PHILIPPINES—Thirty members from the Davao congregation and members from the city of General Santos met on February 2 for their third annual beach outing at Mergrande Beach Resort in Davao City.

The Gulf of Davao glistened in the early morning sun under clear blue skies. A refreshing, cool sea breeze welcomed the group as they zipped onto the beach. God blessed the activity with perfect weather, a stark contrast to the weather in the week leading up to the activity, when dark, heavy clouds and rain hovered on the horizon

“It is a day to relax and get away from daily routine and to enjoy the gentle breeze of the sea,” Davao member Rey Collamat said.

Basking under the sun, singles and teens played various games, including catch with a football, different races and a peanut-eating contest using chopsticks.

“[The] games were fun, and time really flies quickly while you’re having fun, especially with the brethren,” Jelly Obregon said.

The children had a blast playing in the beach—running, swimming and playing with lots of sand.

The whole group shared experiences, funny stories, jokes and bursts of laughter. Senior member Pilar Lilangan later summed up the activity: “Everyone really had a joyous day.”