ClubMed December 2007

Here's a quick upload of our fabulous and VERY restful trip to ClubMed Bintan RIA. It rained the 2 out of 3 days we were there but it did not dampened our spirits and our quest for a good time! These pics are somewhat in reverse order as I can't be bothered to rearrange them.. enjoy!This is a picture taken by Letitia. The island has a whole array of natural things which even the most innocent of eyes enjoy. Letitia told us that this is a "Man-Faced Beetle". So that was our discovery for the week.

Letitia wanted to capture these rigs as she actually went on the trapeze and loved it. The professional shots were blurr so we refuse to purchase it. We promised her she'll get another go next time we visit another ClubMed. What a brave cookie! She also tried out Archery shooting real arrows and bow. As adults, we found that we enjoyed Archery tremendously too!

Little Miss Mathena did not miss out on the Circus fun! She had a ball trying the tight rope and reported that it as "very easy". She was all strapped up in safety gear and walking with bare feet.

Okay, the highlight was the NON-Stop food. Great variety, very Ang-mo in flavour as well as KID-friendly (sausages every meal?!) By the 3rd day, it quickly became quite a strain to face the food..... but I do miss it now that, I am home!

The GOs (The Initials G.O stand for Gentil Organisateur which comes from the French meaning friendly host) holds a lively and energetic concert EVERY night with very different themes and programmes. Quite entertaining and the circus team does wonders in showing my girls dancing grace and moves! You can just imagine both Mathena and Letitia open mouthed at all the moves.

One thing we fully appreciate is that the girls get their own beds in an adjoining room. We pay per person. They felt special and loved the 'girls room'. Slept like babies as of course they were exhausted by the end of the day.

The main building with the extended pool area. The kids club even has their own baby wading pool that is covered and protected. Excellent for families with babies!

The surrounds!

The yucky choppy ferry ride. The only lowlight...the thought of it is making my stomoach churn...yeeks!

We love the beach. It was BUCKETING rain, but we LOVE the beach!

We are afterall from the coastal Wollongong, NSW!

Verdict?
We will do it again and the next time for a longer period so we can make the most of the Club!
Sigh! Now, I have to go and clean up my dirty dishes...

Broken, Breakthrough & Bonded Together!

Took me a whole week to get my thoughts and the rest of my life together but this article is about the "Women's Breakthrough" CEFC style in Batam (Indonesia) last weekend.

In all honesty, I struggled with the fact that I HAVE to go. It was a pre-requisite to our intention to become members in CEFC. I have never been to anything so 'feminine' in my entire life and I had no intentions of going. I went pretty 'open' to what is to offer as well as quite hardened to the fact that "there's nothing new under the skies!".

These are the women that 'hit' me in the face and stole my heart,...

We were the Group SEVEN! Seven being seven of us and seven being a GOD (completion) number, we prided ourselves to be in this group. Somehow, GOD did His thing and gelled us all together with grace, dignity and so much gentleness. This hodgepodge bunch ranged from Stay at Home Moms, an Interior Designer, Marketing Executives, a High Power Banker to a future young Ms Dubai!

Unlike the normal get-together of women, we spent quite a bit of our time together praying, crying, praying and some more crying. Then during meal times, we'll be keeled over in laughter or bursting out in hysterical. After dinner, we'll do a bit more dancing and prancing (my deepest apologies to the ladies who had to dance with ME!) and crashing into each other due to wrong turning steps on the dance floors. Then, we did more sharing, crying and praying. I figured the tears help to 'bond' us as they soon dried up into pretty sticky stuff!!

I write this to honor the above ladies. I write to say thanks for the friendships, the support and the hugs and prayers. We all came together, not sure what to expect but all we were showed the undeniable HAND of God. At the end of it all, we all knew what we had to do, what we had to achieve and WHO was upholding us all this time, now and tomorrow!!! I am truly humbled by the courage, the strength, the humility and grace from all these beauties.

If we can do it all over again, I will...see you at the AfterGLOW!
For those dying to find out who Ms Dubai is....tadahh!
"T" (in Blue) is bound for Dubai in a couple of months hence we dubbed her that title. She will be the one and only friend in our heart living there. Then there's dear "R". Under that sweet and demureness lies a very deep and spiritual lady. Her presence in our group grounded us to see GOD's working hands in her life and ours! Praise GOD!
We found ourselves a "Titus 2:3 Mom" who came within our midst to encourage and serve us. What a privelege to have you so dear and near to us, "D" (white)!

"LL" brought to our group so much joy and transparency. She served us in her grace and natural openness to love and care for us all. She assisted in the role of facilitators with "HP" (in group pic) who too by word and deed showed us GOD's grace and abundant love. They both cried with us, wipe our tears and held our hands,...not to take away our struggles but to stand alongside us!

The voice of our team! The power plant as well as the encourager in song. "A" will be and always have GOD's hand on her life, with or without washing detergent (internal joke!) Alongside her stands "TM" another beautiful lady who's given all her entirety to GOD and allowing HIM to take over.

We won't forget "ML" who's also in the group pic, she humbled us by her sharings yet she showed us a true flower blossoming in GOD's hand. I witness her physical change from a wilted and forlorn little girl to a intensified and glowing lady. A miracle at work!

Remember, we'll all be praying for each other.