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The Central Visayan Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church concluded its 'Third Quarter Care Group Harvest Celebration for 2024' on September 21, 2024. A total of 350 individuals were welcomed into the Adventist family as new members of Care Groups, defining another milestone for the conference's spiritual growth and outreach efforts.

This grand harvest was the result of a unified effort, with the officers and directors of the Central Philippine Union Conference, CVC field workers, and various care groups collaborating in simultaneous evangelistic campaigns from Sept. 15-21, 2024.

Fifteen CPUC officers and directors spread out to conduct this simultaneous evangelism program across seven locations in Bohol, three sites in Metro Cebu, four on the outskirts of Cebu, and one in Camotes Island.

In addition, several care groups in various districts, including those in Masbate, also held evangelistic meetings, appointing their local district pastors, youth leaders, or lay workers as nightly speakers.

The simultaneous evangelistic campaigns culminated in an impressive number of baptisms sweeping through the conference as hundreds embraced the gospel. In Cebu, a series of evangelistic outreaches in eight locations culminated in 194 individuals publicly declaring their faith through baptism. Bohol, with its seven outreach sites, witnessed 57 individuals being born again.

Those other districts, which hosted independent evangelistic events, welcomed 97 new believers. In total, these efforts resulted in 350 baptisms, marking evidence of God's power that worked in the hearts of His children outside the fold.

On a notable event, Metro Cebu, with its baptism candidates from three locations and some from Toledo districts, joined in a mass baptism of 115 individuals. The ceremony took place at Adventist Academy Cebu, Bulacao, Talisay, Cebu, with hundreds of church members as witnesses.

On the Sabbath day, CVC also celebrated the 150th Anniversary of Continuing the Legacy of Sending Missionaries. The speakers, including Pastor Felixian T. Felicitas, the Southern Asia Pacific Division field secretary, emphasized this celebration during their message delivery. They recalled how early missionaries impacted our evangelism today and how many steps forward, following their footsteps.

Pastor Eliezer 'Joer Barlizo Jr., the CPUC president, who conducted his evangelistic seminar in Lagtang that reaped 63 baptisms, expressed his joy at this outcome.

In an interview, he said, "I'm humbled by this outcome. It's a reminder of God's faithfulness and the incredible things we can accomplish when we work together in His name."

He then specifically acknowledged the contributions of CPUC and CVC administrators, district pastors, lay workers, church leaders, and members from all districts involved, praising their dedication and commitment.

"We'll never know how God works in the hearts of His children. It's always mysterious; it's always amazing," Pastor Barlizo shared.

He then recounted the story of one among the 63 individuals he baptized during the culmination day. Her story may sound trivial and childish to many, but precious in his ears.

"There's this teenage girl who asked God for a sign if deciding to be baptized was indeed what God wanted her to do. She watched Hope Channel shows, underwent a series of Bible studies, and even enlisted herself once as a baptism candidate."

However, this girl backed out from her supposed baptism, frustrated that the one who would have baptized her was not Pastor Barlizo, whom she wished in her heart would have performed the ceremony for her.

As she said, her desire came from watching him live on Hope Channel for a long time. She then wished that if this minister would conduct an evangelistic campaign in her area, she would decide to get baptized.

Indeed, Pastor Barlizo conducted a gospel seminar near her place. During that mass baptism a week later, where she was one of the 115 candidates, Pastor Barlizo granted her desire —he did the baptism for her!

Furthermore, Pastor Jomar Compuesto, the CVC Integrated Evangelism Lifestyle and Nurturing Discipleship Retention field secretary, shared, "The Third Quarter Care Group Harvest Celebration was a demonstration of the work of God through the dedication of church members. This event serves as a reminder of the ongoing endeavor to convert souls to the Kingdom of God, with each baptism symbolizing a triumph for God."

For Pastor Compuesto, the success of this event serves as an incentive for us to persist in our efforts to serve Him, with the expectation that in the future, even more individuals will be drawn to Jesus.