Passion 2007

A short write up about JAMs conference this year.

This year, Lily and Santhi decided to change the format of the conference.
More practical sharing sessions.
So they decided to increase the sharing sessions to 3, instead of the usual one session every year.
I had the privilege to share something that is close to my heart - on teaching.

It was a fun experience; a fun yet quite stressful one.
I was pretty tied up with school and personal matters last week.
Had to set 4 papers for exams; visit all JAMs students in the bus; do up editing project and prepare notes for the conference.

So, when i finished setting my last paper, finished my editing project last night, you can imagine the relief i feel. It feels the same as a year ago when i finished my A-level examinations (haha!!)
Anyway back to the conference.

It is challenging to try out new things. Especially since there seems to be less entertainment this year (no performance etc) in the conference. Also, no one knows how the teaching sessions will turn out to be - whether it will be applicable and relevant to the workers. And the time constraints were crazy.

If there is one person who deserves the credit for making this a huge success; (credit, not glory - all glory goes to GOD!) it must be Santhi...

She is the woman of details and of excellence; a perfectionist with a can-do attitude!
Actually, it takes a lot of adjustments from me to even "flow together" with her.
I am of detail; yet, my details are not as aesthetic like hers.
Sometimes i felt like telling her to just stick to what we have and not be sooo detailed.
Yet without her aesthetic feel; the conference will not be as successful - in fact, many times during JAMs service or big day, if there is no Santhi; the feel will just be normal; as in nothing new and fun and colourful.
It will really be just as status quo.

So, she undertook the whole project, delegated all the jobs (my goodness! She even brought BBQ skewers to try to beautify the place!)
If not for her, there would not be door gifts, no welcome song, no video, NO NOTES!
No structure.

So, I really need to applaud her and learn from her.

Many times when we prepare for things behind the scenes, no one sees it; and no one ever knows it.
And no one will know the effort you make, the problems you have to go through to get the smallest things done. And at the end of it, you have to affirm all other contributions from other people.
Yet no one really gives you enough affirmation for what you do.

It takes a really well esteemed person to not boast about themselves and move on after every success.
It takes a LEADER.
And she is one good leader - A VERY GOOD ONE

This is only a small affirmation I can give her - that she is one of the best organizers i have met.
Great teacher, Great visionary.

If not from the sessions taught, I have learnt so much from just working with one woman.
God sees your work in secret and will one day reward you publicly.