Campfire Singing

Campers and organs singing to Bruno Mars.

Ajahn Brahm is coming to town

Camp Day 1

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Organs

43 organisers (and 7 missing ones)

I don't know how to use better words to describe my heartfelt appreciation for the youths of SBM. It's never easy to do Buddhist youth work in Singapore, with the lack of resources and support and the cynicism of "armchair experts'. These kids probably had "better" things to do during their free time. But they spent countless hours for months preparing for the camp. Then on camp day itself, they climbed the stairs and the hill, lugging along tables, chairs and litres of drinking water against adverse weather elements. They chose to spend as little as possible, like renting the cheapest vehicle they can find, which turn out to be a rickety old van with non-functioning breaks. Even when the weather threatened to spoil the event, their mood never dampens. Environment and conditions can challenge them but they realise that ultimately, it's their attitude towards their surroundings that matters most.


They worked at the background, away from the limelight. Perhaps that's how SBM develops our youths. Serving others in unglamorous roles and see how their sacrifices can add happiness to the lives of others. Some of these organizers are as old as the campers but they readily take on responsibilities, putting the welfare of the campers first.

See the value of serving others and the joy you have in your heart, when you realise that your small little actions could generate into something bigger. Build spiritual friendships in a safe place where you can grow. Spiritual friendship also means that you allow your friends to learn new things and give them space to make mistakes. Understand your faith and realise what an inspiring teacher the Buddha is and how His teachings can benefit yourself and other teenagers Take ownership of this the Mission. It belongs to all of us. Look after it well, make your voices heard and let it grow in wisdom and compassion. Continue to serve with passion as servant-leaders and spiritual friends who look out for one another.


"Spiritual friendship is the whole of the spiritual life." - The Buddha

Life as a camp master

 

 Mao Mao with the Plankton Kids

 Camp Master Fangrui aka Mao Mao and Camp Mistress Mabel.

It was a 5 days 4 nights camp for me. A gruelling yet powerpack experience.

Assuming the role of campmaster was like a new experience for me. Having handling the programmes for CAMP LIONS, I decided to try out for CAMP EHI PASSIKO, thinking that it would be a similar experience and not a problem for me. At that time, I was thinking of working with Mabel, since I had never really work with her first hand.

As a campmaster, the job scope seemed to be easy, taking care of the campers' needs and organisers' needs, play around with them, ensuring that everything goes smoothly is the main priority. But this camp doesn't seem to go in that direction. I have to apologise to all the organisers that I overlooked the welfare of you guys, always pushing you guys to the limits. I am sorry. This camp was like a limit break for all of us. I had never worked so hard in my life just for that 5 days of camp, not even the luxury of shitting in the toilet for 15mins.

However, judging from the faces and feedbacks of the campers throughout, it brings me joy to know that all was worthwhile, and I truly experience this phrase, "When you think of giving up, think of the reason why you hold on for so long".

Mabel
I would like to express my thanks to Mabel Ong, the vice president of SBMY a.k.a my camp mistress. Working with her had made me realised how bad was I at handling the administrative side of the project, her awesomeness at talking with young people is a learning point and also how we are able to trust each other and cover for each other when one is busy. Its only when camp is over, then everything starts replaying through my brain and we worked damm well together even though both of us had different objectives for the camp itself. Thank you Mabel.

Jianyong and games team
The boy with the white hair and charming smile -- my games master. Throughout the process of planning games with him, I was superbly impressed at his organisational skills and how mature he has become. I dare say that I used to think he will forever be lazy and lousy at work, but he proved me wrong, in fact he proved many many people wrong. That's the kind of spirit and determination one should have and he will be a role model for many people. He had a team of new people to work with in the games team, together, they faced alot of challenges when thel camp start. I am glad to say that its an eye opening or rather painful experience for this games team but it was worth every sweat because its only through tough times people learn. I am thankful for their peserverance and determination to keep the games and skits going despite a number of obstacles. Even though we never carry out many of the games planned, but everyone enjoyed themselves =) Thank you.

Yuanyi with the Dylanator
Everyone know that Dylan is worth 10 people combined, but after this camp, Yuanyi s worth 11 people combined. Why? From Day 0 onwards, she only has herself for manpower in the logistics team. She made sure that every bits and pieces of props and items that are needed is there and ensure that everything is so neatly stacked. When she is free, she did not choose to rest, instead she went around offering her help. I can proudly say that she is the only person in the camp to tie the most water bombs, until her hand has blister from tying but she continued because she knows we need it. I am very touched by her commitment to serve. Yuan Yi, thank you very much. =)

ZhenYu and Zeming and Shixiong
Thank you for being the cameramen for the camp, sacrificing your play time in camp. Without you guys, there would be no videos and pictures to view and memories would soon fade. Despite the amount of work you guys have, the time you take to help throughout the camp is appreciated sincerely. I know you guys have jobs and work and it really show me that no matter how busy one can be, as long as one is willing, nothing is impossible. Not to forget amy, zeyan and pearly. But please help me retrieve my photos =(

Elysia, Melody and adeline
My messing girls. It had been a tiring work to always prepare and look after the welfare of the camp. Thanks for taking time off to help me and mabel in our camp, always doing the background work for us. Elysia, You have been a great help for us and I know you are very very tired by day 2 and yet I never hear you complained once. =)

Alvin
Thanks for agreeing to being the campfire master despite the so last minute calling. You created the record for DI YI ZI WU for CEP and also introduced and modified the campfire songs. The campfire was great even though everyone was dancing on the muddy ground and the parents messaged me that they enjoyed and they are more than happy to come to our camp again. It is a memorable campfire for the campers. =)

GLs
A JOB WELL DONE! You guys had performed and exceeded my expectations as the GLs of the campers. Especially for Justin, he teared after receiving many well wishes and heart felt letters from his group members. You guys are the heart of this camp, never once stop beating and infecting the camp with your superb high energy plus positivity. From these, I can see many different styles of leadership, the strict yet kind one, the super high all the way one, the super caring one and many more. I hope that each and every one of you discover the style that you are really comfortable with and use it in your daily life, showing people that you are the best. It a tough job but all of you handle it well and made it through with the smiles of many young kids who look up to you =)

The rest of the organisers
Thank you for taking time off to help out in the camp. I know you guys had been busy with work and it is not easy to do just take time off. Want to let you guys know that i appreciate your help even though it may only be 1 day in camp. Its the effort and thought that counts and without you guys, the camp would be even more tough to handle.

Service leadership is difficult to master, but when one choose to serve with the passion and willingness, I think he or she deserved to be a leader anywhere. I hope everyone take a step back just to do a few mins of reflection and think about what is service leadership. This is a quality I deemed as a heavenly quality.

Thank you

Hello SBMY

Thank you so so so so much for making CEP 2011 such a great success. The journey definitely hasn't been an easy one, from our location problem to the monsoon season to our manpower shortage and I would proudly say that we have overcome this with the immense amount of effort, planning and determination that each and every one of you have displayed.

Thank you Games Team, for the countless meetings that you have held to make plans and brainstorm for games. Thank you for spending so so so much time at SBM even when I could not be with you guys, and thank you for your commitment and passion towards your role in camp.

Thank you the Campfire team, first from Xinyi and Jianyong and later passed on to Alvin. Thank you for so meticulously consolidating so many so many campfire songs and arranging them all together. Thank you Xinyi for your spontaneous change of role, Thank you Jianyong for taking up 2 roles at once, thank you Alvin for taking over the role so readily. Campfire wouldn't have been such a blast without every one of your effort throughout the whole process.

Thank you Messing Team, especially Ying Hui, who has patiently negotiated with the auntie regarding the food arrangements and the location and the numbers. Like Xinyi, Thank you for spontaneously taking up the role of a GL although you thought you can't do it (and you were proven wrong by yourself).

Thank you Dharma Team, Shi Xiong, Ze Ming, Amy. You guys might think that the campers were not that receptive to the sessions, but you guys have changed one camper's and his family's life. His mommy messaged his GL, Ying Hui:
Thanks for all that you have done for CEP! My son enjoyed it so much that he wanted to join in future activities in SBM and future CEP! We have also noticed visible changes in him that are delighting and surprising! My Husband described him as transformer! Thanks once again and all the organisers!

I believe that such a testament from even one parent is enough to continue to motivate us in the propagation of Dhamma to the youths. Thank you for staying up late in camp to reorganise the materials to better fit the campers' needs. Thank you for continuing to inspiring more people with the Dhamma, it's extremely extremely heartwarming.

Thank you Logistics Team- Yuanyi. Thank you for your continued patience in looking for all the logistics, preparing them, packing them, and arranging them. Thank you for taking so much time for CEP even when you were so busy with schoolwork and 30th Anniversary.

Thank you GLs. Thank you to the older GLs who are willing to take on a role that you thought you would never have again, and thank you for taking the time and initiative to guide the younger GLs. For the younger GLs, thank you for taking on this role and learning from the older ones. Thank you to ALL of you, who selflessly shouted and screamed and engaged the campers to make them enjoy CEP so much. Their smiles do mean a lot to you, don't they?

Thank you to all organisers. Each and every one of your mattered so much to us, because without any single one of you, the others would have to climb more stairs, would have less sleep and set up of anything would have taken longer. Thank you for continuing to do so much despite the aches we got from the very first day at camp. But it was all worth it.

Thank you to Mao Mao, for being such a great Camp Master to work with. Thank you for taking over the planning when i was mugging my ass away, and thank you for being patient with my horrendous temper. Thank you for teaching me how to give people chances and to see the potential in each and every individual.

We have all worked together in this camp with such cohesiveness. I saw initiative in each and every one of you. I saw passion and commitment in each and everyone of you. Remember the most fulfilling things that have occured to you, and the achievements you have made as individuals and as a team. Remember these because they are the fruits of your Right Effort, Right Perseverance and Right Thoughts.

Let us not be complacent, but take it as a reminder and motivation of how much we can achieve together as SBMY, where it means a second home to many of us. Let us continue to build this family as one, and to bring this joy to more.

Thank you CEP. I've learnt a lot from you guys.

-Mabel

The Mission

 

Larger than life. Keep it close to your heart, let it grow.

RIP Sister Teresa Hsu

Your compassion and commitment had brought joy and happiness to the people around you.

May you find peace and happiness within and walk the path towards enlightenment.

Z.Y.

BRB...

 

Sorry for the lack of updates. We've been busy preparing for Camp! Camp Ehi-Passiko will be held from 15th to 18th December! We will be moving into the Camp tomorrow on Day 0. So see you guys on Monday morning when we are back!

“Fear not, as you look upon me, I will release you, just like a person saving an elephant which has sunk in the mud.” - The Buddha. 

May the blessings of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha be with you all in Camp Ehi-Passiko 2011. Thank you organisers for the hard work!

 

Love Your Parents

 

Love your parents. We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old.

 

Peparations for 30th Gala Dinner

 

SBM Youth

Spotted a few grammatical errors with the subs. Pardon with it! Shall re-edit it again. MEanwhile, enjoy it on VIMEO, a video introduction of SBM Youth in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of Singapore Buddhist Mission.

Aspirations of SBM General Committee 2011

Quotes and more!

Happy 30th anniversary SBM!

These pictures with quotes were specifically made for printing in the Gala Dinner. Enjoy while we upload the official pictures and videos of the Dinner! =)

Just to clarify, this is said by cherise and not by the Buddha. hee

Message from Bhante to all youth members

A bird needs two wings to fly properly. You need to develop both your head and heart in order to become a successful noble human being.If you develop only the qualities of the heart ignoring your brain, you will be a virtuous, kind hearted, good man. But the others may take advantage on you.

On the other hand if you develop only your brain, you will be very intelligent, cleaver and cunning. Since you don't know the value of human qualities you will not hesitate to do any kind of crime. You will not care about other people. You are ready to do anything to get what you want.

Why do you need a religion? Man is a living being who has got a mind which can be developed either in positive or negative way. Buddhism guides you to develop this mental power in proper way so as to become noble, peace loving, intelligent human beings.

A plant needs sunshine, water, good soil and necessary conditions to grow into a healthy strong tree. The SBM youth group provides necessary conditions and create suitable surroundings for Singapore youths to develop spiritually with right vision and correct understanding.Just like parents are happy to see the growing of their children I am very happy to see the great success that the youth wing has achieved. It is a great pleasure to see the team, which started with eight members, has increased to ninety members at the moment.

The first step you took with noble intention and courage made you tread a long way overcoming its barriers and passing the milestones of success. Among many successful Dhamma activities the youth wing has left, I appreciated a lot the Dhamma camps and interactive programs with other youth teams in Singapore. These kinds of programs help to develop spiritual life as well as enhance friendship, right understanding, unity and brotherhood among various Buddhist youth communities.You have inherited a rich Buddhist culture which is more than two thousand five hundred years old. Enriched with that rich culture, realizing modern youth trends and needs, you can be creative and lead the youth in the twentieth century in order to become perfect noble human beings.

Eventually this Dhamma will disappear from the world. There will be a time when nobody will know the path to get out of this immense suffering. Rare is the life of a human being. Fortunate are you to have come across the teachings of the Buddha.
Dhamma is the Light of Wisdom. It is the True Knowledge of Vision. Dhamma is the Cure for all Suffering. It is the unique Path for one's freedom.Practise the Dhamma whenever and wherever possible. Refrain from evil. Cultivate good. Purify your thoughts. You will move from dark to light. You will go from light to light.

May the members of the youth group have mental and physical strength and power to work for the well-beings and happiness of multitude. May you all be well and happy!

With Metta,
Venerable K. Dhammika

Chief Resident Monk and Religious Adviser
Singapore Buddhist Mission