How long has it been since you were truly, madly, deeply happy?
Or have you been merely existing - discontented and joyless for so long that you don't even know you are in a prolonged funk?
Bro Tatu was brutally honest in forcing us to confront the "elephant in the room" question of Christian life: Why am I saved but have no joy?
Over three days at Batam's Harris Resort, he pored over Philippians, probing what it takes to be happy. As with all of life's questions, the answer is obvious, the solution simple, but hard to act on. In short: Look to Christ, learn to enjoy His presence, turn your problems over to Him, have a Christ-like mind and stop worrying. Easier said than done, but the rewards are guaranteed to be worth your while. (Ask any of the campers for the Philippians manual).
Of course talk is cheap, except that Bro Tatu really lives by what he preaches. He shared how he stumbled into the ministry instead of going to law school, the "job" interview that his prospective wife underwent on the first date, how he learnt English and was sent to Johor Bahru for eight years, how he was cleared of embezzling money (the power of prayer indeed!) and how he's awaiting a sign from God for the next step. Throughout, he displayed complete trust in God, even in the face of great uncertainty, showing that you don't have to be a great apostle to live out the message in Philippians.
Bro Tatu also experienced many firsts with Shaddai: Go-karting on the track, being able to bring his wife and two daughters for a church camp, and having a song leader conduct worship barefeet. (Yes, you, EK...) Best of all, five of his relatives working in Batam who turned up for one evening were saved.
Many brothers and sisters stepped up, with the biggest shoutout reserved for Carol and Kelvin. Whether it's forgoing lunch to look after luggages, or locking down the minutiae of transport and accommodation, and planning a smorgasbord of fun (feasting, go-karting, getting massages, playing water polo, swimming, feasting again, shopping, table tennis, jogging, more feasting), the couple went out of their way to make sure the 40-odd campers were well-fed and comfortable. Being able to fellowship without the constraints of time, unlike during breaks after service, was a luxury indeed.
Just one tip for next year's campers: Bring elastic pants.
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