Post Time-Out!

Last week, I had the opportunity to hang out with 13 vibrant youth for 3 days and 2 nights doing various team building activities, water sports and a rather torturous treasure hunt! Time-out was great! :)

After several weeks of planning, the camp was finally at its execution stage. In all honesty, I was worried with the small number of sign-ups. I wasn't sure how the participants would react knowing that it was only a handful of people joining. But as it turned out, we did have a good! Being a small group, it made things easier for me to get to know each one of them at a slightly more personal level.

I believe that connecting with youth requires a certain amount of passion, skill and gifting. I was a little nervy in the beginning knowing that its been a while since I actually touch base with youth/teenagers. Coming in contact with this young energetic bunch was like stepping back into familiar ground, a path I once trudged on. I've also forgotten how time has altered ideas, perspective, values and attitude of the youth of my time and the youth of the present. I guess as believers, our task is to be continually aware of the tides and currents of time and be ready at all times to reach out for those who are being pulled away by the waves of the world.

Reaching out.

Being a youth, most would disregard the importance of forming the right values and beliefs. More often than not, we would chase after elements that are appealing to the eyes rather than the heart. I remember when I was a youth, I wanted to look cool. I longed for popularity. I craved for approval from others. And the songs we listen to today seem to echo the grandness of these things. We need to educate youth to stand up against the teachings of the current media. Going through your youth is like walking on thin-ice - and we have to be their guide along the way to lead them to thicker and firmer ground so that they are safe from the misguided ways of the world.

Sometimes, it's cool to be uncool.

We need to educate and empower youth to walk on solid ground.

Gateway Sports Network (GSN) believes in the power of sports to influence and impact lives. During the course of Time-Out, we emphasized on a couple of values that we felt were important for the participants to take back home.

Listen.
I remember that when I was in my youth, one of the main issues I had was listening to others. I believe that this issue is still very much relevant to youth these days.

One of the main things we crave for as a youth is freedom; the freedom to do what we want and when we want. In every youth, there seems to be this growing angst and rebelliousness within them that can apparently distort their sense of hearing and listening. I too was once like that.

We wanted to reinstate the importance of listening in Time-Out. Hence, one of the key issues we drilled them was to be able to listen to instructions and to move according to the instructions given. We wanted them to understand the importance of listening while at the same time help them see the consequences if they choose to do otherwise. Without the ability to listen, a person character and foundation can never be changed.

Never stop trying.
Any professional athlete would tell you that the phrase 'give up' is not in their lexicon. These two words do not exist. Youth needs assurance when they are pursuing a certain goal in life. Failure can traumatised their perception of perseverance, hence, many youth these days find it hard to strive forward towards a certain goal when failure taunts them. Understandably so.

As one who once walked through the thinned ice phase of youth, we need to be their cheer leader, pushing them to never stop trying when they are pursuing something that is of value. On the other hand, we also need to be there to stop them from chasing after things that are of no value in this life. We must know when to cheer and when to jeer accordingly ;)

Participants engaging in a team building activity and they never stopped trying until they got it right!

Attitude reflects leadership.
If you've watched the movie "Remember the Titans" you would have remembered this quote - 'Attitude reflects leadership'. It basically means what we do and how we bring ourselves about will affect the people around us, what more if we're in a leadership position because who we are will flow down to our followers.

It's like canoeing. When you canoe, you're given a paddle. With that paddle, you have control over your canoe. How you paddle and how you steer the canoe will determine where you'd go. But it does not only affect you. How you paddle also affects your friend who is in the canoe with you. The person who sits in front of the canoe must then be able to paddle properly, consistent to a certain timing and towards a certain direction. Only then, will the friend who is sitting behind know how to paddle, when to paddle and where to paddle to.

You have control. What are you going to do about it?

We are all a leader in our own right. Therefore, we all possess the power to make a change. Towards what sort of change, good or bad, is entirely up to us to decide.

We need to live to play it in such a way that we make positive change towards society.

We had numerous activities for this young bunch to do. From the "toe skill" activity to "pail-lifting-while-singing-Nergaraku" to "caterpillar walk". For every activity, we wanted to impart something that is of value to the youth.

Doing the caterpillar walk.
Learning to keep pace as a team to accomplish a common goal.

It requires a strong bond of unity, tolerance, understanding and perseverance to be able to stand as a team.

As a team, we must always lookout for our team mates.

Safety comes first before fun.

I had a blast at Time-Out with this group of youth. It's encouraging and even inspirational to see how much potential each individual has in their own different ways. Some showed maturity beyond their age and it's refreshing to see that. God will definitely build champions amongst them, champions who would lead the way to His kingdom.

Seriously

crazy bunch of people!