Guatemala, Antigua

Without a doubt, every Feast of Tabernacles is unique, and this can certainly be said of this year's Feast in Antigua. Unity and joy were the common themes expressed by all our friends and brethren present.

The highest attendance was 601, with an overall average of 566 per service. The sermons inspired us to look forward to our personal involvement in God's coming Kingdom.

A breakfast honoring all the seniors really helped us appreciate the value of the more mature members in our midst. They can be compared to the best wine of the best vintage, the sweetest and the most valuable.

All the activities revolved around the family unit, and the natural expression of affection among family members was everywhere reflected in the hugs and genuine love shown toward one another.

We all dined sumptuously on the Word presented during the sermons and sermonettes. After services one day this literally came to pass: A giant cake in the form of a Bible was prepared for the congregation, and every crumb of it was eaten! This example helped us to realize the importance of the biblical instruction we received during the Feast.

—Luis Mundo Tello

Nigeria, Aiyetoro

The United Church of God in Nigeria has three active congregations and members scattered all over the federation. After four years of having two Feast sites, this year's Feast of Tabernacles took place in a single site in the southwestern part of the country.

We enjoyed beautiful scenery all around and a quiet environment at a facility called Afobaje Hotel in Aiyetoro ("peaceful world"). It was in the rural outskirts of Abeokuta ("city under the rock"), about 1½ to 2 hours' drive from Lagos, the commercial center of Nigeria. The highest attendance was 126.

This site was ideally suited for fellowship and togetherness as every member was housed within the same complex and had ample opportunity to fellowship and get to know each other and strengthen the bonds of love uniting us.

The rooms all had working air conditioning units! There were running hot and cold water showers, a backup generator and an excellent staff. It was by far the best Feast site since United started in Nigeria.

The Feast provided a wonderful opportunity for all the brethren in Nigeria, who came from five widely scattered geographic regions of the country, to congregate as one big, happy family. Many met each other for the first time and others saw each other for the first time in over four years.

The Feast was enriched by the presence of three international brethren: Mark Mickelson (the associate senior pastor for Nigeria, who unfortunately was unable to have his family rejoice with us as they did two years ago) and a young couple from Cincinnati, Ohio, Cody and Bobbi Kitts, who left for Nigeria three days after their wedding. They spent their honeymoon in Nigeria and added immensely to the joy and fellowship of the Feast.

The whole Feast was a time of wonderful special music (in English and various local languages, with Mrs. Kitts surprising us and endearing herself to us all the more by joining the Festival choir and participating fully in all the special songs rendered), fellowshipping, rejoicing, being admonished, corrected, encouraged, instructed and edified by messages under the inspiration of God.

One of the highpoints of the Feast was the combined men's and ladies' day when 62 brethren were treated to a very formal and educational three hours of speeches, table topics and feasting. Brethren from the United States sent gifts to make the club program a thoroughly enjoyable one.

There was also an excursion to a tourist attraction, Olumo Rock, about half an hour away, where younger members enjoyed an invigorating climb (the elderly ones used the elevator) to the top of the rock. Everyone enjoyed a wonderful lunch at a fast-food restaurant, thanks to gifts from brethren from the United States.

The associate pastor for Nigeria, Oludare Akinbo, was also introduced to rappelling by Cody Kitts and Mark Mickelson. Rappelling is being planned as part of the Nigerian camp program for 2007.

We are planning to have the Feast at the Afobaje Hotel again in 2007. We would be happy to have visitors apply.

—Oludare Akinbo