Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Dondon drove us from the hotel in Pagadian City out into the country on Saturday to meet with the church at Lower Sambulawan, Ramon Magsaysay where Ernie Collado has established a new congregation during the last couple of years.  About 30 souls were assembled in their building as I taught the lesson “Work While It Is Day (Jn. 9:4).”  After greeting everyone, taking pictures, and having a short visit, we proceeded to the church at Lower Pulacan, Labangan where Ernie lives and has preached for many years.  A study of Jesus as “The Bread of Life” in John 6 was presented to about 35 people who were most attentive.  Ernie provided a very fine lunch in his house.

Then we drove to the church at Manga where James Armada continues the good work of his father Leo who passed away a couple of years ago. After preaching to 25 souls on “Work While It Is Day,” I was requested to bring an additional lesson – I preached “The Bread of Life.”
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

We went to the airport on Tuesday at 8:00 A.M. to catch a plane which did not fly until 2:00 P.M. after several delays.  When we finally arrived in Cebu City to go to our connecting flight to Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, the plane we should have missed was also delayed so long that we hurried to the gate and made it!  Dondon Masaba was kind enough to meet us at 5:00 P.M. when we landed and used his large pickup truck to bring us to the hotel.

But as we traveled about an hour toward the hotel, sheets and torrents of rain inundated us.  Every article of clothing in my suitcase was wet.  I did not realize until later that the water had leaked into every nook and cranny, even into plastic bags which I thought were sealed.  Fortunately, the hotel laundry had not yet shut down and they promised to have everything dried and pressed by 7:00 A.M. tomorrow.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

All of Saturday was devoted to travel.  A flight from Davao City took us to Manila. After a couple of hours, another ;plane brought us to Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur on the island of Mindanao.  Alvin Miguel met us at the airport.  By the time we got settled into our hotel, it was getting dark, and Alvin guided us to a restaurant noted for excellent seafood.  This is my first time to return here in about 20 years.  At times it has not been safe because of Muslim rebels, but things are peaceful now.  Ramon Carino was with us last time and he took me to the cathedral where a group of fanatical Catholics including himself gathered Bibles to burn.

Because of the large attendance expected, the saints the Canelar church arranged for worship and lectures for two days at a rented function room.  On the Lord’s Day 126 souls filled this large room at 8:00 A.M. including about 40 visitors.  “From Wretched Man to More Than Conquerors” was the first study.  After worship and a short break, I preached on “The Resurrection of Christ.”  After lunch, we reconvened to study “Nailed to the Cross,” showing that Christ offered himself as a perfect sacrifice for sin and replaced the Old Covenant with the gospel.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

On Tuesday, the 15^th, we began a service about 9:30 A.M. at the Glamang church in Polomolok, the Province of South Cotabato where Toto Samson preaches.  About 35 people heard sermons this A.M. on “The Resurrection of Christ” and also “Finish the Race,” translated by Joy Julom and Billy Gripo.  Four people confessed Christ and were baptized into his church.  Toto fell back to the world about 20 years ago, but he never forgot the truth and this led him finally to repent and to renew his service to Christ a couple of years ago.   He is doing a good work in this community.

In the afternoon we traveled to the Purok Tribal church in Maasim, Sarangani Province where Romel Dazon labors and a new building is under construction.  It was filled with about 80 people and they were very attentive to the studies about “The Resurrection of Christ” and “When Peter Confessed Christ” as translated by Salvador Parbo and Joy Julom.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Our Lord’s Day activities involved 11 hours of travel and visits to four congregations.  Salvador Parbo picked up Jonathan and Nanette Carino and myself in a four-wheel-drive truck which negotiated roads of all kinds as we traversed the mountains including concrete highways, washed-out roads filled with large random rocks, muddy roads with deep ruts, and one-lane paths.  Without four-wheel-drive, we would still be somewhere in those mountains tonight!

Our first stop was at the Kiongok church in Maasim in the Province of Sarangani where Salvador preaches.  Over 100 people participated in this service as I preached on “The Resurrection of Christ” from Mark 16. Jonathan summarized this sermon in the local dialect.  Nine people ranging in age from 23 to 12 confessed Christ and were baptized into him.  Many Muslims inhabit this area, but Salvador has befriended them and converted some of them to Christ.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Thursday, August 10, was reserved for getting adjusted to another big time change (the Philippine time zone is 5 hours ahead of Kenya, 12 hours ahead of Kentucky), running some errands, getting a little rest, catching up on some email (sorry I cannot read it all), and preparing to preach tomorrow.

Sammy Medrano has been doing steady work preaching the gospel and on Friday we visited the church meeting in his house at Taytay in the Province of Rizal.  James Paet drove 1½ hours to bring me there where 30 people gathered to participate in our studies.

The first sermon focused on “The Resurrection of Christ” in Mark 16 as the foundation of our faith in Christ.  After lunch our study showed that the Law of Moses was “Nailed to the Cross” (Col. 2:14).  When Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice for sin, he brought the Old Testament system to its end by fulfilling its purpose to bring the Jews to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Most denominations do not clearly understand this lesson.  That is why they appeal to Old Testament passages to justify such practices as a special priesthood or clergy, the Sabbath observance, instrumental music and burning incense in worship, tithing, infant membership in the church, etc., etc.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

On Saturday we drove far out into the countryside to reach the Airport Rd. church of Christ. There is no airport, but Francis Kamau gathered about 14 people including three denominational preachers to study with us.  Paul did some very simple and direct teaching about God’s way being the only way of salvation and the futility of men making other ways which can result only in their being lost.

I preached from Ephesians 1 on “All Spiritual Blessings Are in Christ.”  After developing that main point, I discussed how we enter this realm of salvation in Christ by obeying the gospel, and how we learn to live a new life, to engage in a new worship, and to bring our family into conformity to God’s plan.  I called on Francis to read the passages in the local dialect, which is not Swahili.  When he read Ephesians 5:19 about singing in worship, Joseph intervened to explain the translation he read includes the words “beating drums.”  Yes, “beating drums!”  Joseph explained this is not accurate.  That is the first time in my preaching life that I have asked for a verse to be read, only to find out it was a false translation.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Our first Monday appointment was at Kibathi where Peter Mbugua preaches. This is a rural church meeting in a borrowed room in a house in a small compound.  About 30 people were crammed into the room to hear my lesson from Mark 16 on “The Resurrection of Christ.”  A young brother translated it into Swahili.  English is the second official language in Kenya, but often rural people who read English cannot speak or understand the spoken word well.

This church outgrew the small room and several members came from the community of Kangui, so Peter established a new church there meeting in a small second-floor, rented room at the back of a building which houses businesses.  Today about 12 people joined us for the lesson from Colossians 3:11, “Christ Is All.”

A special lectureship for preachers on “How to Study the Bible” and “Marriage and Morals” was planned for August 1-3 in a conference room at the Eastward Garden Hotel in Nyahururu.  Paul Coffman and Joseph Warui attended to many details in arranging the venue and inviting preachers.  Joseph said 66 participants joined our class on Tuesday, some traveling a full day to arrive.  The session started with singing at 8:30 A.M. and then proceeded to specific topics.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

By God’s loving providence, my Wednesday-Thursday flights from Louisville to Atlanta to Amsterdam to Nairobi, Kenya were unremarkable – which is always the best way to fly.  I got a lot of work done on the laptop related to the trip and got some good sleep.

I arrived at 10:00 PM Thursday but could not exit the airport until midnight because a government official wanted to collect “taxes” on the six boxes of Bibles and study materials I bought to distribute.  I explained these items were donated and would be donated to Kenyans, but the official insisted on collecting “taxes.”  After paying $200, I was allowed to leave.  Paul Coffman and Joseph Warui were waiting for me.  Paul knows the President and other officials – he quickly researched the issue and assured me no taxes or fees were due. He sent a copy of my receipt to an official in the hope of getting a refund, so, we shall see what we shall see!  International travel can be an adventure in unpredictable ways.
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