chinese New Year Camp at MAJODI Centre. The students came from six colleges around Johor: KSKB Kempas, Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan Masai, UiTM Pasir Gudang, IPG Larkin, IPG Batu Pahat and Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology. They were East Malaysians who had no other plans for the holiday season.

Since it was Ash Wednesday, the participants started the camp with Mass, and fasted on bread and water. Everyday started with either Mass or Bible sharing and prayer as the students learnt lectio divina and imaginative prayer and were encouraged to start the habit of personal prayer time.

The morning sessions focused on evangelisation: the participants were taught how to share their testimony, Biblical reasons for faith in Christ and the Church and how to share the Gospel. “This session helped me to strengthen my knowledge especially on why I am a Catholic,” shared Fazzila from Institute Pendidikan Guru Temenggong Ibrahim.

In the afternoon, the participants had to choose between two workshops. The first workshop was on the Word (How to lead a Bible sharing, How to study the Bible and How to Give a Talk) facilitated by Youth Minister Pius Kallang. Those who attended this workshop learnt how to do exegesis and research from bible commentaries. It was so engrossing that they complained the 1 ½ hours wasn’t enough.

The other workshop was on apologetics and was noteworthy as it was conducted by two student leaders. Quite a few participants listed this workshop as most memorable as there was much input that equipped them to answer questions from their non-Christian friends at their hostels.

The night sessions were times of prayer and reflection. On the first night, there was Adoration and Inner Healing. On the second night, they were taught how to pray in tongues and over each other. On the last night, we had a Washing of the Feet, Seder Meal followed by the movie Passion of Christ and Adoration to help us remember the sacrifice and love of Christ. Many of the participants also appreciated the silence that helped them to prepare for Confession on the last day.

In the camp’s last session, Sr Susan and Fr Arul shared on Vocations since this is the Year of Consecrated Life. More than 20 per cent of the students reported that after this camp, they were more open to consider the priesthood and religious life.

The camp also had its lighter moments with games, barbeque, loh yee sang and joining the local parishes for their Chinese New Year celebrations. Nevertheless it was what they learnt that was most memorable. “I was introduced to many new things that I had never experienced before,” said Anderson Nopis from Institute Pendidikan Guru Hussein Onn. “Learning how to give a talk, a testimony etc is something that will help me for a lifetime,” said Ashley from Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan.