Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Jhun Layusa brought us from Naga to Pulanglupa Pasacao, Camarines Sur on Saturday to labor with Rico and Rocky Ruado.  The audience of 44 people were crammed into a house with some listening on the outside as I taught on “Selecting a Mate: The Lord Builds the House” (Ps. 127:1).  Before lunch the focus was on what God does to help us find the right mate and after lunch what God teaches us to do to find the right mate.  The key on our side is to be the right kind of person in order to find and attract the right kind of person.

Since I touched on avoiding dances in order to maintain moral purity, someone during the open forum asked if folk dances are appropriate for Christians. If the dance does not involve males and females in inappropriate touching and sexual moves, it may be innocent.  This led into a more detailed discussion about the dangers of temptation involved in most dancing.  The dangers center around lasciviousness or conduct which stirs the desire for fornication.

Someone asked if that includes the prom.  At this point I explained some differences in how the male and female natures are sexually aroused.  On the one hand, the male nature is almost immediately aroused by sight and touch.  (This is a gift to the wife in marriage because she helps her husband become strongly bonded to her by providing sight and touch.)  This is why worldly males may be easily attracted to prostitutes.

On the other hand, the female nature is more aroused by a man building a nest where she feels comfortable and attractive.  By this means God teaches a husband to be patient, considerate, courteous, kind, and unselfish, which powerfully attracts the wife.

The attraction of the prom for the female is more centered on such things as wearing a nice dress, socializing with friends, beautiful decorations, music, and enjoying compliments.  In this sense, she may be innocent and naive to the fact that the male is attracted by the prospects of inappropriate sight and touch – the sexual attraction.  Females who are aware and who try to play the game with males do not realize how explosive this game can be – and, as someone wisely observed today, the female will end up being the one who pays the highest price!

The dance floor is not a likely place to find a devoted committed Christian to marry but is an environment which opens doors to the dangers of fornication.

Someone also asked how do we recognize the right time and the right person to marry.  The answer is by trusting in God’s providence to open the right door at the right place at the right time to find the right person to marry.  If we keep our faith focused on God as our helper and guide, we will “wait on the Lord” as we seek that right person (Ps. 27:14).

Many young people attended and were very attentive and appreciative today.

We drove about 3 hours to reach Daet, Camarines Norte.  After getting checked in at the hotel, I ate supper, then spent an hour trying to get the internet connection to work right to handle my email.  The signal was not strong enough, so I walked for an hour and for the first time in 82 trips saw a live snake.  All snakes here are poisonous and not to be taken lightly.   As I passed a nursery, a young man was trying to entice a 3-foot snake on the sidewalk to enter a bottle and the snake kept dodging it.  After walking quite a distance, I retraced the route and the young man was holding the snake up by the tail – it was barely wiggling, obviously exhausted, as it was lowered into the bottle.

I started to go to bed at 11:00 but tried once more to access email and the signal was much stronger.  Knowing I was far behind, I worked as fast as possible to catch up on some of it and finally went to bed shortly after 12:30 A.M.

On the Lord’s Day the first service was at Del Rosario, Mercedes where Jhun Layusa has preached for many years.  They have worked on the church building for several years and it is finally closed in and they are working on a second floor.  Since my focus on this trip is to edify and encourage young people, the first lesson today was “Young People, Read the Bible” and many young people were included in the 51 attendees.

After lunch and a rest, there was a 1:00 P.M. service at Brgy. Tres where Sammy Velasco and Carlo Palmes preach.  The 22 souls gathered to worship overflowed the small house where I preached “Don’t Defy Gravity, Embrace It!” to a very attentive audience in the spite of the summer heat.  (I am drinking water like a fish, trying to avoid dehydration.)

The last service of the day was conducted at Purok 4, San Roque where John Leanard and Jison Agbuya serve as evangelists.  The church building was filled with 47 participants as we studied “God Created Us Male and Female,” countering the homosexual and transgender agendas.

During the open forum the question was asked, “How do we respond when these people say we do not show respect for them when we refuse to address them in the manner demand?”  The answer is we assure them we love and respect them as made in God’s image, but we love and respect God above all men.  Then we invite them to study the Bible to learn what God says about the subject.  It is also appropriate to respond to their complaint that we are disrespecting them by saying, “I hope you are not going to disrespect me by trying to force me to say something which I do not believe is right.”  In short, when Satan uses reverse psychology, we should expose it for what it is.

Another question was whether a homosexual can continue to have those feelings after being baptized into Christ.  Yes, just like the alcoholic or gambler may be tempted to return to their sins, but we can learn to curb and deny those feelings when tempted with God’s help through prayer, Scripture, and brethren who love and support us.

Our Monday schedule brought us to Sitio Iyawan, Brgy. Batobalani, Paracale, Camarines Norte where Rey Senar and Rolando Moreno labor in the gospel.  Their normal attendance is 25-30 but 47 gathered today.  Seeing many young people again, I presented the lesson “Young in Age, Strong in Faith” based on 1 Timothy 4:12.  Knowing we had a 6-7 hour drive ahead of us, the plan was to preach one sermon and get back on the road, but the brethren insisted there should be another lesson!  It is hard to say, “No,” to people who hunger and thirst for the truth, so I preached “Work While It Is Day” to a very attentive audience.  Jhun Layusa has been translating for me each day since some in this region do not understand English well.

Immediately after lunch 15 of us loaded up in the van and set out on our long journey to Prieto-Dias, Sorsogan, arriving safely at 8:00 P.M., tired but thankful for Jhun’s good driving and God’s good providence!  After getting settled in my room, I exercised for almost an hour by walking and by swimming in the deserted pool – a perfect combination to overcome stiffness in muscles and joints.  I got to bed at midnight because the internet signal is too weak to allow me to work on email.

The saints meeting at San Isidro, Prieto-Diaz welcomed us on Tuesday.  Larry Ebuenga is the longtime faithful evangelist working here.  For some years they have been striving and sacrificing to erect an adequate church building, and it is finally coming to fruition through their efforts coupled with the financial help of saints in the U.S.

51 attended our all-day gospel meeting.  Jhun Layusa translated again as I taught two detailed lessons on “The Threat of Pornography: Making Sex an Idol” (Eph. 5:3-5).  This danger can strike people of any age but is especially volatile among the young and, fortunately, many of them were present today.  The next sermon discussed “When Peter Confessed Christ” in Matthew 16:13-19.  Two precious souls responded to the gospel call and were baptized to wash away their sins in the blood of the Lamb.

It has been hot this week and I have been drinking a brand of water with elements in it which fight dehydration – drinking it like a whale!  If I drank this much liquid of any kind at home, I would be beached and floundering in misery whereas here it keeps me feeling normal.  Yet, a cloud cover and occasional showers along with ocean breezes have cooled the atmosphere somewhat so that I have not suffered profuse sweating as is likely to happen during the next couple of weeks as I travel northward into some of the hottest regions of this nation.

After lunch today steady rain has set in, caused by a low pressure cell which may gain strength over the next couple of days and reach typhoon status.  Fortunately, I fly back to Manila tomorrow, so hopefully my schedule of travel and preaching will not be affected.

Many things happen along the way which remind me of the providence of God and the prayers of the saints – thank you for every prayer!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook