2008 was supposed to be my last OCF Easter Camp. More than a year later I find myself with my second “last OCF Easter Camp” (a thought shared with Jon Raj btw). This years camp was held in Portsea, a nice cozy campsite overlooking Port Phillip Bay where large ships are ever present passing through the busy shipping lanes leading into Melbourne. Portsea is also located in the Mornington Peninsula, where the sun and beach are the prime attractions. This year’s camp theme was 180 degrees, which is meant to reflect a U-turn, presumably topics on how to get back to a relationship with God, which is a suitable topic for Christian and non-Christian alike.

The thing about blogging of camp’s it’s all almost the same. The programs, the fellowship, the fun, the naps (exclusive to me), the food and simply the thrills of being away from home with a bunch of people you only know, a bond which will only become deeper in getaways like these. Clayton sent a massive contingent of 50 over while Berwick sent a total of 8 – which is a 4 time increase of what it was last year mind you. The camp list total more than 210 (or was it 240? Hmm) at the end of the day, which was what the camp committee was praying for. 

I was put into the same cell as Jinghui. Was so scared she’ll bully me, but God’s grace has it that she forgotten all the puny little mean things I do to her. Other members from Clayton include Chien Aun and Sheen Li. It was a good cell group, everyone talked with one another and a few talkative members in the group made it more interesting. Sharing’s from several of them, for instance Dong – the OCF Melbourne Uni chair on how he got to know God through a depressed moment during National Service with self inflicting wounds to his left arm was quite an eye opener towards my understanding on how God uses anything to open our hearts to him as long as we let Him.

Work in kitchen. Jon on the left, Jin in the middle and Yong on the right.

I was in the kitchen part of the time, not that I signed up as a kitchen hand, but just to get away from intensive activities and sometimes (no offence to the camp team and the speaker) the messages which at times fail to capture my attention. Jin and Jojo from OCF Caulfied were our chief chefs and I gotta say that they did a fantastic job cooking for the army of campers which a fair level of quality control. We had dishes like hainanese chicken rice, nasi lemak (which sambal made from scratch!) and so on.

I guess a big thing for me in the camp was the appointment of Vic Comm, which is a new idea – where Daryl, Grace Sim and myself are selected to handle the shakedown trials. Our job is to assist the current chairs which certain stuff, coordinate state level events and pray for the state vision and direction consisted with the aims of OCF Australia.

My commissioning for Viccomm

Somehow this camp was more tiring that the others. I would normally sleep late, but was quite on time (still past lights out) this time around, missing all the games and post-midnight bonding. I brought my newly bought Pictionary Mania which I never played during camp, but others did, thank God.

Persecuted church – I stayed clear of this one in the kitchen thanks for my injured toe

OCF Clayton group shot!

OCF Victoria Brigade Shot! WAhoo!

The Easter Camp 09 Comittee

So that’s my second last Easter Camp. I’ll be waiting on God to target lace me with another one if He see’s fit while Jon will no doubt be desperately looking for a way in. Till my third “last easter camp” then.
 

As with most things this year, I find myself shocked, but glad at the same time that I’m able to return once more to Albert Park for the year’s annual Formula 1 circus.

The ticket was way above what I remember. Wasn’t it about 30 bucks? This year I paid $75!

It was to be an interesting race. The dominance of Ferrari and Mclaren was eclipsed by an unlikely Brawn GP which sprung out of the ashes of Honda which pulled out of Formula 1 abruptly due to the economic downturn. Throughout the pre-season testings, Brawn’s cars dominated the time sheets with drivers Jenson Button and Reubens Barrichello. The opening of this race saw the continued form of the Brawns. The surprise did not only come from this new team. The Ferrari’s and Mclarens were struggling mid-field. The obvious performers were the Brawns, Toyota’s, Williams and to a certain extent the Red Bulls. The cause for the difference in speed lies in a contraversial difusser which some teams without the difusser are assusing teams which do have the diffusser for breaking the rules. This difussers give the cars an average of 1-2 seconds faster than those without per lap. 

To cut a long story short – the rules have changed and it’s an all new ball game!

I went to the Grand Prix with Yasmeen. Was to meet up with Marc and Richard but they were positioned deep between the crowds to reach. We decided to watch the race on our own, though we did bump into Jared Yeoh and Eugene Tong near turn 2. My predictions forr the start of the race was quite accurate – I told Marc to except Jenson on pole, Vettel second and Barrichello 3rd. It was almost that – with Barrichello 2nd and Vettel 3rd instead. Ah, it’s just the experience I have that makes this predictions possible.

From where we were the race was pretty uneventful. My Creative MuVo MP3 radio didn’t work, so I was pretty lost on what’s going on. Only getting surprises time and again when Raikonnen seems to be falling back the grid =(

After the race, we tried flooding onto the track and attempted to make it for the podium only to catch a glimpse of the drivers before they dissappeared into the mdeia labyrinth below. On the pit straight we finally linked up with Richard and Marc who was also with Sue Ann and Amanda (Ruo’s counsin). We were hoping to catch a glimpse of something interesting. And we sure did.

At one point, I was just a meter or two away from Sir Richard Branson – the founder and CEO of Virgin Group. What seperated us was just a person and the fence. Honestly, I was stunned there and couldn’t move. Would’ve loved to at least shake his hand and get his autograph as an extra. Man! What a missed oppurtunity. We also saw the boss of Force India and the CEO of Kingfisher – Vijay Mallya who owns the biggest brand of air travel in India. Kingfisher also makes the best Indian beer.

All in all, I was really blessed to be back here. Again, I doubt I’d be in Albert Park again, but who know’s what God has in store for me.

Singing off from the 2009 Melbourne GP