‘Easterrific’ Replaces Traditional Easter Egg Hunt

Exasperated with the traditional Easter Egg Hunt every Easter Sunday, which had little children scampering for plastic eggs in the small garden in front of the main church, the organizers decided on a new tack for 2019’s Easter Sunday (April 21).

First, the organizers, a collaboration among the Family & Life Ministry headed by Regie and Joanne Polancos, the Youth Ministry headed by Louie and Lei Abando, and the Mustard Seed Ministry headed by Sonny and Mina Mejia, decided to hold it indoors, at the Parish Formation Center, rather than outside. Second, they did the event three times, after the 7:30 am mass, after the 9:00 am mass, and after the 10:30 am mass. Third, they combined it with the Coffee after Church so that the parents of the little children would have something to do while their children played and won prizes. Fourth, though they still did the traditional egg hunt, they supplemented this with several other play booths – egg painting, coloring of bookmarks with religious Easter messages, and Following Jesus’ Path. And fifth, unlike previous years when you got to keep the easter eggs you collected, children were only asked to collect a maximum of five eggs of different colors that they then traded in for their surprise prize and loot bag. In the egg painting and the coloring of bookmarks, the children got to showcase their artistic talents. In the Following Jesus booth, children were asked to hop on stone paths that had virtues written on them, at the same time avoiding stones with negative qualities written on them. Father Steve Zabala gamely tried out this booth, trying very hard to avoid stepping onto the wrong stones, which was difficult given his bigger feet.

And following the successful formula of the Kingdom of Heaven Fair, CTK’s ‘Holyween’ event, the children were also treated to lots of snacks – free popcorn by Acropolis village coordinator Irene Robles, free ice cream by the other Acropolis village coordinator, Maan del Rosario, taho by Greenmeadows’ Maling Gutierrez, Froot Boost juices by Mustard Seed volunteer Aileen Rodas, and Sweet Potato by Pagibig Sa Diyos’ Henry and Joyce Tañedo.

A lot of people were involved in making the first staging of Easter-rific a success, aside from the heads of the three ministries. Decorations were handled by Aji and Angie Rualo and Jops Padrinao, all Family and Life Ministry core team members. The Polancos girls, Regina and Ryanna were also involved, with Regina taking the photographs while Ryanna took charge of registration. Since it just so happened that Family & Life Ministry was asked to organize the Coffee After Church (CAC) that Easter Sunday, the ministry also sponsored the CAC snacks.

Aside from the Abandos, the core team members of the Youth Ministry also got involved, including Teenie de Leon, Mikee Malixi, Earle Manucom, Althea Geronilla, and the two Abando boys Kyle and Gab.

The Mustard Seed Ministry volunteer teachers also came in force, to help with registration and to man the game booths. This included: Kitchie Diaz; Alma, Ivy & Ella Yeh; Ben & Aileen Rodas with their two children Abrie and Branden; Vier & Justine Tajonera with their two young children Clea and Badger; Bernie & Tessie Bagaman, Mon & Frances Bernardo with their daughter Mishka; and the three Mejia daughters, Sam, Alex and Dani. The ministry’s youth volunteers, on the other hand, had fun hiding the eggs for the kids to Vind as well as giving out the prizes in the redemption booth. These included – Lance & Nicole Macalalad, Kenn Gosuico, Nicky Maza, Lexy Juarez, Nicolas Te and Sam Lamorena. The four youngest Mustard Seed volunteers – Mishka Bernardo, Sam Lamorena, Clea Tajoneras, and Andrea Alzona were very charming and effective in inviting the parishioners to the Easter-rific event by greeting everyone ‘Happy Easter’ after each mass and leading them to the Parish Hall with their signs.

All in all, 167 children joined the 2019 edition of Easter-rific. It was truly a terrific Easter Sunday!