Remembering Our True Identity

This year’s NTU-ISCF Camp was held at Batam Oase Center from 5 to 8 December 2025. The camp theme, “ROTI: Remembering Our True Identity,” was rooted in the reminder that we are chosen and loved by God, and therefore called to love others in deed and truth. Across the four days, this theme was reinforced through talks, discussions, and an exposure visit to local communities in Batam.

One experience that stood out to me was our exposure visit to a ‘kampung’ near the Duta Mas housing estate. Walking into the area, I was struck by the stark contrast between the elite housing nearby and the kampung itself, where access to clean water was limited, and living conditions were harsh. As we climbed the hill under the scorching sun, accompanied by barking dogs and curious stares, disbelief lingered. Yet when we arrived, we were greeted by smiles. Children of all ages ran toward us, their cheers echoing across the kampung. We played games, shared laughter, and talked in small groups about life, dreams, and school. Despite our different backgrounds, there was warmth, joy, and genuine connection in those moments.

Only later did I realise the deeper weight of the experience. Remembering our true identity in Christ is not meant to make us feel comfortable, but to move us toward love. Behind those smiles may lie stories of hardship, neglect, or systemic injustice. Realities far removed from what many of us experience. Yet Christ’s love calls us not merely to feel sympathy, but to respond.

As I return to campus life, this experience reminds me that my identity in Christ frees me from complacency. Remembering who I am in Him pushes me to notice, care, and love beyond words. Faith must be lived out, reaching out with love, in truth and action.

— Aubert Nathaniel Parlinggoman Saragi, NTU ISCF, Aerospace Engineering, Year 2