February 22, Sunday, was a red-letter day for 31 individuals who attend the outlying Bible Study in Kidapawan City. Together with the Davao church pastor Mr. Edmond Macaraeg, his wife Lorna, two of their children—Laurie and Charles, as well as local elder Mr. Rodrigo Florencondia and his wife Reynalda, the group went for an outing at the Le Rêve Swimming Resort in Makilala, Cotabato.

The outing was actually the realization of a plan hatched sometime in December last year, when the Davao church, to which the scattered brethren in Cotabato affiliate themselves, had its yearly campout at Eden Nature Park last December 27-28. But due to financial constraints most of the brethren in Kidapawan were not able to join the activity. In one of their meetings in January, they decided to have an outing among themselves to give opportunity for the group, which has increased in number from just three families to six, to gather and enjoy the beauty of God’s nature right in the immediate vicinity of Makilala. The plan was presented to Mr. Macaraeg, who approved it and set the activity during the third weekend of February.

What was planned early on as a plain social outing turned out to also be a meaningful spiritual experience. Three new attendees, Oscar Osing, his wife Evelyn, and Perla Moscoso, submitted themselves for baptism counseling. These three were members of a local group of Sabbath-keepers who trace their teachings to Herbert W. Armstrong in the 80s and adopted these teachings as their own. As a matter of fact, they previously submitted to water baptism performed by the emergent local leader in their group.

Thus, on the Sabbath of February 21, right after the morning Bible Study conducted by Mr. Macaraeg, a series of counseling sessions was held. The Osings, having shown adequate understanding of God’s calling and plan of salvation manifested their desire to be baptized. Judging from the looks on their happy faces right after the counseling sessions, the brethren knew that a dual baptism will soon take place. This was later confirmed by Mr. Macaraeg, who announced that the baptism will take place during the outing at the Le Rêve Resort the following morning.

Due to ailment, Mrs. Moscoso was not able to attend the Bible Study and counseling. [Note: She was later baptized in Davao City, March 21.] Of course, the brethren with their respective families had lunch together at the Conference Hall of the Cooperative Rural Bank of Cotabato, the venue for the Bible Study sessions of the Kidapawan brethren.

Late in the afternoon, Mr. Macaraeg and his family proceeded to Mlang, Cotabato to spend the night in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Merlito Tonog, while Mr. and Mrs. Florencondia stayed in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Cuizon in Kidapawan. This was the first time ministers of the United Church of God stayed overnight in Cotabato. In our former association, during the late 80s and the early 90s, the ministers stayed overnight only during the Passover. It is strikingly noteworthy that Mr. Macaraeg was the one who laid the foundations of both Worldwide Church of God in the mid-70s and United Church of God in Kidapawan City 30 years later.

As planned, Mr. Macaraeg and family left Mlang early to fetch Mr. Osing and family in Poblacion, Makilala and from there proceeded to the Le Rêve Resort. Upon arrival, the first order of the day was the baptism of Oscar and Evelyn Osing. This took place in the children’s pool of the swimming resort. Our group later occupied three huts near the pool side, immediately in front of the slide, the mini-swimming pool, and the diving board. The huts were reserved two weeks before the outing to afford some privacy and security and just in case the day would be too sunny and warm, seats could be brought along and placed under the cool shade of the pine trees. It turned out that the weather was just fine and fair, very much conducive to a long swim and stroll in the park. Nearby was a wide pond that catered to the boating needs of the adventurous. The ladies, Mesdames Macaraeg, Florencondia, Tonog, and Cuizon, took to the gardens planted with varied ornamental plants. In fact, the cargo section of Mr. Macaraeg’s vehicle was nearly filled with plants bought by Mrs. Macaraeg.

Food was abundant: caldereta at kilawin na kambing, inihaw na tilapia at bangus, and adobong manok. There were singkamas, buko, lakatan bananas and puto.

While the young ones had photo sessions with Charles, the adults gathered together to exchange stories related to their conversion and baptism. The Osings narrated their experience with their local leader along Sabbath keeping—how in the early years they refrained from cooking food during the Sabbath and putting up shelters made of leaves during the observance of the Feast of Booths. For want of a true minister, they submitted to water baptism performed by the most senior among them. Unfortunately that emergent leader left their “church” to join politics. They also related how they attempted to “speak in tongues.” One of the new attendees who was personally fetched by Mr. Macaraeg from Kidapawan, spoke about her being baptized by her own husband.

It happened that the outing thought to end right after lunch actually extended up to the late afternoon. There were simply many stories to tell: the joy of having at long last a congregation in Kidapawan; the near-harrowing experiences of members attending services in Sultan Kudarat since they have to pass through Muslim-occupied areas; as well as the ambush story of the Cuizons, who lost their Sabbath clothes to “hold-uppers” in Buluan. The original members of the church are happy that after several decades of being alone by themselves, they are now enjoying fellowship with people who share and held fast to similar beliefs, acknowledging the same God and equally committed to do His commandments and laws. God is indeed our all-wise and ever-loving Father. The brethren in Kidapawan, long scattered, are now being gathered into a safe fold by God’s chosen shepherds.