Uncategorized – Page 5 – Steve Ngai (危志荣)

Some months ago, in conjunction with 2014 World Cup, an NGO called Hope World Wide Kuala Lumpur (HOPE) organized this big event called “Bolathon”. Most people must have heard of walkathon or marathon but not Bolathon. Basically, it is similar except that the theme is related to the World Cup of that year. This unique charity event is to raise more fund for the needy by the donation from the public by participating to this event. With only RM55, you can register to either 3KM Masquerade Walk or 10KM Charity Fun Run.

For me, I also participated and opted the 3KM Masquerade Walk. In fact, this was my third times joining this Bolathon event. It was funny because initially the theme I chose was Japan since the previous time I chose England. But after the 2014 Thomas Cup ended, I changed my theme back to England. I guess that was a wiser move 🙂

Indeed, I did much brain-storming and preparation for this Bolathon costume because I gave myself high standard and high expection. I even took a day off for it. I also discussed with my friends about it. I borrowed a big yoga ball. I called up to get input for my banner text. I think there was also pressure and self-expectation as I am being chosen to be featured in this Bolathon invitation email. But at the same time, I also want to really make it a memorable moment for myself and to contribute to make this event lively and happening. I remember that night after I have done all the preparation (except my face paint), I couldn’t sleep. It took me awhile to sleep at the end. Maybe too excited for the next day or perhaps too worry? 🙂

The next day, the last thing I needed to do is face paint and I have already planned to ask my mom to help but when she told me her hand can get shaky, I decided to do it myself. At the end, I did 80% and 20% is my mom to help me to touch up. When I reached to Padang Merbok, I kinda got some attention from people and some people want to take picture with me or snap picture of me. And when we all have completed the 3KM Masquerade walk and 10KM charity fun run, they came to the announcement for the Best Dressed. Guess what, I won first prize for the Best Dressed for the individual category! In fact, this is the first time I won the first prize for the Best Dressed/Costume after participating plenty of different events. Not only that, even there were some reports took some pictures of me and ‘interviewed’ me by some questions. Some days later, I realized that my picture appeared in some newspapers like China Press, TheStar and News Stait Times! 🙂 Other newspaper which wrote about this event were Harian Metro and NanYang.

Insight from this event including the process to it:

Sometimes it is good to do something ‘crazy’. The ‘crazy’ thing I did is purposely cut my hair bald to paint it to look like a ball. It will become memorable when you look back.
Don’t get too discouraged if no one appreciates the effort you put it to do something. For myself, when I purposely cut my hair bald and paint it to look like a ball, I didn’t get any Best Dressed prize at all, not even top 10. Only after eight years, people began to appreciate it. In fact, that photo of mine was selected to be in the HOPE 2013 annual report.
Participating for Best Dressed/Costume can also help you to learn something new. For this event, I learn about glue gun. Basically, I learnt that this type of glue is similar with the super glue except that super glue is unremovable at all. Meaning, when you glue something with glue gun, you can still remove it from the surface you have sticked on. When I bought the big 2 metres red cloth, I also learned the price of the cloth, RM6 per metre.
Remember to take the opportunity to promoto HOPE which is one of the main purpose of this event. Sometimes, we can get too into ourselves when we seems like became popular suddenly. Also remember to be humble, give thank to God and the people whom help you direct or indirectly to achieve that first prize. Here I would thank God for the good weather, to lift up my mom for touching up my face paint make up, Gan for being there to hear my ideas, offering his help and taught me about glue gun, Jee Eng for concising my banner text to “1966 repeats in 2014 World Cup”, Steven Chin/Fyon for lending me the yoga ball and Summer + Yeyen for helping me to carry the banner during the 3KM walk.
When you keep doing certain things, eventually you will become better at it. I have been participating many best costume events; my church events like year end banquest, halloween night, HOPE events like all the three Bolathon events and company annual dinner. After you have participated many rounds, you will kinda know how to do a good one.

For some who are wondering how much I have spent overall. I would say that it is about RM15. I know that some are willing to spend a lot to have a very grand and fantastic costume. But that is not my principle. I would go for the most cost effective way but at the same time I still believe that I can still able to come out with a ‘outstanding costume’ and if can with the lesser time (effectiveness). I guess that is more challenging. And if could achieve that, that gave me a lot of satisfaction. For this event, one of the reasons I don’t spend that much is because I reused the same materials at my theme is same with previous theme. Lastly, indeed I really enjoy myself a lot from the process of planning and all the preparation until the actually event day. I have a lot of fun throughout and a very memorable moment of my life. Thanks for reading :).

16 years ago, my mom and I attended the Sunday church service at Melia Hotel and was ushered to sit in second row. The sermon entitled “What Are You Waiting For?” was preached by Halbert Louis and amazingly both of us didn’t fall asleep at all during the whole sermon which we normally did 😀 The next day Weng Hong studied the bible with me. Next day continue with a marathon of 5 lessons bible studies within 7 hours (that week was the last week of my college break). Next day continue study bible for another 3 lessons – Vincent Sim (cross lesson) and Wong Mun Foo Michael (baptism lesson). Next day continue to do some follow-up studies and then get baptized at night at Seri Emas condo at Cheras on 30/4/1998. After awhile, I realize that it was the last day of the campaign month 😀 Thank God that I’m still faithful today. Imagine just 4 days of foundation. Thanks to my mom, Karen Chan for first invited me to this church. Thanks for all who studied the bible with me. Thanks for the love, cards and encouragement from the campus. Thanks to the one-on-one strict discipling from Ngui Jack Fui during my first 2 years as young Christian. Without all these, I don’t think I can survive spiritually that time.