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"Choice: is a great experience. Think everyone had a pet topic that appealed to them particularly. Fidelity was mine! The topic was great. Loved the way it was taught, the worksheets and all. The whole concept was new. Choice is so different from the usual things you see paraded as 'worthwhile' pursuits in the world, like money and career. Choice focuses on what's really important, loving one another. It's a great program and something to attend every once in a while, to renew and affirm your devotions to what's right and true."
- Jane Zheng (A non catholic from Jan 2005 weekend) "I went for CHOICE weekend as I wanted to find out why everyone who went, said that it was GOOD. There was not much expectation from me as to what it will be like or what I would received from the retreat. It was more of just going there to experience something new.
I like the songs played, before each presentation made by the speakers. Though I have heard some of them before, somehow they sounded different when they were played at the retreat. I think the atmosphere played a big part in it.
CHOICE opened me to the different choices I can make and I believed that I will grow in my relationships with others."
- Alexis (Jan 2005 weekend) "I've learnt to tell more about myself to others if i want to let get closer to them. So i tell my parents more about my stuff, even though i think they may not be very interested..."
- Kitty (Jan 2005 weekend) "I’m not exactly sure where to begin but I guess attending my Choice weekend was a real eye opener. I can’t exactly it changed my life completely but it made me aware of issues that I hadn’t actually bothered thinking about. Taking the next step to join as a presenter was the trickiest step; I have a bursting schedule and have commitments elsewhere as a catechist, etc. I must confess that the concept of "the alternative lifestyle" brought across to me by Ying when I went for a second follow up was really an eye opener.
I used to think that a call to Holiness was for the religious and not so much for the laity but seeing the love and dedication of some of the presenters who were responding to the call of Christ to know, love and serve his people. I have always used time as an excuse for limiting my service to God but seeing folks who had say six kids and tones of work commitments as professionals able to commit so much time and effort to serve him really moved me. It’s the kind of thing that makes me jump up and say, "Yes Lord, use me as you will to serve your people." Maybe it was God’s will or fate that a friend I made at the weekend drove me to a second follow up that was meant for a different weekend and I think I benefited more as better understood better the concept of community. This concept of community and the song "The summons" really was quite a drawing point for me that when invited to join as a presenter, I agreed readily after some thoughts.
Preparing for my first weekend was really difficult for hearing the sharings of other presenters was easy but putting down in words your own experiences was rather difficult. It was a teary experience just typing out my own sharings in words for I felt as if I was digging up past hurts that I have been trying to forget but at the same time it also felt as if I was in a process of forgiving myself. I can’t exactly say that being a presenter is easy but I can only say that seeing some changes that have occurred over the past few campus weekends made me realize what the folks at Choice are trying to promote which is a call to love, a call to belong and a call to fidelity and after presenting for a weekend, this idea and concept continues to sink in further and further.
Being in the NUS Catholics Students Society has in some ways had its advantage as I felt that I knew almost everyone at first campus weekend presenting and it helps as quite a number gave me some feedback that they related quite a bit to my sharings especially for those who know me personally. I was moved by people (housekeepers who were my pals) who crowded the room whenever I was sharing. It really touched me so much for it affirmed the fact that the essence of community was really very strong on campus.
While there is so much talk of negative values in the campus like pre-marital sex in the hostels or the breaking down of the family life due to lack of communication, I believe that Choice offers a challenge to one and all (not just Catholics) on campus to see the meaning of communication, love and fidelity from a different perspective and maybe change their lives."
- Edmund Yong (July 2004 weekend) "CHOICE certainly opened my eyes to the importance of the significant relationships that I constantly took for granted in my hectic, busy life. I thought about my dad and felt sad about our strained relationship over the years. I realized how much I missed our Father-Daughter bonding. Enlightened by the love and healing I felt during the retreat, I wrote my CHOICE letter, reaching out to dad and breaking the stony silence that has separated us these years. My dad was surprised and touched by my gesture. Since then, it marked a new dawn in our relationship and the start to repairing and restoring what was lost over the years. "
-Claudia Goh (June 2002 weekend)