Friday, May 4, 2012

A New Beginning: How I Met Pedya Kamp

First things first: perhaps it’s but right that we start from the very beginning.

The following post is a recollection of how I have gotten to know about Pedya Kamp… (And also, how Pedya Kamp met my mother. :D)

My very first encounter with PK took place in a typical kind of a school day last January. We were about to get dismissed for our last class when Ma’am Jaja, a prof from our college department, entered the room and began discussing about God’s Special Children, Inc. (GODSPEN) and Pedya Kamp, aka PK. That’s it; in no time at all, I came to know about the different goings-on involved in the said Kamp.

To be real honest, I did listen with interest but only half-heartedly. I already had the determination to join in this kind of activity; yet at the same time I also had the reluctance whether or not should I engage in PK. The idea of going to a faraway province for 10 days to look after a kid camper came to me as an excellent new way to spend the summer days, instead of idling around the house, doing the “nganga” stuff to kill time―it appears to me that PK promises these 10 days to be filled with challenges, thrills and excitement. Oh, you can really say how willing I was, to delve in to this PK thing. However, I can’t help but have second thoughts with it, mainly because I was worried with how my mom would respond the moment she knew about PK and my interest in joining in it.

So, the next day, I got the chance to tell my mother about the details of the activities in Pedya Kamp. I also included the fact that I could have Red (my youngest brother) to join in the 10-day kamp, as well. Mind you, I just told my mom about it. I did not exactly tell her that I was, indeed, interested in joining. Imagine my subtle surprise when, after hearing out the details, she told me: “Sige, sumama ka.” (Alright, you may join.”)

Believe me; I wasn’t expecting her response to be affirmative, right then and there. I just had a sharing period with the commander, not actually asking the court justice for the custody of joining PK. Still, what else could I ask for, when I already received my mom’s blessing to go ahead and, perhaps, have fun? Now that I remember it, I realize the probability that she already sensed my desire to engage in this new-found summer activity. Presumably, her motherly telepathic senses might have already told her that I surely had wanted to go right away, hence giving me permission when I haven’t even formally asked for it, yet. (And yeah, my mom might be even reading this right now. HI MA!)

Anyway, with that, I have thankfully thrown away any other second thoughts and taken, no, GRABBED the opportunity of becoming a part of Pedya Kamp 2012. Joyfully, I told Ma’am Jaja about my decision to go for the 10 Sundays of training and hopefully, joining in the Kamp itself. The first Sunday of training for the PK came. I registered; joined in the trainings; became a new volunteer for GODSPEN. I tried my very best to attend to each of the 10 Sundays so as to be qualified to join in the Kamp itself. I built up my determination in preparation for whatever’s in store ahead for me, as a new volunteer.

Being a volunteer-in-training for PK was already a fulfilment for me. Within the first few weeks, I had already learned a huge lot, and I had met new friends, too. For once, I thought then, there was something very great for me to look forward to this summer. Even since then, I had the notion that this could be by far, my best summer, if not my best year ever.

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