I wrote this article for my church campus ministry last semester, take time to read and be blessed…
Rise and shine! Take an initiative step to explore and discover the wonder of God’s creations really create a quantum leap in my ability to get closer to God and attune to His riches.
On the vibrant and pleasant morning, no matter how comfortably I was cocooned in my thick blanket, I have to leave my “comfort zone” to explore Gua Tempurung in Perak.
With expectant faces waiting for the adventurous trip, the sixteen of us ( campus students from BM&BI service ) were gathering at Pekaka at 6.45a.m. and we promptly split into two vans. Thanks Yun Leng and Hui Ping for driving the van for few hours.
By the time we reached our destination, ( it took approximately 3 hours by the way), all of us unanimously agreed to take the utmost challenge – the Grand Tour which is the most exciting, risky and challenging tour among all the other packages. Hehe, as the generation Y, we have the spirit and enthusiasm of adventure!
After the obligatory group photo, we headed towards Gua Tempurung energetically. As we take our first step into the cave, I can sense the intense feeling of pleasant excitement among us. Everyone was in a state of euphoria! With the efficient lead and funny explanation of the tour guide, we were so amazed by the natural formation of the limestone cave. The marvelous pillar of stalactites and stalagmites, the icicle-shaped formation and the crystal-like stones had caught our attention. The steady dripping of water is the natural techniques of sculpture in the cave. This nature art of carving and shaping figures on the wall of the cave are the master piece of the nature itself. The figures we saw are horse, bird, elephant, fox, soldier, statue, etc. It takes long period of time to form the unique structure and terrain of the cave.
Above is just the beginning part and “warm up” zone of the four hours tour. The more adventurous zone are beckoning us! As we soldier on, we expect the more challenging tasks. We climbed the long flights of the stairs which seems like no ending point, and Vanessa’s leg was shaking, haha! Along the way, we were wandering in the pitch darkness and stumbled over the rock due to uneven ground. It’s really complete darkness if we did not switch on our torch light.
Here’s the climax of the whole tour. It’s the most risky and challenging part. We have to climbed up and down the uneven rock face, slide down following the slope of the rock face without any safety equipments to continue the ascent or descent. So we have to develop the power of endurance and lend each other a helping hand. Be patient and understanding. We have to overcome all the obstacles to pass the test. I can see faces tense with anxiety, mental, emotional or nervous strain, screaming sound that is unable to control ( girls are expert in screaming besides crying :p ). We cheer up and encourage each other to relieve our tension and fear. Anyway, words of encouragement didn’t work to relieve the inner fear, and I found out girls can cope their fear by screaming that comes naturally. 
( screaming + crying = girls’ best weapon? ) Finally, we, the survivors reached the Top of the World! All the difficulties did not deter us from completing the mind and physical challenging task nor we complain but truly enjoy.
After the climbing and sliding, we are going to walk in the water, and for sure, we are to get wet! We keep all our things in the plastic bags to avoid any damages especially the mobile phone. We crawled and trudged in the water tunnels, the water level reach our knees and chests, we crouched and lower our body to avoid the hanging stalactites from the roof, and we squeezed through the narrow gap or restricted space in the cave. Some of us, especially the taller ones, have the higher possibility to hit the piece of rock protruding from the roof of the cave on the head. Hehe, it’s the disadvantage to the tall people to get in the cave. :p
After 4 hours of getting shielded from the sunlight, finally we saw the beam of light which is so warm and bright. We knew that we have reached the exit. Just like the ray of sunlight, a beam of pleasure, bright and happy look appeared on everyone’s warm face. The trip seems challenging and full of dangers, but surely it’s also full of series of excitements and fun. I really thank our lovely God that none of us get injured during the entire trip. On the other hand, it has been a therapeutic exercise during the semester break.
It was a fun outing. We have established a qualitative fellowship. Personally, I like this adventurous outing very much. It did not waste my good time of rest, but it taught me to appreciate my quality time with others and the mother nature. I learnt to socialize and dealing with all kinds of people in a different environment. Explorations or just spend time admiring the wonders of nature is one of the great way to serve as a recreational space in our hectic life. I have the deep affection for all kinds of adventurous explorations and expeditions related to nature. I am enriched by each place I had visited. It’s not just about testing our physical fitness or build up our stamina, but as well as train up our mental, emotional and social fitness, as we were put through a range of adventure disciplines. Here’s hoping that there will be more to come in future! :p
But true, there are many things left unfulfilled.
