All the meaningful Kamching experiences started from Kam Hung's (Mark, my elder brother) introducing me to the Duke of Edinburgh (DEA) Scheme. Some of my DEA experiences are unforgettable: the excitement when I first got the DEA Scheme booklet; training amid mosquito attacks at the Stokes Camp; how Mr. Watson and others supervised my silver medal expedition (unfortunately I did not go further than that level). Later, for various Kamching activities, I went to the Portland Street KCA office from time to time. The familiar picture there was: Chiu Sir sitting in the middle of the room, always busy doing something; standing or sitting next to him was a tall-and-thin man called Foo Koh; there were a number of young people sharing loudly and working joyfully and voluntarily at the KCA office, often for long hours; occasionally, I joined them at dinners (with beers too!) at a daipaidong across the street.

Some more pictures on KCA activities--how I competed in the round-the-island canoe race and finished the course for three years (and in a year, my experience of racing long distance in a 'single' was the toughest); the difficult but exciting work of making fiberglass canoes and building a canoe house pier from scratch at the Saikung, where team spirit always gave us additional energy; how during KCA hiking trips, my helping and chatting with people gradually changed my rather quiet character; a memorable KCA Taiwan trip with Chiu Sir and his daughter Ka Yue; our pioneer and courageous Guanmen event; etc.

Putting all these bits and pieces together, my involvement in KCA activities was most likely from  late sixties to early seventies. I must confess, however, that my relationship with KCA was only lukewarm and my dedication and contribution toward it were extremely small in comparison with many other Kamching brothers and sisters. It was simply because of my weak personal management then. After starting full-time working in 1971, I had made new friends and spent much time on other hobbies less healthy than Kamching ones. However, perhaps it was due to my not-deeply-involved attitude that I could escape from the KCA rumours and conflicts since mid seventies.  However, I could observe clearly that there were a large number of young people from different backgrounds, wave by wave, all working happily and energetically for achieving meaningful common goals, following the leadership of Chiu Sir. Later, I have also learnt that KCA activities and culture have materialised a number of marriages; they have significantly influenced personal life paths. Gradually, it became clear to me that the power from within a leader is more important than his external attributes, as Chiu Sir was neither tall, heavily built, nor speaking with a loud voice!

With some regret, I could have closer communications and deeper understanding of Chiu Sir only in the last stage of his life. I believe that God arranged such new relationship, as Christian brothers, for good purposes.

After paying him an initial visit with Jim, I went to Clearwater Bay for a few times, with a number of Christian brothers and sisters (including Hannah, my wife) to see him and Wai Sum. I can remember clearly how we prayed, sang Christian songs and expressed our feelings together. Some unforgettable scenes  still regularly emerge--Chiu Sir sharing his previous Christian experiences; Wai Sum prayed with us and became a Christian; Chiu Sir and Wai Sum embracing and comforting each other and we shedded tears; and other touching moments. After renewing his relationship with God, Chiu Sir asked Ka Yan (his daughter, a Christian) to bring him to the church where he was baptised and an old Bible with his handwritten remarks. Once, he and Wai Sum visited our church and prayed with our pastor also.

Similar to other parts of his life, Chiu Sir's Christian journey was not smooth. Actually he had been baptised as a Christian long before he worked for DEA. He had for a number of years served as the right hand man of a pastor (Pastor Li) who managed the Christian Council. He respected that pastor and nearly embarked on a religious career. A reason for having little church life after baptism, he explained, was that Sundays clashed with his work for young people. Despite that, he still manifested Chrisitian behaviours: acting as salt and light (Luke 11:36) in the dark world, and loving his neigbours. I am glad that God welcomed him back at the end, similar to the Prodigal Son experiences covered in the Bible (Luke 15:11-32). God's grace is indeed amazing!

I also had the opportunity of understanding other parts of his private life and thoughts through a few sharing occasions. He shared a bit about his parents and childhood; how he started from working in the business sector (where he found little internal reward), then moved to the religious circle where he also found human problems, and then served in the social and youth sector; his critical views on the China, British and Hong Kong governments concerning for example, the June 4th event; his comments on Governors Youde, Wilson and Patten; his pride of chatting with the Duke of Edinburgh (for 21 minutes per his counting!); his anger toward unfairness in the society and bitterness toward wasteful destruction of work built by him. I was delighted to observe that his frustration and bitterness slowly diminished as he gradually re-established his relationship with God his Father.

Of course from time to time he recalled various KCA success stories--round-the-island canoe races, the Guanmen event, Marathon races, etc. Memorial articles written by Kamching brothers and sisters will certainly cover these events much better than I; perhaps they would also include the two hiking experiences, in which he felt that God had helped him to escape from great dangers.

The writing of the history of Chiu Sir would not be complete without the mentioning of Wai Sum. During all the difficult periods when he followed his vision alone, Wai Sum stayed with him closely and supported him spiritually until the very end, giving him love and comfort which he needed most. Her endurance of others' misunderstanding and suffering, and love-driven power and patience for overcoming problems, seemed to be beyond what DEA, KCA and Outbound training sessions can offer. I remembered in that morning when Chiu Sir passed away at Wales Hospital, there was calmness and peace on her face; she was confident and rejoiced that Chiu Sir had started a new life in heaven. These are all good leadership attributes and behavior which I can learn from her.

Chiu Sir is a man of love. His love for others, especially young people, was more than for his own self and family members. He told me that when he was out of work at one time, he went out to the streets to help old women to fill in forms to get assistance. Unfortunately, due to limitation of time and income, this sacrificing character became a source of misunderstanding, jealousy and conflicts within his own family. His love for the natural environment is also well known, especially famous mountains in China. For students  who had left him, he still loved them and always welcomed them to return to work with him.

As a leader, he practised all-round leadership--from policy making, planning, implementing, reviewing, to hands-on involvement in details e.g. drawing logos, road signs and maps. His leadership also manifested the behaviour of a father--demanding respect and obedience from his children (followers). However, as the latter grew up, such fatherly behaviour could be viewed as a threat to their freedom to excel. But is this not the same kind of respect and obedience we ask from our children? And the same kind of disappointment when our children rebel against us? And the same kind of joy and forgiveness when they comeback to us? To me, he was fatherly but never dictator-like, since he often listened to others' suggestions and adopted them. Most importantly, he forgave and asked for forgiveness.

Chiu Sir was one of the greatest fighter I have known--fighting the mountains and seas; fighting against unfairness; acting righteously against hidden wrongs; speaking for the weak and disadvantaged; battling against the disease until his last breathe, including the pain generated from an ill-performed operation at his digestive system. Until that very stage, he still hoped for healing, refusing to take pain killers which he believed could harm his body and continued to try other kinds of medicine for curing the cancer.

Chiu Sir had encountered a lot of internal and external conflicts in his life--with family members, co-workers, followers and KCA friends. Some may think that added to his stubbornness, these were sources of his apparent career failure. He must have gone through hundreds of periods of internal dilemmas without others' awareness. If he had shared a bit more about these conflicts at an early stage, we could have seen a happier man. Also as students, if we were a bit more mature, we would have concerned more about his feeling and internal conflicts, demanding less for the external signs of a strong leader, and more sadly, would not have left him. After all, a leader is also a human being. Even Jesus Christ experienced a lot of conflicts when he was a human!

God has already met Chiu Sir and dealt with his conflicts. Reconciliation has also been seen between him and his children, which is itself a miracle to me. For conflicts experienced between him and other people, resolution will now solely depend on people who are still on earth. In my belief, the future of Kamching will strongly depend on how successful such reconciliation and healing process would be.

I am proud that I have known Chiu Sir quite deeply, through sharing with him in quality communications moments, though only at the final stage. He has taught me a lot. Looking back, how I wish that my relationship with KCA could start all over again. I am sure many Kamching brothers and sisters wish similarly. But we know that this is not possible. And we know that a passive way of looking back will not be constructive for the future. What is possible for us to do is to carry forward and enrich the Kamching spirit, so that it would not die with Chiu Sir. Reflecting on the life of Chiu Sir and KCA activities covered above, I believe that the true 'Kamching spirit' should encompasses the following elements:

-developing young people, not only for the health of their bodies, but also that of their hearts, minds and spirits; and in the process of this holistic development, we are developed similarly

-giving training of endurance, determination, self management, initiative, etc. in activities including hiking, climbing and canoe trips designed for good purposes i.e. these activities are just means, not ends

-practising (team) leadership with opening hearts, mutual understanding and support, wisdom and love

-enjoying the natural environments and meditating on their creation, as we hike, climb and paddle

-loving our neighbours and the society in which we live; acting as a light source when we see darkness

-sacrificing in offering help but at the same time experiencing joy in the process, in ourselves and also  our families

-implementing action learning--learning not only from theories, but also how to act on the theories; and in actions, feeling all the good and bad experiences; and then reflecting upon these experiences so that we know whether to continue to use or modify the old theories; and then acting on the theories again.
Adopting learning cycles continuously this way can convert previous successes and failures into forward-looking action plans more effectively, and make us a true 'lifelong learner'.

May God give Kamching brothers and sisters wisdom and lead us to move forward.
 

                                                                     Kam Wah (Charles)
                                                                     15th May 2000

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