Extending a Hand
So, it's Year 2 Sem 1 Week 11 Thursday 2157 hours of my university life.
Week 7 to 9 was a constant rush from one deadline to the next, but the past two weeks have been rather peaceful and things run at its own pace. And I really thank God for this lull period, because it's given me some sort of freedom. A freedom to listen, a freedom to go, and a freedom to think.
Sabri and I have been talking quite a bit this semester, because we meet quite often at the pink tables. Especially on Tuesdays, since I'll be in the canteen from 10 to 2 after PSG and she'll finish her lecture at 12. And on Wednesdays when I return to Science to study and she's having lunch/ studying alone. Recently we've been talking more, sharing about our trials and the hard steps in our journeys with God and more out-of-the-blue topics. (I call them weird convos, but she thinks they are awesome. I concur.) And I'm really glad for these conversations, because though we both prefer listening, we each get to practice expressing ourselves (read: chatting) and listening. It's quite curious, because we are quite different: she's analytical and I'm slower in thought, she's a realist and I'm an idealist. Oh. Anyways. I was going to say that this lull period has given me time to stop and listen to others who are caught up in the rat race, for them to voice their thoughts and for me to learn more about the person and about the world. I suspect I gain more than the speaker. But through all these little pockets of time, Sabri has reminded me of the need to listen. And truly truly, she's my sister, whom I love.
Last Wednesday, Maisie brought a group of us together to form a Think Tank for Creation Care. And Rachel Leng happened to tell me that she was going for GBG after that. And since I was free (technically and emotionally) and I've always been was interested, I decided to go. And it was such a interesting, humbling, thoughtful experience. At school the next day, I felt like school was a dream and the reality is Geylang. It was humbling because we as humans are all equal; they're just working for a living, like our parents, like us. And it was thoughtful because it made me think: Why them? Does it have to be this way? Isn't there a way we can get them off the streets? They are real people, doing real jobs, leading real lives. Men gawking, women smoking. The shy Indians/ Bangladeshis will walk around in small groups and look unsure and hesitant before approaching the women. Isn't there something substantial we can do? Because this IS the reality of life, all grimy and trodden and hidden. Our privileged life of a home and good university education is but a minority.
I've been thinking about my place in Science VCF for a while, ever since the freshies came in. I realise I haven't been able to click with the freshies, sticking still with my seniors (especially those who will be graduating soon :O). Maybe it's part of my cycle at each stage of life, first sticking to seniors, then sticking to my peers because the seniors have all left. Or maybe it's because Rachel was the one who first reached out to me during CG dinnertime and we'll just go on and on for minutes about the wonders of Nature. And Clara and Jaclyn either didn't come or would come late. I mean, I really love Leng and Pam and Joey as my big sisters. But what about the freshies? Especially since I'm the lone Sciency in IFG. I've been choosing whom to love. And that's bad. God loved without special favour. Part of me gives an excuse, that ever since young I've been the junior who looks out and cares for the seniors who look out for the juniors. Rubbish. It's my duty too to ensure continuity through the juniors.
Went for Council (again) on Wednesday, but this time alone, because it's Arts crunch week. Leng and Joey and Elaine kept going on about how I've "grown up". The whole talk about Shalom really helped me to understand what exactly we're seeking about Shalom. It is to use Shalom as a structure to shape all that we do as we engage people within campus and in the wider society. It is to use Shalom to critique the current situation and to energize us to seek a hope and a vision for a better tomorrow. God is answering my prayers. He's slowly using different contexts to teach me about this one-syllable-four-letter word: Hope.
Week 7 to 9 was a constant rush from one deadline to the next, but the past two weeks have been rather peaceful and things run at its own pace. And I really thank God for this lull period, because it's given me some sort of freedom. A freedom to listen, a freedom to go, and a freedom to think.
Sabri and I have been talking quite a bit this semester, because we meet quite often at the pink tables. Especially on Tuesdays, since I'll be in the canteen from 10 to 2 after PSG and she'll finish her lecture at 12. And on Wednesdays when I return to Science to study and she's having lunch/ studying alone. Recently we've been talking more, sharing about our trials and the hard steps in our journeys with God and more out-of-the-blue topics. (I call them weird convos, but she thinks they are awesome. I concur.) And I'm really glad for these conversations, because though we both prefer listening, we each get to practice expressing ourselves (read: chatting) and listening. It's quite curious, because we are quite different: she's analytical and I'm slower in thought, she's a realist and I'm an idealist. Oh. Anyways. I was going to say that this lull period has given me time to stop and listen to others who are caught up in the rat race, for them to voice their thoughts and for me to learn more about the person and about the world. I suspect I gain more than the speaker. But through all these little pockets of time, Sabri has reminded me of the need to listen. And truly truly, she's my sister, whom I love.
Last Wednesday, Maisie brought a group of us together to form a Think Tank for Creation Care. And Rachel Leng happened to tell me that she was going for GBG after that. And since I was free (technically and emotionally) and I've always been was interested, I decided to go. And it was such a interesting, humbling, thoughtful experience. At school the next day, I felt like school was a dream and the reality is Geylang. It was humbling because we as humans are all equal; they're just working for a living, like our parents, like us. And it was thoughtful because it made me think: Why them? Does it have to be this way? Isn't there a way we can get them off the streets? They are real people, doing real jobs, leading real lives. Men gawking, women smoking. The shy Indians/ Bangladeshis will walk around in small groups and look unsure and hesitant before approaching the women. Isn't there something substantial we can do? Because this IS the reality of life, all grimy and trodden and hidden. Our privileged life of a home and good university education is but a minority.
I've been thinking about my place in Science VCF for a while, ever since the freshies came in. I realise I haven't been able to click with the freshies, sticking still with my seniors (especially those who will be graduating soon :O). Maybe it's part of my cycle at each stage of life, first sticking to seniors, then sticking to my peers because the seniors have all left. Or maybe it's because Rachel was the one who first reached out to me during CG dinnertime and we'll just go on and on for minutes about the wonders of Nature. And Clara and Jaclyn either didn't come or would come late. I mean, I really love Leng and Pam and Joey as my big sisters. But what about the freshies? Especially since I'm the lone Sciency in IFG. I've been choosing whom to love. And that's bad. God loved without special favour. Part of me gives an excuse, that ever since young I've been the junior who looks out and cares for the seniors who look out for the juniors. Rubbish. It's my duty too to ensure continuity through the juniors.
Went for Council (again) on Wednesday, but this time alone, because it's Arts crunch week. Leng and Joey and Elaine kept going on about how I've "grown up". The whole talk about Shalom really helped me to understand what exactly we're seeking about Shalom. It is to use Shalom as a structure to shape all that we do as we engage people within campus and in the wider society. It is to use Shalom to critique the current situation and to energize us to seek a hope and a vision for a better tomorrow. God is answering my prayers. He's slowly using different contexts to teach me about this one-syllable-four-letter word: Hope.
Joey, Leng, Sabri and I had a brief discussion about engaging the issue of Trafficking in Persons in VCF. And I feel there's so much we can possibly do. Joey is really interested too in doing something more, in engaging CFers on a wide scale. What can we do, Lord, for those who cry out to You? Even though we may be only students. Give us some direction, please?
P.S. What can I do, as a Christian student in campus? I need to be intentional in planting seeds and watering them. I'll leave the growing to You.