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9th September 2026 |
My three-day leave began. However, I visited the USM medical center (Pusat Sejahtera) because my cough had worsened. The doctor mentioned that seasonal haze was causing respiratory issues—I realized my throat had started feeling bad after a walk at the USM stadium the previous Friday. The doctor issued a two-day medical certificate (MC) for a swollen throat and heavy phlegm. I informed my boss, clarifying that I still intended to attend the conference as planned. At home, my mum’s state of mind grew increasingly disorganized when she realized I was leaving. She kept asking about her daily medication, despite the clear Chinese labels ("Morning" and "Night") I had placed on her pill packets. She expressed fear about being alone and disappointment that she couldn’t come along. (She suffers from severe motion sickness, so traveling long distances wasn't an option for her.) What enemy scheme was trying to stop me from attending the conference and spending three days with God? At one point, overwhelmed by stress, I had an emotional breakdown and cried, offering to cancel my trip to stay with her. Surprisingly, after my outburst, my mum calmed down and became much more supportive. She helped fold my clothes and pack my bag. Before leaving, I wanted someone to pray over my mum. May offered to lead a prayer when she arrived. We invited my mum into May's car, where May prayed in English for her peace of mind, safety, and routine while I was away. After the prayer, May walked my mum safely back to the lift. A wave of relief washed over me as we drove away. I fully surrendered my mum into God's hands. When we arrived at May's house, I realized I had forgotten to pack sleepwear. Fortunately, I had packed pants with elastic waistbands. May kindly lent me a round-neck t-shirt for the trip. After a lovely home-cooked dinner prepared by May’s auntie, I got a restful night's sleep. |
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10th September 2026 |
I woke up at 3:15 a.m., an hour before my alarm. Unable to fall back asleep, I lay in bed reviewing WhatsApp updates and praying. Around 5:00 a.m., May brought me two Quick Bites cream rolls and helped me administer my cough syrup. John drove me to Dewan Sri Pinang, where many Kingdomcity members were already gathering. Our chartered bus departed promptly at 6:00 a.m. after an opening prayer. We picked up members on the mainland before heading straight to SCCC, stopping only for toilet breaks. The bus leaders provided bread and mineral water, and we arrived safely at the venue just before the 1:00 p.m. opening session.  I placed my luggage and carry bag on the seat of my four-wheeled rollator and pushed it along without much difficulty. Candy, one of our members, guided me from the drop-off point to the registration area to collect my wristband for the conference—which I should have collected earlier at our hub. I waited outside while Candy went in to pick it up using my phone number. After helping me put on the wristband, Candy explained that she had to leave me, as her two teenage sons needed her as well. The venue was packed, with around 12,000 registered participants, including roughly 1,000 children aged 2 to 12. The Kids Conference was held in a separate building, a long walk from Main Halls 1 and 2. There was also a dedicated auditorium for parents with children under two, featuring a live stream of the main hall proceedings.  I was completely fine being on my own at the venue. In fact, that was what I wanted, especially since I had attended the past two years. I walked to the main entrance, where a volunteer usher welcomed and escorted me inside toward the designated seats on the left, somewhere in the middle of the hall. One or two seats in those rows were reserved for OKUs (persons with disabilities). Along the way, I was handed off from one usher to another, as they were assigned to specific sections of the massive hall. I felt a bit disappointed when I wasn't allowed to sit farther toward the front, even when I arrived early the next day. However, I learned that OKUs were advised to sit there because of its proximity to the exit, which was crucial for emergency safety. During the short break between the first two sessions, I ate my second Quick Bites Cream Roll, which Mei had bought for me while I stayed in my seat. I was sad that I couldn’t enjoy any cold, refreshing drinks sold at the venue because of my cough. How nice it would have been to have a cold drink, especially after all the rushing around! However, my health had to come first—especially since I was outstation and wanted to be physically capable of worshipping the Lord. I was completely comfortable sitting among people who were not from Penang and whom I didn't know. Though we were strangers—perhaps even from different countries—we shared a sense of love, humanity, and the same Kingdomcity culture. |
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10th September 2026 |
Elizabeth and I first met at the Lost and Found counter beside the main entrance of the hall. She had been walking up and down searching for me earlier without success until we finally spotted each other at the counter. We agreed that the counter would be our designated meeting spot after the last session for the next two days. I didn't want to cling to her for the entire day, as I wanted her to have time to connect with her own friends. She guided me out to the roadside where RELA officers were stationed, and I waited there while she went to take her car. We planned to go to our booked apartment to check in during the one-hour window before the third session started at 6:30 p.m. When we reached the apartment building, we struggled to figure out the check-in procedure and where to park. Elizabeth went to retrieve the key from the owner's mailbox while I sat in the car waiting for her. After opening the mailbox, she found a small steel lockbox inside. Having no idea what the passcode combination was, she brought the lockbox back to the car. We called Auntie Gullie to help us contact the owner. It was completely different from checking into a standard hotel. I realized then that I shouldn't have taken things for granted. Auntie Gullie had actually forwarded all the check-in guidelines to me while we were on the bus, but I had only glanced at the PDF and forwarded it to Elizabeth, expecting her to handle everything. I had forgotten how Auntie Eileen and I checked in when we shared a studio two years ago; back then, Auntie Eileen and I moved around using Grab, and I handled all the ride bookings. (In truth, I should probably address Elizabeth as "Auntie" as well, since she is about the same age as Auntie Gullie and Auntie Eileen!) I looked closely at the PDF instructions again and noticed a second 4-digit code after the first one failed. Elizabeth turned the combination dial digit by digit to match the new code, and the box finally unlocked! She retrieved the single key and access card before returning the lockbox to the owner's mailbox. Next, we had to drive around searching for the specific parking spot shown in the PDF diagrams. It was very confusing for first-time visitors like us to locate the right lot. After asking a security guard stationed at the entrance of a multi-level carpark, we learned our spot wasn't in the building—it was in the adjacent building next door. Once parked, we took the lift up and finally located our unit. I thanked God that I wasn't staying there alone; it would have been nearly impossible for me to operate the grill door's manual lock on my own from the outside. After resting for less than ten minutes, we had to hurry back to the Convention Centre. We were already running late, as the third session started promptly at 6:30 p.m., leaving us no time for dinner. I ate my last Quick Bites Cream Roll in the passenger seat while Elizabeth drove. I finished eating right as she dropped me off at the entrance before going off to park. |
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10th September 2026 |
I walked as fast as I could into the hall just as the session began. An usher escorted me to an empty designated seat, and I joined the congregation in worship. I was so grateful I attended that third session. I had almost talked myself into skipping it while at the apartment because I felt so tired, and I had even considered asking Elizabeth if she wanted to skip it too. Thankfully, I kept that thought to myself. After the session ended, we bought lasagna and dim sum to bring back. They were selling lasagna and various other food items on a "Buy 1 Free 1" promotion at the end of the night. Back at the apartment, I had lasagna for supper before taking my medication. Elizabeth kindly helped administer my cough syrup—once before I slept and once again after breakfast the next morning. |
To be continued tomorrow October 7th (Wednesday) at 8.00a.m.
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