I have finally found time to blog about the past month. My life has been consumed by Campus Challenge this past month. And although all the work is yet to be finished, I am at peace with what has happened this past year through all the planning. We started way back in September planning, or even earlier I think. Started out with sessions to invite people who are interested in helping out. And with that, it started off really poorly. Many of these meetings were just me and a fellow brother. It was very depressing. Although at times I wanted to can this conference, we persevered through the rough times and kept on going with what we had. And in the end, May 20th, 2005 we had a conference.

I have been to five of these, I still remember way back in first year a fellow sister in Christ asked me to go, and I was so reluctant to go to these things, and commit myself to say CCF. I was really on the wrong track there, but I asked her did she go in her first year, and she answered NO. So I said, well then I want to be like you, and not go in my first year. She really had nothing to say. Anyways, low and behold every year since then I've been, and being on the planning committee the last three years. How things change are remarkable.

This year's conference was focussed around three sub-themes. Repentance, Reconciliation, and Calling. The weekend really started off on the wrong foot, we were late in starting by like almost an hour. I am really a firm believer in starting things on time, and going by the schedule, so this was eating me up. Chinese time, never heard of it. The show must go on, work with what you got.

The most appealing part of the whole conference looking back were by far the two night programs. Saturday night was focussed on repentance and reconciliation. so we built a huge cross, and handed out black sheets of paper. Purpose was to write your sins on the black piece of paper, and give them up to God. We did that by NAILING them on the cross. This was a really impactful experience, actually nailing it on the cross like the Romans nailed Jesus on the cross. I really saw how people took this seriously, prayed over it, thought about it, and really broke their hearts down to give to God. This was truly how we wanted to end the first half of the conference, putting people in the moods of their life, is God's life. Giving it all up for God.

The Sunday Night program was even better. We really stressed on the reconciliation aspect this night. We did this through the act of communion with each other. Communion is symbolically an act done after we are good with God. After we forgive one another and put our past aside to live a life for God. And this was exactly what I saw. I saw people getting into groups, praying with each other, forgiving one another, and giving each other communion. And all the while, the ones who went first, the leaders of respective campuses who gave communion to each other, they sat in the front and prayed. The sat there the whole like hour and a half and prayed. It was something to be seen lemme tell ya.

The next morning I woke up, took care of some details I had to do, and then I took my yearly walk. I remember one year I woke up really early every morning and walked out to Tim Hortons and did my devotion there. It was great just walking and enjoying God's creation around me. This year I walked around the campus. I sat by the river and did my devotion there. But I also stopped in various places, and prayed for the campus. Unfortunately nobody from Trent came to CC this year, but I know people on this campus and I hear good things about their fellowship here. But unfortunate as things go, sometimes Campus Challenge itself cannot reach some of the smaller or farther campuses. We really want to go and promote the conference because we believe in it, but with time and costs, sometimes it's not feasible. I truly apologie to all those campuses who maybe we did not reach to promote, or have never heard of the conference.

At the end, I was truly amazed by this Campus Challenge. Amidst all the trouble, hassle, and time spent in organizing, it really came through. I am amazed by God's work with this conference, truly at times I did not want to continue, but God MADE this conference. Only by God's grace did this conference happen, because at times it really felt like it wouldn't.

And now we must go on. Interesting comments made this weekend about me. Someone asked me if I worked for AFC. And I wonder to myself, a life of ministry? I guess people really do think this is an AFC run event. For those who out there think it is, it ISN'T. It's all student run. second thing someone said, they thought I was 26. And then when they said I wasn't, he said higher or lower. HIGHER OR LOWER? Do I look 30? And third thing, someone said I looked like Davin Yu. Like come on guys, I have hair! (Davin: Blog).

And the NUMBER 1 question asked of me that weekend, "Will you be back next year?". Here is my feeling all along. I totally believe te previous chair has a responsibility to at the very least be there to support the next chair. Do I think I'll be chair, no thank-you. But my intention has always been to stay on the committee for various reasons. It could be a possisive thing, but I will try my very best not to make it that. But I think it's moreso an experience thing, to pass on the knowledge to whomever comes along. I really feel it's a necessary thing to do, passing on the knowledge. In fact it's one of the central values of Campus Challenge. The only thing that would stop that from happening is if I am not in the country.

Thinking back on all my campus Challenges, I remember the first couple I kept on thinking to myself, it was not as great as my first year. But now, I can't even remember what happened in my first year there. I remember all the various types of people we had as speakers, from the charasmatic Donna Dong, to the theological Jeff Greenman. I remember one year, though I can't for the life of me remember which speaker it was introduced this breathing exercise. It was hard to do. It was like holding your breath for like ten seconds. For those non-swimmers out there like me, our lungs simply do not have the type of capacity. Just thinking back on the memories made there, the people I met there, some of which will never remember my name or whether they met me. But I must say, with th exception of a few people, I do try very hard to remember everyone I meet. Names are harder, but I won't forget meeting someone very often. Sorry for those of you that I do forget.

One of the best conversations I had that weekend was with someone from the UTCCF Committee. We were talking about Campus Challenge, and the participation in UTCCF. We got into the topic of elections, and my remembrance of it. I was telling her how this year I decided not to go to the elections, because what would be the point of me being there. I guess some can say for support in their ministry. But if I go, I may want to ask questions. Last year I went, with the intention of "grilling them". I don't think people of the past years have understood the purpose of this grilling. Some of the older people were talking how when they ran for committee, they would be grilled with really tough questions. the election process would not be easy for them. And I think I fit into that (if you want to call it) generation. But I guess I understood this year why this wasn't necessary or appropriate for me. I do not go to UTCCF, I hardly know them, it would not be right for me to come in, this one day and put them on the spot. And perhaps last year going in I was a bit out of line, and so I want to apologize to the previous UTCCF committee and those that ran for elections that year if I in any way offended you. It was not my intention, my intention was to bring forth questions to yourself of whether this was right for you. But in any case, I can see this person's point, of how it may seem from the receiving end a bit like attacking and making them look bad. Thanks for the conversation this weekend, this person probably does not read this blog, but I want to thank them anyways.

And so ends another year of Campus Challenge. Still have meeting left for those interested in joining next year's committee. We are meeting June 15th at 6:30PM and June 18th at 10AM, both held at AFC. Come out if you are remotely interested, no need to commit and sign you life away right away.