District Warrior : Jatiluhur Adventure

" As a District Warrior I pledge that:
I understand that District Warrior is not a race but a challenge
I put teamwork and camaraderie before all else
I do not whine - kids whine
I help my fellow warriors complete the course
I overcome all fears "

I just had a 2 days 1 night adventure with Holy Trinity Community Youth Jakarta! I feel my whole body aches right now :"

Yesterday I joined a fellowship called 'District Warrior' in Jatiluhur Dam, West Java, with 50+ other youth from our community. Fourteen of us are from BSD, an area which is bordered with Jakarta. So we left together at 7 am from BSD directly to Jatiluhur by mini Van.

By 9.30 am we arrived at the activity area near the dam. We had ice breaking, games, and forming group. I was chosen to be in the group 1 with 10 others and we called ourselves 'The Killers' which taken from our leader's name 'Killian'. We had to make a short jingle and do some mini team-building to know each other well.

Memorizing our team members' name

After lunch, we started our challenge on 'Compass Reading' at 1 pm. We were equipped with a compass and a map, and the facilitators gave us only coordinates number for a clue. We had to find some check points by the coordinates. We were the first team to start our trekking but in our way, we got lost for like many times so it obstructed our journey a lil bit. We missed one of the check points, and had a wrong way in the other checkpoint. It should be turn left but we turned right until we find our campsite earlier than we should be. After collecting all of the check points' clue and play some challenge games, we finally arrived to our last check points. But then something a bit shocked us and out of our expectations. We saw some groups were already there and they were all struggling... to assembling rafts (I thought it should be canoeing not bamboo rafting?) There were 4 big plastic drums, 8 bamboos, and 8 ropes given to each group and we had to make a raft which can carry all the group members. Our facilitator, who called 'Ambon', taught us to make knots. None of us had ever make such things so we searched a tutorial for making a raft in google. Hopefully it wasn't called cheating hehe.

We find our first clue here!

Our team leader: Killian, reading a compass & map

Second last check point.
From left to right: Satriyo, Mike, Tedy, Me, Elvin, Killian, Alex, Nana, April, Cahyo, Oppi

Heading to last check point

Trying hard to make a raft with plastic drums & bamboos

After many overhauls, we finally made it! The sky was getting dark already and there was limited lighting around. But we still had to check how strong the bamboo raft and row to our last point, our campsite. Unfortunately, I had my hand surgery last month and I still in my recovery treatment. My doctor prohibit me to touch unsterile things, including dirty water. So by perforce, I 'betrayed' my group and not joining them to row the raft. I was a bit relieved because it turns out that the dam's water was mixed with black mud. It was disgusting and I was 'saved' by the rescue boat. I went back first to our campsite and waited for all the members back. It was already around 7.30 pm when they came back. We had some tea and snacks, and we thought we'll had dinner soonest after those tiring activities. But that's just our expectation (again). We had to build our tents for sleep before have dinner and take a shower. We had already exhausted but there was another activities at 9 am. The fasilitator gave us an evaluation for what we did all day long. We were very sleepy and I only thought 'what time will they end this session...hfft' but after that we were all gathered in a terrain in the middle of nowhere. It was very dark and we walked with some flashlights. There, two of each groups were given a candle to light a bonfire. We were singing & praying together. After that we flied many lanterns to the sky, It was beautiful! Firstly my lantern had a hole so it can't fly away but my friend gave me another one yippie!

I see the light..... #rapunzelwannabe

It was in the middle of the night after all the schedule done, but I can't sleep at all. I would spent my night with two other friends in a tent and we only had 2 mattresses for 3 persons. The soil under the tent was very dry and coarse, while the mattresses were very thin. It was painful to sleep there and so uncomfortable. Finally I went out and sit outside the tent, chatting with some friends. We talked about many things until 2 in the morning and we gave up. I came in to the tent and two of my friends were already sleep. I tried hard to sleep but I was awaked every few minutes to find a comfortable position. I wished I brought my bolster!

After few hour sleep, I woke up at 5 and my back was really painful argh! I washed my face and brushed my teeth then gather with my team members outside our tents. We were still sleepy but can't sleep any longer. We just sit down and nobody talk to much. We were wandering when will we get our foodstuff and cooking equipment to make our breakfast. The crew said yesterday that it would be ready at 5.30 am but we just got it one a half hours later. There were 4 Indomie, 4 eggs, some garlics and red onions, a pack of chicken sausages, a cabbage, a bottle of oil, chili sauce, soy sauce, and 11 packs of rice. We had to cook it with a mini portable stove, some paraffin and matches, 3 aluminium containers, a knife, and a wooden spatula. It was a bit difficult to cook with a makeshift tools. But we made it! We made Indomie with sausages and cabbages and fried (it should be) omelets. It was some trials and errors in our process (we burned one of the containers LOL) but it was really tasty. Maybe because we made it and ate it together with laughter and happines ;)

Our cooking session

This container was on fire and burned LOL

After cleaned up, take a shower, and pack our things up, we gathered in the hall and had a holy mass. Then some of us were sharing our impressions toward this event. There was one who lost her shoes during the rafting, those who already some meters left to rich the finish line in rafting but then there was a boat who forced them to step aside which had so many rocks and cats, and they were stuck there for sometimes without lights and no one noticed, and so on.

Our last activity was going to the dam which has 1.200 m length for pedestrian walk, and I forgot how many meters deep the dam was. It was a sunny day and there is no canopy. The scenery was amusing although it was so damn hot.  Me and some friends decided to have a race so we could arrive in a station to avoid sunburn next to a 'Morning Glory', the biggest water reservoir I have ever seen in my whole life. It looks like in the latest Mission Impossible movie. We had a 5-minute permission to enter the morning glory and watch the hundred meters deep reservoir from the top. It was really cool but quite frightening! We took many photos there and have another race to our bus. We took a rest while having a glass of ice cincau before we left.

In our way to the Dam, but first, let us take a wefie ;)

The water reservoir called 'Morning Glory'.
Feels like in latest 'Mission Impossible' movie.

Full members of District Warrior from Holy Trinity Community Youth JKT

We left Jatiluhur at 3 pm. We were asleep on our way back to BSD and fortunately we arrived faster than our prediction in BSD, only 2 hours ride! Luckily I have a day off on monday so I can sleep as longest as I want. Haha! It was really fun though. I met many nice friends and amazing experiences there. Hopefully we can met again in next fellowship!

"Alone I can do so little

Together we can do so much!"

Photo Credit:
Cahyo Adi M (Go Pro)
Satriyo Prabowo & Crews