With the goals of imparting values of filial piety and cultivation of a virtuous and compassionate character that cares for people, the organizing committee for the Tzu Chi Teenagers’ Camp dedicated their heart and soul in the planning of the camp activities. In comparison to previous camps, this year’s Teenagers’ Camp involved the graduating batch from the Tzu Chi Teenagers’ Class. Picture:The various station games that made up the camp activities challenged the teenagers both physically and mentally.  The interesting games, coupled with Tzu Chi humanities, generated an enthusiastic participation from the campers.

As the camp song was played, everybody began dancing to it to shake away the sleepiness.

At the medical station, the teenagers were taught by TIMA volunteers on the application of basic first aid during emergency.

Through hands-on experience at the recycling station, the teenagers are shown ways to care for the environment.

The loving words from their parents touched the teenagers as they read the letters with tears of joy flowing.

“Stringing Heart to Heart” allows the teenager to express their love and appreciation for their parents as well as to repent on their mistakes.

Through imitating a pregnant mother in ”The Greatness of Mother”, the teenagers learn to appreciate the hardships their mother went through during pregnancy.  One of hardships involves the inflating of balloons to experience a pregnant mother’s difficulty in breathing.

The teenagers have to perform housework with a 3kg rice-sack tied to their waist. This serves to give them an understanding of the difficulties that a mother is experiencing during her ten months of pregnancy.

After some brainstorming, the teenagers and their group leader performed part of the Great Love Drama Serials.

The teenagers from the various groups shared their thoughts and feelings on the things they have learnt during the camp through colourful drawings.

Being together for two days, the teenagers become closer with one another through deeper understanding.  They also feel that everybody is easy to get along with as long as one is accommodating.

How should a child be good to his parents?

At a group discussion in the camp, many of the campers discussed about their views about filial piety.  Lau Zi Quan felt that children should help out with the household chores whenever possible; Wu Xin Hong believed that children should not cause any worries to their parents; Su Hui Shan considered that she should study hard for the moment.

Nevertheless, all of them felt that having gone through the rebellious teenage days, they have gradually become more appreciative of their parents’ love and the things their parents had done for them. 

The parents’ ultimate motive is always for the good of the children.  Thus, if only both parent and child had more trust and communication between one another, there will be more harmony in family.

What is true filial piety?

Master Cheng Yen once shared, “Being filial is not just about obeying our parents.  We must also be respectful in treating and speaking with them, such that they’d feel joyful and not cause them to be angry, hurt or worry.”

With the goals of imparting values of filial piety and cultivation of a virtuous and compassionate character that cares for people, the organizing committee painstakingly dedicated their time and energy in the planning of the two-day and one-night camp.  

In this finale to the one-year coursework for the class, the organizing committee drew on the theme, “Be Good to Our Parents and Be Loving to All”, to provide opportunities for the teenagers to reflect and repent.

The opening of the camp at the solemn and serene Jing Si Hall on 15 November, commenced with Brother Chen Zhao Yun leading the campers in a prayer. Together everyone kneeled before the Buddha praying for all human hearts to be purified, society to be in harmony and a world with no disasters. This has always been the Master’s three vows which she had been working tirelessly for.

As exams were just over, the teenagers were having a lot of fun with their friends in the Hall, their faces beaming with joy and innocence.

The first day of activities that were lined up for them comprised of a station game named “Race for Love”.  In the game, the campers were brought into a scenario of a rural area with poor medical facilities. They need to learn and apply the basic medical first aid. While doing so, they have to display team spirit, leadership and professionalism simultaneously.

At the station on garbage recycling, campers were taught on ways to care for the environment in their daily life. They were also thought on how to look after their body and mind, by learning the preparation of vegetarian food. 

A letter from dad and mum

Back in the Hall, the teenagers watched attentively a movie titled, “Mum in Heaven”.  This real-life story about a cancer-stricken mother trying her best to teach her children to stand on their feet and be independent had many moving scenes that tinkle the emotions of the campers. 

Li Yan Pin disclosed, “After watching the movie, I could recall the days when my mum write notes to teach me how to do household chores.  She must have been worried about me. Sometimes, I will be reprimanded for not doing things correctly.  But as I think back, I now see it as a nagging love from my mother.”

Just as the touching scenes were still lingering in the campers’ mind, they were greeted with a letter handwritten by their parents. As they read with much eagerness the letter which could possibly be the first from home, some of them could no longer control their emotions.  Tears of joy and regret filled their eyes. A few of them had to be comforted by their fellow campers. Some sat quietly with heads down, shedding tears as they reminisced over their parents’ affection.  This had to be an unforgettable moment for many of them.

Relating to the movie illustration that a child may not have a chance to care for his aged parents, Chen Xin Yi shared, “I am very touched by the story.  When I read the letter from my dad, I can see that there are many things he wanted to say but has never said to me. I did not know there are so many things that my parents wanted to share with me until today.”

The short movie and a letter from home brought the campers to the next activity “Stringing Heart to Heart”, where they also expressed their love for their parents in a letter. 

With little guidance from the group leaders, the campers penned down their feelings on the papers given. After tonight, the letters with thoughts of gratefulness or regrets will be in the hands of the campers’ dearest parents.

It is hoped that all hearts could be opened to a greater extent, and both parents and child would gain a better understanding of their love for each other. 

Experiencing the Hardship of Pregnancy

On the second day, the teenagers had to role-play in “The Greatness of Mother”, as a way to educate them in understanding the hardships of being parents.

Firstly, the teenagers were grouped into two, one group to perform house chores and the second group to experience the body transformation during the stages of pregnancy. 

When the teenagers were asked to tie a 3-kg rice sack over their waist, to simulate pregnancy, they were stunned and did not know what to do. 

Indeed, a mother has to experience numerous challenges in her daily activities.  Some mothers experience swollen feet, water retention, and her movement become slower as the foetus grows. 

In the simulation game, “2-man, 3-leg”, grouping in pairs, the teenagers’ legs were tied together, leaving them to experience the difficulties a pregnant mother faced while moving around. While “Balloon Blowing” left the children gasping for breath, mimicking a pregnant mother having difficulties in breathing.  “Sit-Up” simulates getting in and out from bed.  It may look simple and easy, but it proved to be arduous task for a pregnant mother.  At times, the mother can neither sleep nor eat well with the excruciating pain from the foetus performing somersault in the womb. Thus, during the ten months of pregnancy, the mother has to avoid exercise that involved large movement like rope-skipping and be extra cautious in whatever she does so as not to hurt the fragile life in her womb. 

Back to the group that was performing house chores, it is not difficult to notice that children these days are rather unfamiliar with domestic work.  Many of the campers have little experience in cleaning up the floor and windows, or washing the dishes. While hanging on to the 3-kg rice sack, within seconds, we could see them perspiring heavily.

Heng Wei Bin, who was conscientiously doing his chores, could not resist asking his group leader how heavy a baby weighs in the womb.

“I was told that 3-kg of rice is not the actual weight, but a few times heavier!”  The boy expressed in astonishment.  “I think my mother really suffers when carrying me.  She had to bear with all the pain and hardships to continue doing the housework. This is really not easy, sweeping, bending up and down with the weight, it really slow me down.”

Indeed, the teenagers drew great inspirations from these little acts.  Wang Zhi Jia said, “I am now more aware of my parents’ love for me and I also get to understand why I must take good care of myself, be good to my parents and to study hard in school, which is my primary responsibility now.”

A ceremony of memories

As campers watched attentively to a video titled “Responsibilities in Life”, Master Cheng Yen said that our body is a gift from our parents, thus we have the responsibility to take good care of it. By doing so, we are repaying our parents’ kindness.

The Master also advised against indulging in fictitious object such as tattooing and body piercing to attract attention, but rather to make use of our healthy body to do more good deeds.

After all the fun and games, the campers had become very closed with one another.  This was due to the deeper understanding of their fellow friends through the various activities. They soon realized that it is not that difficult to get along with others as long as one remained accommodating.  This could be evidenced from their soaring team spirit at the camp’s finale. 

The camp came to a closing with a screening of photos and videos captured over the past two days.  Following that, the campers were told to portray their feelings and thoughts on the papers given. One after another, they pieced together their colourful memories, depicting the wonderful lessons they had learned from the camp. 

Everyone who was involved in the camp received a precious CD compilation of the class activities over the past one year, comprising the monthly reports, pre-exam blessings, outdoor learning tours, students’ sharing, as well as powerpoint slides.  It is indeed a record of the students’ growing up journey. 

Brother Chen Zhao Yun expressed appreciation to the splendid participation and enthusiasm of all the staff volunteers in the Tzu Chi Teenagers’ Class.  The volunteers were very cooperative and understanding and demonstrated a good example of Great Love spirit, regardless of the groups they were involved in.

As the camp song “First Ray of Sunshine” was played once again, the volunteers and the campers mingled together, holding hands and dancing to it.  As they sang along, they also felt high-spirited and joyful. The warmth of the scene once again displayed the closeness of this large Tzu Chi family. 

Camper Du Jia Yu shared smilingly, “Due to my involvement in the camp, I had to put aside my problems temporarily. But strangely, I have found more courage and confidence to deal with it after this camp!  I am grateful to be here and this joy in my heart is awesome!”