By Eugene
Jemara, an island off the shores of Batam, Indonesia. Small and unknown to many, yet this small little island has so much to offer us. It made a lasting impression on every single heart of my team members.
Our team set out with the objectives to establish goodwill with the villagers and kick-start the education center with the Hope For Kids Programme. Essentially, we seek to help the children in Jemara discover and develop their strengths through the use of toys! Although we held the programme for a mere 2 days, we were simply amazed by the enthusiasm the children had towards the programme, and how the programme is benefiting them tangibly.
On our last day in Jemara, we even organized a family event, carnival-style, inviting all the villagers to a memorable time of games, fun and laughter. More importantly, it was a time of bonding, where relationships between family, friends or even strangers were forged and strengthened, and all language barriers and cultural differences ceased to exist then.
Personally, this was an intense learning journey, not only in terms of the intimidating physical preparation before and during the trip, but also how urgent it was for me to step out of my comfort zones, such as leading, teaching, and even interacting with unfamiliar people. Taking those steps out was difficult, but in return, I have learnt to appreciate the people and things in my life better. The challenges might be demanding, but the fruits were undoubtedly sweet, and I’m just glad that I didn’t let this opportunity slip passed me.
A C T S p e d i t i o n s JEMARA 