~ From the lens of an organiser’s family member
Since our parents were part of the coordinating team in charge of the ins and outs of the Family Rehlah, we, the children of the S.M.A.R.T.S* family, experienced a rather ‘behind-the-scenes’ perspective of the whole event. Part of this experience was the opportunity to not only observe our parents at work but to also help them out with various tasks as we participated in the various activities together with the rest of the participants.
Preparation
The night before the big day, the whole family was rushing to pack all the logistics, clothes, and items needed for the 3-day-2-night Rehlah. Luggage bags were wide open, Ziploc and plastic bags were strewn across the floor and clothes were piled up, awaiting their turn to be stuffed into one of the luggage bags. The three older brothers had to burn the midnight oil to assist their father in transporting the items and bags into the car. Needless to say, the second I slumped onto my bed, everything went dark. In hindsight, I would say that we did pretty well for a last-minute packing frenzy. Though yes, packing earlier would definitely have been better for us.
Setting Off
Four in the morning, and I awoke from my deep slumber amidst the wailings and cries of my blaring alarm. I was the first of the nine family members to rise on Day 1 of the Family Rehlah, indubitably excited to be the first one ready. We were all up and about just as the clock struck five. Having performed our sunnah musafir prayers, we took off with a smile on our faces and bags under our eyes.
And what is a journey without its tribulations? Our first test began at the Singapore Causeway. Despite our valiant efforts at waking up in the wee hours, we were greeted by a sea of bright red lights, forming a painfully long beeline of cars. This posed another difficulty. We have yet to perform our Subuh prayers, and Syuruk was approaching us by the second. Stuck in the midst of the bustling checkpoint, we had to take our ablution in the car using our water bottles, and prayed in the vehicle. Alhamdulillah, Allah made it easy for us to pray.
Advance Party
Throughout the rest of the journey, we were all either snoozing off or enjoying the scenic view of endless trees outside. Before we knew it, our destination, Tanjung Sepang Beach Resort, was in plain sight.
We got off and met Cik Safarin’s family, who were also part of the organisers and advance party. As our parents were busy with the checking-in of the rooms for the whole group arriving later, we got to work unloading the bags and logistic items. This was a rare opportunity to help our parents with work, hence we were all eager to help and be a part of it. Notwithstanding the fact that our tasks were relatively menial, the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment at the end were worth it.
Not too long after, we set off to the nearest supermarket to buy some refreshments for the participants. The supermarket was a long stretch of aisles upon aisles of products ranging from basic groceries to clothes and bags. We took our time to find the items we needed, such as bread and drinks. In the end, we filled up three baskets with cream buns, as well as a few cartons of drinks. It was a rare sight to see the checkout counter completely covered by cream buns. We even had to help out the two cashiers at the counter, sorting out the cream buns according to flavour. I would say that that was the highlight of this short shopping spree.
Ostrich Farm
The Desaru Ostrich Farm was where we were to first meet the rest of the participants. As we waited for the main group’s arrival, the welcoming staff introduced us to the ostrich egg. We were amazed by the variety of things one can do with the egg, such as using them in baking cakes, as well as using the eggshell as a lamp cover. The staff entertained us with a plethora of interesting ostrich facts and trivia, and soon after, the bus full of the Family Rehlah participants arrived.
We rushed to prepare the snacks and drinks we bought earlier. In groups, the families strolled into the farm and gradually the atmosphere became much livelier. In no time, we were in the farm as a large group. We learned more interesting facts about ostriches and their eggs and got the chance to feed them. We were hesitant when it came to feeding the large birds, but after seeing how fearless our little brother Suhayb was in feeding them, of course, we had to give it a go. All we needed was a slight push.
Family Games
The next few days were packed with games and activities. The activities I found most interesting were the family games organised by the committee. From the Family Bingo to the ‘Bored’ Games (Fun games for otherwise bored people!), the various games were planned in such a way that the families would interact with and get to know more about one another. Take for example, the ‘Bored’ games. Each family was to find another family and choose a board/card game to play together. That being the case, we did not play only amongst our own family members, but with others as well.
While the adults and younger adults entertained themselves with the card and board games, the children were in their own world of fun. Some were running around – every inch of the room was their playground – while another bunch was surrounding the foosball table, their laughter and joyful screams echoing off the walls. The room was a bustle of activity, and we enjoyed every second of it.
One of the best things inside that room was the snacks table. Conveniently placed at one side of the room, it supplied a cornucopia of refreshments, from Teh Tarik to biscuits, tidbits and light delicacies. We were welcomed to take as much as we pleased, and with so many options to choose from, we could hardly stop ourselves from going back to the snack table every few minutes or so.
Beach Fun
The beach happened to be one of the more iconic spots in that resort. After our Subuh prayers, my brothers and I would scurry over to the beach, which witnessed the sea in its low tide. We strolled along the shorelines, enjoying the gentle breeze and the feel of the soft sand beneath our feet. The horizon gradually grew brighter as the seconds went by, and not long after, we were greeted by an orange sky and a slow-rising sun. Subhanallah, the view was magnificent. Some of us took a timelapse of the rising sun, while others simply enjoyed the tranquility.
The afternoon activities at the beach were full of joy too. One of the family activities that took place was the sandcastle-building competition. The families were split into three groups and we were to work together to creatively construct our sandcastle. This activity was not only enjoyed by the children – the adults had fun too! In fact, most of the adults actively played a huge role in the making of their group’s castle. It was a sight to see, as everyone was busy contributing to their castle, be it by collecting water or sand, digging trenches, or even decorating the castle using seashells and rocks. Our group even had a tower made of a large piece of driftwood, which was definitely a point for creativity.
Local exploration
During one of the morning activities of this Rehlah, we older brothers explored the surrounding areas with the other families. We were exposed to new kinds of things, such as the architecture of the local buildings, the natural environment, the local residents, and many more. While all these were interesting and full of reflections to be made, the scorching heat of the sun was on my mind for most part of the journey. This made me realise how there were not as many trees or shaded walkways there as compared to Singapore, which made me grateful for our homeland.
In a nutshell, this Rehlah had been a fruitful and enjoyable one for us the S.M.A.R.T.S* children, as not only did we have fun with the other families, we also managed to help out behind the scenes and learn more about one another. We truly look forward to the next Family Rehlah or event that would allow us to meet the IMSGP family again, insyallah.
*S.M.A.R.T.S. is the family name my mother coined for us.