Mission Melaka 08 (trip elements)
- hollitel
The place we stayed for the mission trip was Hollitel Melaka, same hotel as previous trips. the previous time i was put in a small room sharing with 2 others and hardly any space left. This time i was roomed with 3 others (JT, Kenny, Kenneth), but in a much bigger family room (204)that can comfortably fit 5. so we had a lot of space, but the family room upstairs (304) had even more space - with only 3 girls in that room. The guys rooms were on 3rd floor and girls on 4th.
our room wasnt all very splendid though. just on the first day, the toilet lights suddenly went out when junting was bathing halfway, and never to come back on again for the rest of the mission trip. we learned to bathe and wash up in darkness, and leave the door slightly open to let some light in. there was no proper place to hang our towels, except on the bar beside the toilet bowl. it was usually not dry by the time we had to use it, and sometimes got wet from the shower. the toilet was really small, considering its for a family room. the aircon was also dripping alot, so the chair and area under it gets wet all the time. temperature is also erratic. Despite all this, we didnt complain to the management. or even if we did, they didnt take action.
- room politics
From the first day, we guys from 204 balloted for our sleeping places in the room over a game of decisive dai di everyday. At first, the 1st and 2nd takes the queen size bed, 3rd and 4th takes 2 matresses on the floor. but because of the incident on the first night where i shared the bed with junting and pushed him to the corner during the night, we changed our policy such that the 1st gets the whole bed to himself, 2nd and 3rd beside the bed, and 4th sleeps just outside the toilet. throughout the trip, i got 3rd place twice, and the rest of the time 2nd. never got 1st, but never had to sleep beside the toilet.
- meals
for lunch and dinner, we ususally had it at places within the hotel's neighbourhood. we tried different places each time though. but on certain occasions like day 4, 5 and 8 lunch, we were each given allowance to eat at outside places on our own. breakfast is always at the peach restaurant and orders placed in advance, except on day 7 and 8 when the bus uncle brought us to the dim sum place for breakfast. there is usually no supper except for day 7, at the satay place, again recommended and brought there by the bus uncle.
food in malaysia is cheap - about singapore price in ringgit at coffeeshops, but only about 20% cheaper at fast food.
- devotions
every morning we had devotions, first thing in the morning. we would gather in 304 (the family room with lots of extra space) at the specified meeting time. each of us were rostered for leading devotions, and a few for worship each day. i was usually late and came in halfway through worship. somehow 204 ppl were always the latest few to arrive. for devotions we would follow the daily bread, and would go in a round to read the bible passage then the daily bread. then it would be open to time of sharing and discussion.
i was rostered to lead devotions for day 8, with joycelyn. so the previous night we met in ivan's room to discuss on the passages, and it turned out to be a real tough one. somehow it fluctuated into a sort of quarrel which lasted for time lost track of, with tempers arising and patience pushed to the limits. this was made worse when hsin qin and aik hong joined in. the whole thing lasted about 2 hours and seen a whole mix of emotions in the room. yes, looking back, it was an interesting incident.
- missions debriefing
during the rest period everyday, after a main event or before one the next day, there would be debrief sessions. meeting place also in 304, and would discuss how the day's event went and how to take things from there, or briefing by the ppl in charge about the next day's events and making necessary arrangements and coordination. so the debriefs could last quite long, taking away much of our free time.
- casualties
it was so far so good for the first half of the trip, but starting day 5, people started falling sick. and it came all around the same time. first it was davin who suddenly had a fever that lasted 3 days and had to be sent to the mahkota medical centre, then Big phoebe, also fever, just before the christmas party so siyu had to last min take over as Mary; and Joshua who had vomiting on day 8. A few others also showed viral symptoms but didnt escalate into a full sickness. This was despite Henry's preventive measure of giving us vitamin C tablets every morning.
The place we stayed for the mission trip was Hollitel Melaka, same hotel as previous trips. the previous time i was put in a small room sharing with 2 others and hardly any space left. This time i was roomed with 3 others (JT, Kenny, Kenneth), but in a much bigger family room (204)that can comfortably fit 5. so we had a lot of space, but the family room upstairs (304) had even more space - with only 3 girls in that room. The guys rooms were on 3rd floor and girls on 4th.
our room wasnt all very splendid though. just on the first day, the toilet lights suddenly went out when junting was bathing halfway, and never to come back on again for the rest of the mission trip. we learned to bathe and wash up in darkness, and leave the door slightly open to let some light in. there was no proper place to hang our towels, except on the bar beside the toilet bowl. it was usually not dry by the time we had to use it, and sometimes got wet from the shower. the toilet was really small, considering its for a family room. the aircon was also dripping alot, so the chair and area under it gets wet all the time. temperature is also erratic. Despite all this, we didnt complain to the management. or even if we did, they didnt take action.
- room politics
From the first day, we guys from 204 balloted for our sleeping places in the room over a game of decisive dai di everyday. At first, the 1st and 2nd takes the queen size bed, 3rd and 4th takes 2 matresses on the floor. but because of the incident on the first night where i shared the bed with junting and pushed him to the corner during the night, we changed our policy such that the 1st gets the whole bed to himself, 2nd and 3rd beside the bed, and 4th sleeps just outside the toilet. throughout the trip, i got 3rd place twice, and the rest of the time 2nd. never got 1st, but never had to sleep beside the toilet.
- meals
for lunch and dinner, we ususally had it at places within the hotel's neighbourhood. we tried different places each time though. but on certain occasions like day 4, 5 and 8 lunch, we were each given allowance to eat at outside places on our own. breakfast is always at the peach restaurant and orders placed in advance, except on day 7 and 8 when the bus uncle brought us to the dim sum place for breakfast. there is usually no supper except for day 7, at the satay place, again recommended and brought there by the bus uncle.
food in malaysia is cheap - about singapore price in ringgit at coffeeshops, but only about 20% cheaper at fast food.
- devotions
every morning we had devotions, first thing in the morning. we would gather in 304 (the family room with lots of extra space) at the specified meeting time. each of us were rostered for leading devotions, and a few for worship each day. i was usually late and came in halfway through worship. somehow 204 ppl were always the latest few to arrive. for devotions we would follow the daily bread, and would go in a round to read the bible passage then the daily bread. then it would be open to time of sharing and discussion.
i was rostered to lead devotions for day 8, with joycelyn. so the previous night we met in ivan's room to discuss on the passages, and it turned out to be a real tough one. somehow it fluctuated into a sort of quarrel which lasted for time lost track of, with tempers arising and patience pushed to the limits. this was made worse when hsin qin and aik hong joined in. the whole thing lasted about 2 hours and seen a whole mix of emotions in the room. yes, looking back, it was an interesting incident.
- missions debriefing
during the rest period everyday, after a main event or before one the next day, there would be debrief sessions. meeting place also in 304, and would discuss how the day's event went and how to take things from there, or briefing by the ppl in charge about the next day's events and making necessary arrangements and coordination. so the debriefs could last quite long, taking away much of our free time.
- casualties
it was so far so good for the first half of the trip, but starting day 5, people started falling sick. and it came all around the same time. first it was davin who suddenly had a fever that lasted 3 days and had to be sent to the mahkota medical centre, then Big phoebe, also fever, just before the christmas party so siyu had to last min take over as Mary; and Joshua who had vomiting on day 8. A few others also showed viral symptoms but didnt escalate into a full sickness. This was despite Henry's preventive measure of giving us vitamin C tablets every morning.
posted by 50U1 | 11:23 PM
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