It took me like almost a month to post up this post. Was and still am very busy with the projects especially on Project Care and my production assignments for FTV334. At least I have a minute to sit down now to write a little bit on my trip to Long Makabar.
An hour of tarred road, 3 hours of 'lubang-lubang' road and another 5 hours on timber road. That's how far we had to go to reach our final destination.
The team departed on the 21st August 2008 to a mission to see the livelihood of the people in the rural area. We finally chose Long Makabar and along with MERCY Malaysia Miri Chapter, we travelled into the jungle of Sarawak and found this little village called Long Makabar.
First time travelling on a Hilux for 8 hours really drains everyone. I was also taking video along the way only until I made a wrong decision to turn around and take the back of the car which causes me to feel so dizzy and finally had my car-sick!
...this is how I take videos in the car...
Will cut to the chase... and fill everything up with photos!
...somewhere about to reach the village...
Half way through, we stopped at Long Lapok for a meal and continued until reaching the village at 4.30pm. It was tiring but we continued unpacking and cooked our dinner and prepared for a village meeting that night itself to plan for the activities for the next day.
...our pit stop at Long Lapok...
...that's me with the PD170...
Day 2
Woke up early in the morning and time to start our work. Some of us helped MERCY with the medical relief mission in eye-checking, deworming, etc. Later, we had some time with the children, teaching them our dance and had them to decorate our banner with their handprints. At the same time, Catherine, Gerain and I went all out to the village to take videos and photos for our documentary. First day was all about helping the villagers out in any means that we can.
...sleeping outside the verandah...
...interviewing Shahul...
...Johan and Gerain busy with the eye-checks...
...Suhas making his very own 'adut'...
...Kah Yi and baby Patricia...
...me exhausted after a whole round around the village...
...Catherine just loves this photo...
Day 3
It was all about fun! First thing in the morning was the paddy planting. I was wondering...how do we plant paddy when we're on top of a mountain...and to my surprise, we had to plant the paddy along the hillside...........!!!!! Along with my PD170, I climbed the hill and reached the top where I took videos of the people planting them. It took me a long while to get myself and the camera safely on the ground. Later after that, we were brought to a river (1/2 hour Hilux drive) and again, shockingly, I had to cross the river, climbed to the land, down the river to get to a shed they prepared for us. We had fishes, frogs, deer meat.......................... That night was fantastic. We had dances from the villagers and even Project Care went up for our own performances! We were all given souvenirs by the head of village as a token of appreciation.
...a little excited...why? look at the picture below~
...that's Catherine, Gerain and I at the back of a moving HILUX!!!...
...after the paddy planting with our faces smudged with charcoal...
(Jennie, Kah Yi, Tili, Gerain and me)
...syok sendiri with charcoalled face...
...the rest of the team at the back of the Hilux...
...this is how we had to walk to get to the picnic site...
Day 4
Time to pack and leave the village to continue on our Project Care. It was hard to say goodbye to the children and the elders alike. They had been like our family. Some shed tears, some waved goodbye but the memories will last forever. Another 8 hours drive back to Miri~
...see how 'fatherly' Suhas and Gerain is with the kids...
...and see how 'motherly' Ming Yi is...
...another syok sendiri before leaving Long Makabar...
...the one and only photo of us with the Cultural Center...
...a sneak peak to our horrifying legs with sand flies bites...
...finally upon reaching Miri...
everyone was exhausted!
It was a great experience to be there. I saw many things that I couldn't imagine. I felt many emotions being around the villagers. It was an opportunity of a lifetime to live in such a place. We, Project Care came back with a mission; to help the people of Long Makabar, to give light to the people of Long Makabar!
...the team (Project Care and MERCY Malaysia)
One thing for sure, we will be back again~!
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