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Spiritual countdown 31 December 2007 It was the last day of 2007, and I went down to Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, not knowing what to expect. As an intern alumnus of its Youth Ministry, I had been involved in past events like Vesak and Ullambana. However, Spiritual Countdown was a first for me. Counting down at a monastery when my friends have asked me out sounded like an incredulous idea. I抦 glad I went in the end. As a volunteer who part-timed with the volunteer reporting counter, outreach booth and environmental team, I had the chance to interact with people whom I don抰 normally meet as a full-time student. Last Ullambana, I worked mostly with elderly volunteers. This time round, I found myself surrounded by volunteers in their 20s to 30s. Although we were undergoing markedly different stages of life, it was interesting to hear their stories and learn from their life experiences. I would never get such exposure if I had chosen not to volunteer for this event. I always enjoy hearing stories of others: they give me better insights into life as a whole ?not restricted to life at any one stage, and make me feel more grounded as a person. Having the chance to interact with so many people helps hone my communication skills as well; a most invaluable asset useful in everyday life. Taking a break from my volunteer duties, I went in to watch the performances. The monastery抯 very own Young Artistes Club (YAC) successfully got every member in the audience, both young and old, to clap to the beats of their pop-song numbers. Their youthful energy really hyped up the atmosphere! Malaysian Buddhist hymn group Messengers of Dharma was one of the highlights of Spiritual Countdown. Just before their performance, I managed to chat with Cedric, one of its members. I was touched to learn that they are a group of close childhood friends who wanted to make a difference to the Buddhist music scene in Malaysia. According to Cedric, they loved singing and wanted to create modern-sounding songs that would relate to youngsters. I was genuinely impressed when I heard MOD抯 first song, an a cappella piece in Pali titled Jayamangala Gatha. Their perfectly synched voices make them sound more like a full-time, professional group than an amateur one. I抦 sure the audience shared my sentiments, judging from the applause and positive energy that filled the hall. Extolling the Buddha抯 virtues, the song set the right tone for Spiritual Countdown by bringing the audience into a serene and peaceful mood. A Buddhist Wedding Song was another number that deserved a mention. Its light-hearted, catchy melody and modern lyrics really appealed to me; I never expected that such a song for Buddhist couples could be conceived! A 揜eflections?video recounting the significant events of 2007 was then shown. They included the unfortunate deaths of the five dragon-boaters, closure of the National Stadium, killings of monks in Myanmar, even the GST rise! These events were close to our hearts in many ways and the video really struck a chord in many of us. 揥ithout this countdown, I wouldn抰 have spared a thought about my past year. I feel I抳e been lacking in my spiritual practice. The video made me aware that so many things, from tragedies to proud moments like the launch of the Airbus A380, have happened in the past year,?said Michelle Tan, 40, one volunteer whom I抳e befriended over several events. I was also glad to have made a new friend, Weng Fai, while I helped out in the Environmental Team. He had been an active volunteer at various organisations for three years and this was his second time helping at Spiritual Countdown. As we chatted, Weng Fai left me with an insightful thought on volunteerism: 揂s volunteers, we come here with the same cause in mind, so we are spared of all the struggles and fights we so commonly see in society. That抯 why we experience blissful joy regardless of what we do.擨 definitely saw that in the elderly volunteers who helped at the bazaar. They were still filled with energy and zest when I chatted with them at 2 AM. I was greatly moved by the fact that they still had a ready smile for everyone despite their physically-demanding duties. When the monastery抯 abbot Ven. Kwang Sheng struck the bell to herald the beginning of year 2008, one of my many wishes was to share the same sacrificial spirit of these volunteers. What participants and volunteers say.... Jibin, 30: 揟his countdown is peaceful and quiet compared to rowdy parties happening in other places. It is very organised and orderly, despite the crowds. I will definitely come again next year.擬ichelle Tan, 40: 揟he hours are a bit too long and can be taxing for both volunteers and participants. It would be better if it was shorter.擶eng Fai, 40: 揌aving the bazaar this year is a very good idea as it attracts crowds. KMSPKS has a wide range of volunteers from all ages and a sound volunteer management system. It also seems to have more volunteers for this event compared to last year. |
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