Nine Waves Retreat

As part of our annual Prayer Day – Office Retreat, the managers decided to have the event at a resort near Quezon City. Kuya Clem suggested Ciudad Christhia Resort where their church held a Holy Week Family Day retreat.

 

We reached the place in a few minutes after leaving the Back to the Bible office in West Avenue. Ciudad Christhia Resort is located at the heart of Ampid San Mateo, Rizal. Located inside a subdivision, our retreat venue had these separate cabanas bordered by trees with tendrils dropping like pinkish-green curtains.

  

 

First Priority

 

After parking the cars and pick-up vans, we unpacked our stuff and proceeded to our first activity – prayer time.

 

We were grouped into several teams and we interceded for different concerns like the nation, our radio broadcasts, our supported missionaries and scholars, our faith and prayer partners, current events, sectors of society and our building tenants. There was bottomless brewed coffee and a Red Ribbon black forest cake for our merienda as we prayed for each item.

 

 

 

Cable Ready

 

Later, we decided to freshen up before dinner. While the rest of the group explored the resort and some attempted to feel the waters and waves of the large swimming pool, I decided to have a shower and position myself to watch Discovery Channel and the Cartoon Network at our cable-ready television.

 

Dinner was steamed tilapia and some other ulams which I forgot but readily ate. I was the last to arrive at the dining area and I also stayed a while after meal to watch the news over TV Patrol.

 

 

 

Thanksgiving and Annual Planning

 

Kuya Clem facilitated our forum at the multi-purpose hall. We were asked to enumerate the lessons we learned in our time at the ministry, our items of thanksgiving, our struggles and our plans. Through the activity, we gained more insight on the lives of each other.

 

 

After some light discussion, Kuya Clem talked about the status of the international ministry and the struggles of other foreign offices. Basically, the Philippine office is in a much better condition in terms of finances and operation than the other personnel who have experienced cuts in local and foreign subsidies.

 

The night ended with most of the guys and girls from the other cabanas dropping by our place. We decided to make pulutan out of one of the surplus fiesta hams from our Christmas party the month before. We had games, shared jokes and anecdotes, and basically goofed around until morning.  

 

 

A Frenzy of Activity

 

The following morning, I woke up just in time for breakfast which was longsilog and kapeng Barak-O-bama, and fruit salad.

 

 

It was free time until afternoon, so everyone decided to pursue their own obsession. Rudy and Rachalle had several rounds of badminton, Louie and his group played basketball, Fred and the bookstore girls sang at the videoke, and Dan and the rest lazed around the Nine Waves swimming pool.

 

I returned to our cabana and enjoyed some peace and quiet while nibbling on some junk food.

 

 

 

Whale of A Tale

 

Our Nine Waves retreat was relaxing and I appreciated the office committee members who handled the details of our outing. Maybe, next time, I’d take a swim at the pool – and not worry so much about being mistaken for a blue whale.