Kingdom of Heaven Fair 2017 Draws Record Number of Children
It was a full house last Sunday October 22nd with over 180 kids showing up, as Christ the King Parish celebrated the Kingdom of Heaven Fair 2017, the Catholic foil to the vampires, witches, zombies, monsters, devils, slasher-horror villains, and vampire themes that pervade the ‘traditional’ Halloween celebration. Displaying great collaboration as well as cooperation, three CTK ministries – Mustard Seed Ministry led by Sonny and Mina Mejia, Youth Ministry headed by Louie and Lei Abando, and the Family & Life Ministry led by Regie and Joanne Polancos – worked together to stage the biggest and most successful Kingdom of Heaven Fair so far, last October 22 at the Parish Social Hall.
The Kingdom of Heaven Fair requested the children in the parish to dress up as biblical characters, saintly figures, and consecrated persons. And indeed, at least 50 children showed up in inspiring and religion-inspired costumes. There was a formal parade of costumes to cap the fair.
Though the event was scheduled from 1 pm to 5 pm, there were so many early arrivers that the organizers decided to parade them during the Sunday noon mass, with the permission of the priest presider. this elicited loud applause from the mass goers.
Fr. Serge Maniba officially opened the Kingdom of Heaven Fair program with an opening prayer. He even stayed around to play with several cute little tykes. All the children had a chance to parade from the stage down to the red carpet, with their names and the religious character they represented being announced.
There were seven game booths, scattered around the social hall, with the children having to complete all seven games so they could get the game stamp on their ‘passports’. Completing their ‘passport’ meant being able to get their loot bag. Loot bag goodies were compliments of Apostleship of Prayer, CWL, MBMG, Leon, Maritel Nievera, Nene Supetran, and Mrs. Tantoco of GreenMeadows, Ana Fernando of CFM, Bet Montecillo, Mrs. Naty and Mrs. Penaflor. There was an Angry Birds game booth, a basketball booth, a bowling booth, a shooting game, a hoop toss, a ‘pin the Baby Jesus on the nativity scene’, and the most popular one, ‘Fishers of Men’, where the kids got to actually fish for live aquarium ?ishes. Game booth sponsors included Henry Tanedo, Maling Gutierrez of GreenMeadows, Zeny Palisoc of Acropolis, and the Ladies of Charity. Cash sponsors included Linda Tanjanco of GreenMeadows and Louie Laudico.
There were also food booths invited to sell in the social hall, offering siomai, arroz caldo, halo-halo, turon, cook ies , nachos, cupcakes, baked penne, shaved ice, etc. There was also free taho, courtesy of Diwanihan Kristiyano, and free popcorn, courtesy of Acropolis coordinator Irene Robles. By the third hour, the tired parents and guardians were noted to have congregated in the center of the social hall where chairs had been thankfully scattered.
Aside from Joanne Polancos, Mina Mejia and Lei Abando, the organizing team also included Jops Padrinao. Jops’ husband Louie did the emceeing chores while Joanne Polancos’ daughter Regina took the photos.
