Over 300 men, women, and children gathered at the Girl Scouts of the Philippines regional training facility in Toril, Davao City to observe the Feast of Tabernacles this year.  Nearly all of the brethren stayed in the GSP camp and shared both meals and stories with brethren from the Philippines and from around the world.  Our foreign guests were David Baker and family (New York, USA), David Rogers (Colorado, USA), Prakash Mandora and family (India), James Hostetter (Thailand), and Bernhard and Maria Hammes (Germany).  Our highest attendance was 310.

God has abundantly blessed us with good weather, great fellowship, and inspiring messages.  David Baker, senior pastor for Southeast Asia, on his message on godly love, stressed the importance of living what we will one day teach.  Festival coordinator Edmond D. Macaraeg emphasized the importance of exercising rule and dominion over our own personal kingdoms now (our human nature, attitudes and habits, physical bodies, work, family, finances, and leisure time). He stated that our reward in the future Kingdom will be based on our faithfulness in ruling our present kingdom.

Everyone enjoyed a colorful variety show, a family day on the camp grounds, and various activities for the kids, teens, singles, and seniors.  The Feast video “I Shall Return” was played on opening night and also on the eve of the Last Great Day.  We also had a Bible study on the fifth day of the Feast and a family dance on the sixth day.  As a bonus, we had one wedding and 11 baptisms!

Those baptized were: Marilou Aleguejo, Kristian Antiojo, Victoria Bata, Josephine Delfin, Elizabeth Gervise, Ramon Infantado, Remedios Infantado, Harold Labajo, Ambrosio Mahinay, Rosalia Maraon, and Ceferina Yu.  The married couple was Charles Macaraeg and Isis Cabahug.

—Reported by Daniel Macaraeg