Hearts on Fire

The MCYC Camp was one of the most eventful camps I can say I've been to. It was only 3 days 2 nights, but I think it was enough.

---

Day 1


I honestly didn't expect the camp to go too well (expecting substantial misdemeanor and the like), and the first day was pretty... rough, I would say.


I lost my temper somewhat during Night Games. I was honestly pretty sick of some of the campers disrupting the smooth running of the games, by screwing around during the preparation time. While I don't think it would be too unreasonable to be irritated, I overreacted somewhat. When one of the campers tried to splash me with a waterbomb (before game started) after several attempts to do that to other campers, I grabbed his hand and knocked the waterbomb out.


Doesn't seem too bad, except I forgot that when I'm angry, my grasp can be quite hard. So the relevant camper began to cry a little. I felt bad, but still somewhat justified in the sense of a lack of better alternatives that I could see. I spoke to the camper for a while (there was quite a bit of time before the games started); though I must admit it was more out of my need for self-justification than out of love for the relevant camper. (Tough love, I guess...).


I was really tired out by the end of the day, more in an emotional sense than anything else really.


---


Day 2


I enjoyed running the dice station game. I must admit Joel Tieh had very good insight for this one - when I first opened the dice pack, I was wondering: "12 only? That means a structure of 6 - and I have to occupy them for half an hour?" But 12 was more than enough.


I did several things in order to try and solve this - firstly, to hold a somewhat longer introduction to the game, done by talking a bit about math and perspectives in playing the game, and then secondly to add an additional (nasty) rule - the orientation of 2s, 3s and 6s must be correct as well.

The day went much more smoothly (except for the skit, I guess) in an emotional as well as spiritual sense, even though it rained which to some extent was initially bad for the barbecue yet proved to be a blessing in disguise. The atmosphere of togetherness in the hall was, I'd think, preferable to each group being at a separate bench cooking their own food.

I also cleared up an old grudge that I've been having for quite a while. The new feeling of some sense of unity, some sense of amiability is indeed refreshing. Indeed, I believe this is one area where I really need to learn. To learn how to relax; and to learn to love those who, at times, seem difficult to love.

---

Day 3

Actually, it was very short; I don't have much to say, honestly. But in general, the camp was, as I said, eventful, and also very tiring. I guess it doesn't help that the SATs are incoming.