Voices - Malaysia

Like all Firefly Mission trips, this trip to SBS has been a very fruitful and enjoyable one for me due to a few reasons. Firstly is because I have just finished my End-Of-Year examinations and is relaxing while awaiting my results so this trip serves as a relaxant for me and also doubles up as a reward too for finishing the school year.

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Secondly, there are many new faces and each one of them brings an element of refreshment because we get to talk to different people and not just to the same old-timers. They are like patches adding their own stories to the firefly mission quilt and this in turns make Firefly Mission more interesting and less mundane.

 

Thirdly, this trip is filled with visits to other Buddhist Organizations like Tzu Chi on Day 1 and Nalanda on Day 4 and is therefore very rewarding to our spiritual life. These organizations show us around their “campus”, as they serve as schools for the Dharma, and even host us for delicious lunches, they also inspire us as they have done much meaningful work too and have gained many supporters, even those from overseas.

 

Lastly, I enjoyed this trip very much too because like all Firefly Mission trips it has successfully incorporated the elements of relax and learning into the trip itinerary. No one will forget the beautiful hotels that we stayed in especially the boutique hotel on day 1 and the five-star hotel on day 3. All in all, I took a lot out of this trip and I hope to be able to go for more trips in the near future.

Having been on many firefly mission trips since I was still wearing diapers, as usual, this trip did not disappoint me. It is always a delight to see the aunties and uncles who are joining our trip for the first time coming in feeling welcomed and leaving as a part of firefly mission. Words really cannot express how the members, coming from different age groups ranging from children to elderly as old as their late eighties, coming together and traveling as a whole. There is really no other word to describe it other than magical. Sure, we all have our styles and ways of travelling but we can see that we all learn to adapt and accept one another and trying our best to accommodate and help each other, and due to my limited vocabulary, this is really an understatement. To read is not enough, but to experience is really what would leave you hanging for more of firefly mission activities.

 

This trip was not my first trip but it was indeed one that inspired. The place that I was greatly touched is the Nalanda center which we visited on the last day. Even though it was the second time visiting Nalanda, it was by far the most memorable one as the previous trip was very vague. This visit to Nalanda brought about fresh memories which really warmed the hearts of many. First off, I admire the way the Nalandians are so welcoming and that they are ever willing to lend a helping hand, they greet you with such a sincere smile that it would melt anyone’s heart. Secondly, I also look up to the way nalandians are always trying to benefit the people by expanding their center to accommodate more people and keeping the environment so conducive. Lastly, I literally cannot express how touched I was when we were leaving. It was raining and seeing the Nalandians smiling and holding umbrellas forming sort of like a shelter for us to walk so as to make sure we don’t get wet was really a touching sight. They smiled and held the umbrella up for us for us not minding their tired arms and I really, really appreciate their efforts.

 

All in all, joining the Firefly Mission family is a decision that one would never regret for life. So I sincerely encourage everybody to give it a shot.