Back in Country Heights

Country Heights in Kajang has been a place of special significance in my journey as a Christian. It was in this place that I have had the privilege to be part of two memorable retreats as a committee member in the CF. It was during these retreats that I experienced renewal and a refreshing of the spirit. I felt a connectedness with my fellow committee members as we shared our experiences with one another. I learnt more about leadership through the various sessions with Annette. I will always remember what God has done for me here. The lush greenery and lakes that extend throughout the whole area add to the tranquility and ambience of the place. I still remember my favorite spot on a little wooden bridge that connected two banks of the lake. I remember spending quiet times with God on the bridge, under a few trees that provided me with shade. I remember the chat I had with Nigel and Niger on that same bridge way past midnight almost one year ago. I miss those times. I treasure them.

Now I am back, one year after the last retreat, no more as the CF president but as the CF advisor. We did not get the same unit we had on previous occasions. This time, there was no lake outside the sliding door, just a tennis court. Well, too bad. As usual we had our fun and games. And as usual, we went for satay in Kajang town. I think this retreat is good for me in that I finally managed to get to know Audrey, one of the current committee members, better. Among the current committee, I know her the least. We ended up in the same group for the team-building sessions, and I am glad to get to know her more. I’m sure it will only help us as we work together in the future.

One of the activities during the team-building session included arranging a deck of cards to form a structure. We tried to make elaborate structures by leaning cards on one another. It was challenging. A tiny jerk would bring the whole structure down. We tried and tried and failed. When we were sharing about what we could learn from these sessions, Wee Liem brought up an interesting observation. The easiest way we could have done it was to leave the cards as a deck. It was simple. It was stable. Sometimes, we try to make the CF elaborate. We come up with all sorts of programs so that it looks attractive on the outside. But the more elaborate it becomes, the less stable it is. A tiny jerk causes the whole structure to collapse. What our CF needs is not more elaborate programs and methods, but simplicity and strong foundations. Sometimes, being simple is the best way to go about it.