Every week has been so tough dealing with life’s daily struggles.

As one of the youths in the Church, there are a lot of things I have to learn and understand in order to build the character God wants to inculcate in us. The pressure on a Christian in this world gets stronger and stronger, and if we don’t have the right knowledge and conviction, surely we would fall for temptations quite easily.

It’s great that every once in a while we could have a break from this world’s struggle and be with our brethren.

For our youth activity, we had our small adventure in Tagaytay last January 27.

Tagaytay is as close to paradise as one can find. Tagaytay is located about 70 kilometers south of Manila, and is perched on a 600-meter high ridge, overlooking the Taal Volcano.

With its cool climate and clean air, Tagaytay is the perfect place for leisure activities like picnics, horseback riding, camping, plus breathtaking sightseeing. It was a time for us to unwind and to relax, and at the same time to have quality time with the youths within the Church.

As we were approaching Tagaytay, I could feel the environment getting colder and colder, combined with the unfolding beautiful countryside scenes. We arrived in Tagaytay Picnic Grove in the afternoon. It was raining a little but that didn’t stop us from making the best of the moment.

We searched for a perfect spot for us to settle and we found ourselves at a cottage overlooking the magnificent Taal Volcano. It was amazing to behold. You can’t help but praise God for making such a spectacular wonder.

The monthly youth activity could never be complete without studying the sacred Word of God. We talked about relationships with other people and most especially with our Creator. It is vital for us youths to be equipped with the right wisdom to battle the daily struggles we face.

After we ate the spiritual food, we took our lunch to feed our physical bodies. We had our fellowship and enjoyed the company of each other.

As I stared at the great Taal Volcano, I felt the gentle wind embracing me. It was then when I reminisced about my special moments in Baguio City where we celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. I smiled and got suddenly excited for the most awaited feast of our Church.

It was on those times that I strongly long for God’s kingdom to be established here on earth. I always imagine what it would be like living in a world where everyone is kind and filled with the Holy Spirit of God. There will be nothing but good news; no more tears of suffering but only laughters of peace.

But I guess for the time being, we are only given a foretaste of what is to come.

We continued to enjoy the gorgeous place as we strolled around Picnic Grove and had a little picture taking to capture moments of our youth activity.

But I guess every beginning has an end and certainly our activity is not an exception. We prepared to leave and bought some things as souvenirs.

We stayed in Tagaytay for only a short while but it was undoubtedly worth it. As we traveled back home, we looked forward to another great, exciting youth activity. But I know that the best thing is yet to come, and that is the Kingdom of God.

© 2008 United Church of God, AIA - Pilipinas