Hill climbing at Broga

The trip was originally organised by my homefellowship leader, but it didn't work out cuz he sprained his leg.

So, 2 weeks ago on a Saturday, my family and I went up to Broga Hill in Semenyih. My dad wanted to see the sunrise. I wanted to see the sunset. (One and only reason: I don't have to wake up so FREAKIN' early)

We went for the sunrise. *with eyelids half-closed*

But too bad, we left the house quite late - nearly 6 by the time we hit the highway. It took us about an hour or so to reach Semenyih. And it was about 7 when we started to climb! (Note: Sunrise time is around 6.30-7am)
-_________-

The sun was starting to peek out from the clouds when we were walking to the foot of the hill.





I didn't take much photos when I was climbing because it's dangerous to hold something (especially if it's valuable like your camera!!!) while climbing such steep hills.

FIRST, you'll probably lose your balance and fall (the worst thing).
SECOND, you'll probably drop your camera when you fall.

I was huffing and puffing like craaaazy when I haven't even gone up to a quarter of the hill. Unhealthy, much? =/

It's better to go in a group, because some parts are tough to climb. So having lots of people around you makes it quite safer.

After and hour or so of climbing, we finally reached the top. Okay not really to the top, but almost to three quarters of the way, heh.

Sooo, I suppose the scenery after the magical moment looks like this?



Still *huff* on *puff* the *huff* way.... *breathes in*





After a few more minutes. Now this, is three quarters. =)



I'm not sure about the organic farm that arrow is supposed to be pointing at. Quite a lot of people were resting at this place. Yes me included. (duhhhh!)



I'm on top of the hill!!!!!!! *not really* Oh shaddap.







Well, it was a public holiday so it's no surprised that many people were there. Yeah.. so we were sort of in a group :P



Whispers: I don't see the attraction of Broga Hills though. And the excitement of climbing. Oh my, I hope I make it down alive.

Peace-ing at three quarters. I am SO NOT climbing the last part.





Nope, I'm certainly not climbing the last part. Look how freaking steep it is?! Some even just slide down O.O



Oh by the way, I saw some instructors from Outbac Broga. They give free hiking trips (if you join the camp that is). More info if you click the link.

Okay, last view of the scenery! (Nothing much to see actually, except the clouds and the far faraway hills -.-)



I'm so going down already. Okay wait. I dread going down.

Thinks: Perhaps I should just stay on top for the rest of my life.. *bites fingernails*

Oh before that, look what I found:



It's not only one pair of shoes, mind you. A few pairs were dangling by their shoelaces! Whoaa what were those people thinking? o.O Leaving their mark on Broga Hills, L-O-L!

My mixed-expression face. Tired, annoyed, frustrated, amused, scared.


One LAST view.



Going down is definitely creepier than climbing up, in my honest opinion. Cling on to your partner for goodness' sake! It's important to wear shoes with strong grips on the soles, to prevent slipping.

Finally, at the end of the climb. This is the part before the actual hill. It's full of palm oil trees (Is that it? Or whatever you call it) so you'll know.



I love the sun rays streaming down to earth! :P



Spotted a cutey tiny plant.



A whole tree of cempedak! Or jack fruit. Erm, nangka? Okay seriously, I'm always confused between these three. I just can't remember which is which! *Like, is jack fruit called cempedak in Malay, or nangka?* And I don't bother to -.-



Think it was 8 something then. Many people were going down too. It's much safer as I told you before. Lots of hands will grab you if you fall. Hopefully.





1.7km almost drained out much of my energy already. 4.8km ahh!?!? Don't even think about it man, haha.





P/S: A note of advice. Start your journey up the hill by 5.30am to catch the sunrise. You do not want to regret.

Time to cross books!

Have you ever heard of BookCrossing?

Well, I never - until last week when I went to 1Utama in Bandar Damansara. I was walking through Ground Floor Highstreet and I spotted this bookshelf located at the side of the walkway.



Normally people won't give a care about a random bookshelf in a shopping centre, but being the book-lover that I always am, I walked over to check it out. A big poster caught my attention.



BookCrossing is defined as "the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise." The term is derived from bookcrossing.com, a free online book club which began in order to encourage the practice, aiming to "make the whole world a library."

BookCrossing literally opened a whole new world for me. I love their concept; it's so creative! And what's a better way to get more people interested in books by using such an interesting method?

Also, bookaholics can now have a chance to share their books instead of not touching them anymore after a few reads.

New York Times quoted: "If you love your books, let them go."

So, how do you get started?

1. Find books at home that you'll like to share with others
2. Register at http://www.bookcrossing.com/ for a Book ID number
3. Pick up a free book sticker label at BookCross@1U
4. Write down you Book ID number
5. Leave books on lounge bookshelf
6. Log online to see who has found and read you bookBookCrossing is perfectly described as the modern day "message in a bottle". It's like a mystery when you pick up a book at BookCross and wonder whose book might that be. The owner may turn out to be of someone you actually know!

Furthermore, it's a fun way to make friends with people who has picked up your book. It really supports BookCrossing's mission to connect people through books!



1Utama is proudly the first mall in Asia to have a BookCrossing Zone, so those interested can head on to 1Utama or http://www.bookcrossing.com/ for more info.



“A book is not only a friend, it makes friends for you. When you have possessed a book with mind and spirit, you are enriched. But when you pass it on you are enriched threefold.”

— Henry Miller
The Books In My Life (1969)

Happy reading!

How awesome is our God!? :)

As a Christian for so many years, I've heard countless testimonies about people experiencing God in such a powerful way that I do not fail to go "WOW. WOW. WOW!" every single time.

Honestly, those out-of-the-world experiences never did happen to me. Well sure, a number of times God answered my prayers and.. I just felt that, wow God is such an amazing God. He does wonderful things, He answered my prayers miraculously which always leaves me in a state of disbelief.

Which continued to: God. Is. Real.

All those testimonies that I heard over the years.. they seem distant, so surreal that I find it hard to put them in my line of thinking. They always say "God spoke to me". But I always wonder, how did God spoke to them? In which way? What did they experience? Supernatural feelings all of a sudden?

Until recently, my childhood friend shared a wonderful testimony. It involved one of my close friend's brother, which kinda brought something real close to my heart. I felt really encouraged by her story, and I hope to share it with all of you out there (:

"At times, YOU can hear God telling you to do something, you're pretty sure about that, but you just don't have the guts to do so. It's because I experience the same thing. Apparently everyone does, and so my story is to encourage all those who got some "weird" ideas or compulsion to DO something, but are just afraid of what people might think.

That morning I went to school, I was revising halfway when I heard my classmates gossiping.

"..really? He's got depression?"

"I heard it was insomnia and anxiety. Had to see the psychiatrist!"

Later I found out that it was one of my classmates, YL, who had been absent for a few weeks. I didn't know the whole story yet, but apparently he came back to school today...

When he walked into the class..i had this urge to pray for him. I told God, " Well God, if You really want me to pray for him. Then let him stay slightly later in class during recess. I don't want to pray when all his buddies are around."

*note: His buddies are anti-God I'd say. They actually told him that no God can help him. They don't need a God to help them. All you have to do is to trust yourself.! >~<'''

Great. They say it so loudly just before i had the urge to pray. I'm scared that they'll probably make fun of me...But You have to make a stand.

Recess came, and YL didn't stay back: Aha! God, he didn't stay back, maybe prayer isn't today.

To my surprise, as i was on the way to the library, I bumped into him ( and his buddies). My mind was going: Okay, okay God. Today. TODAY!

So I dragged him out of the library, told him i wanted to pray for him.

I was praying halfway and one of his friends came out questioning me, " What are you trying to do larh~ You think it'll help him sleep meh?" I continued praying.

Recess was over and i headed back to class. Here's the most interesting part. I had a STRONG impression that i had to write a letter to YL. The letter must have

(a) "God loves you."

(b) and a verse from Psalms attached!( It was clear, the verse Must come from Psalms. But Psalms has 150 chapters! =.= )

I hesitated. I don't know this classmate of mine. Really, you can be in class for the whole year through and not know anything else of the other person than the basics. I thought, my mind was playing games, again. I told Darryl, a new believer, about it.

It's crazy. You don't go up to a stranger and tells him, "God loves you." or write him a letter. There was so much internal struggles.

His advice : It's from God right? You're sure about that. Then do it lah~ You've got nothing to lose!

(Goodness, he's so new, yet he's more willing to do bizzare things for God than me, a 6-year-old Christian. Shame on me XD~ )

"But what about the Psalms thing?" I asked.

" I'll look for it. You start writing."

I finished my letter. One portion was blanked to fill The-Psalms-Verse, which will magically "pop" out in 150 chapters. Honestly, i have doubts.

But when it came, Darryl flipped open the bible-----and there it was, right before your very eyes, no hassle---- the verse was:-

Psalms 4:8
"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

How could it be? God gave me the Perfect verse because he knows everything. He knows, that YL had a tough time sleeping, waking average or 6-7 times at night.

I can only obey now. And i did. I shove the letter to him. And he asked me in what name I was praying for him earlier, he said he felt at peace. I told him I'm a Christian, and God asked me to pray and pass this letter to him. I made it clear that it wasn't me, it was God.

I told him, that if he couldn't sleep, read the verse, put it under his pillow, and he'll get sleep. I don't know what gave me the guts to say that. All i know is that if God wanted to reached out to him, He'll make His name known.

The next day, he was absent. I was thinking whether the verse worked. I had been praying hard for 2 days. The next day, he came up to me. He said, " Beatrice, you're method worked! I slept through that night! I want to know more about this God you pray to.."

I can only smile. That was 2 weeks ago. He still keeps asking and wanting to know more about this God that wants to have a relationship with humans, just as they are =)

Be bold, be courages! My brothers and sisters.
If your idea is crazy, then be crazy for God!


*P.s.
today is 20/5/2011
My prayer was answered. YL went to church on his own initiative. I was not expecting that to come so soon. Praise God! It blows my mind how obedience works. It didn't just changed my mind. It changed his life. AMEN! =D "

I'm hoping that someday I will experience God in a ground-breaking way too, and I can use my testimony to inspire others as well :P

P.S. Read more on true christian stories here =] http://community.urtherevolution.com/Story/List/id/1