1st KL Boys' Brigade Company

The following speech is dedicated to all 1st KL boys – this was delivered by Mr Yee before the Thanksgiving tea on 19th June 2010

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A HEART’s description

Now boys, our heart is basically a hollow muscular pump, which pushes the blood through out our body via the blood vessels. A normal-sized healthy heart is roughly the same size as a fist.  It is located between the lungs and slightly to the left of center. It begins to pump early in the life of a fetus and will continue until you die. For those who are good with science, you may know that the right atrium receives the used blood, and the left ventricle pumps the new blood out to the rest of the body.

1^st KL heart

But what I am going to share with you today is not the heart we learn in the science book, but what a 1^st KL heart looks like. Specifically, my very own 1^st KL BB heart.

My heart is looks just like any other heart, with 2 chambers on the left and 2 on the right. Each chamber is very important but one chamber is the most important of them all. Today I am going to let you peep inside my heart and see what lies inside…

My story

In the first 2 chambers – the right side, is where I first discover my BB brotherhood. Remember, the right atrium receives blood? Yes, it is where I store all the early memories of coming to 1stKL in the beginning years. Do you know how old I was when I first joined 1^st KL? I joined when I was in Standard 5. Now that must have been.. I don’t know.. 25 over years now? I remembered the first year I joined, we were called to join in the BB Worldwide Centennial camp. I had some much fun there! Then, we got an invitation to go to another Centennial camp in Penang at the end of the same year. Wow… of course I wanted to go! But… I was slotted for a family overseas trip during the same time, but I was so raring to go! You know what happened? I had an officer who took up the effort to arrange for the bus to wait and pick me up as soon as I touched down at Subang airport, and together, we went up to Penang for the camp. Of course I enjoyed the camp, I got to see a new place, be with my friends, and it’s all thanks to one officer who took the effort to do this for me.

Sleeping Bag

During my senior year, I forgot to bring my sleeping bag to a camp. Die loh! Last time, we did not have handphones to call home, so I thought I’d have to endure a very cold night at the Youth Centre. But you know what? While struggling to sleep on a very cold floor, one of the senior Boys came to place his blanket over me. That action really warmed my heart. And today, this guy is one my close friend. That’s really called, brotherhood.

Left side

So if that is what’s on the right… what is on the left side of my heart?

It’s the nourishment, the friendship, the teachings of God and the mentors I had from 1^st KL. It is the memories of the officer who helped me get to Penang, the senior who shared his blanket, and so many other people who touched my life. Just as the blood flows from the lungs into the left ventricle to be pumped into the rest of the body, I have a desire to come back to serve, to give back to the rest of you here, what I have received in my own years of coming to 1^st KL.

Future

I am confident that we have a great future ahead, and I am confident that all of you boys and officers over here will give your truly best to serve in whatever you are doing. Be it at drill, band, dancing, cooking competition, awards class, KUL games, even your own personal life, exams, piano or music class – I want to see the best of the 1^st KL spirit in all of you in all areas of your life.

And later, we’re going to have a thanksgiving tea. But what are we giving thanks for? Boys, remember the heart? We have 4 chambers, 2 on the left, 2 on the right. And the wall what holds them together is called the pericardium. Similarly, for my 1^st KL heart, the wall that hold all of this memories and desires together, is God, and God alone. And if I look back 25 years ago, God has already planned all these events for me.

Thanksgiving

Does anyone want to try to list out what we can give thanks to God for today?  Yes. We want to give thanks to God for all the things He has blessed us with – good health, good weather, safe journey, brothers and sisters at the camp, what else… the officers who worked in front and behind the scenes, the non-stop supply of water and snacks for each practice, for the band instructor, for the dancing and singing instructors, for the people who prayed for each and everyone of you, for the parents who drove you to and fro every week, for the parents who worked to prepare the food at the camp – all of this does not come cheap because all of this comes under God’s grace and God did all of this because He loves all of you. Yes, we want to give thanks to a God who hears us and loves us and wants the best for us.

The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

And most importantly, in Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Now all your hearts are being nourished – all your 1^st KL memories are being pumped and stored on the right side of your atrium. All the hours you have put in, will definitely not go to waste. And someday, I truly pray, you will come back, and be like me, be like the officers, standing in front of your own boys, and let the left side of your heart bless the lives of the next 1^st KL generation. And remember God’s promise, that when we call, He will always be with us. Let us come and enjoy the PESTA memories.

Hey, here’s a heads-up to the Bible Quiz coming up on 31st July 2010 (postponed from 17 July).. a mere 3 weeks from now. The following teams were registered to participate:

Senior Section (Form 4-6) (New International Version)

• 50 objective, 10 subjective
• Text taken from: Exodus 19:1 – Exodus 40:38

1. Team B1 – Loi Kah Hoe, Loi Kin Hoe, Lee Jia Sheng, Lee Jia Wen
2. Team B2 – Sharan, Jonathan Chooi, Kwonh Tjun Yip, Goh Yu Shaun, Andy Yem

Senior Section (Form 1-3) (New International Version)

• 40 objective, 5 subjective
• Text taken from: Exodus 12:31 – Exodus 18:27

1. Team C1 - Leong Rong Fei, Au Kar Fei, Liew Zhen Yuan, Daniel Ooi
2. Team C2 – Alvin Ho, Lu Yi Wen, Justin Choo, Eric Arvyndra

Junior Section (Std 3-6) (Good News Version)

• 40 objective
• Text taken from: Exodus 1:1 – Exodus 12:30

1. Team D1 – Loi Kit Hoe, Pang Ding Kang, Lu Hwang, Adam Chew, Jord Cheah
2. Team D2 – Victor Devadason, Dominic Seow, Adrian Poh, Sean Ho, Isaac Chow
3. Team D3 – Loi Teng Yue, Jaron Tan, Sean Ooi,Calwyn Chin, Steven Wong

Here’s wishing all the best to all of you boys! And always remember, that we serve a God who never fails!