Our Parish Priest allowed us to collect only RM20.00 from each participant (because quite a number of those going were young children, students and migrant workers). The amount that we collected was not enough to cover even the cost of the bus!!! Fr Lawrence told us that the church will come out with the rest of the money.
Anyway, Anna and I tried to raise some funds. God certainly worked His way into the hearts of many people. Donations were aplenty. More than enough, actually. There’s something in the Bible that goes like this: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." -Matthew 7:7
Our first stop was the Air Keroh Botanical Gardens. We had our breakfast of epok-epok, bananas, nasi lemak and mee siam over there - under the trees and observed by a lot of hungry monkeys. Next on the itinerary was the Butterfly and Reptile Sanctuary. We then proceeded to Melaka Raya for lunch at Restaurant Ole Sayang (Peranakan Cuisine). The afternoon was spent exploring St Paul ’s Hill, The Stadhuys and shopping along Jonker Street . I bought the famous Madam Goh Nyonya pineapple tarts and Nyonya bachang and then headed for a shop selling Nyonya laksa and iced cendol. Aah… simply delicious. I wanted to eat chicken rice balls, too – but the queue was just too long.
In the evening, we went to St Peter’s Church for sunset mass. There was tea waiting for us when we arrived. After mass, the Parish Priest and parishioners of St Peter’s gave us a delicious buffet dinner. Such hospitality.
I am very sure the participants enjoyed themselves. More importantly, after spending one whole day together, we became closer to each other. And that was the primary objective of organizing the trip.
So, what’s my next agenda?
Australia….. here I come !!!
