August 16, 2014th Year of Our Lord

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Greetings from southern Mindanao.  The
morning of August 16 began with a flight covering 700 miles going north from
Pagadian City to Manila, and then boarding a plane from Manila to General
Santos City covering 1,000 miles going south.  It has been a long day.

As soon as I arrived at the hotel late this
afternoon in General Santos City, I met Jack Jaco who came ahead of me, and
Carlito Abella who will be Jack’s companion as we work together for the next
ten days.  Jonathan Carino has always given generously of his time to
travel with me in Mindanao, and he hopes to join us later in the week.

Jolly Julom and his wife came to the hotel so
that we could visit sister Normalita Mag-abo in the hospital.  Brother
Areston Mag-abo is a gospel preacher without support who diligently strives to
provide his family’s needs as a tenant farmer and a tricycle driver.
About three weeks ago he and his wife were involved in an accident which
destroyed his tricycle, a serious setback to providing for his family.
The worst result was that his wife sustained broken bones in an arm and a leg
in addition to a head injury.

Several of us have worked to find funds for
her urgently needed surgery to set the leg and insert a steel rod, but this
took a couple of weeks.  Meanwhile Normalita left the hospital where the ambulance
had brought her and went home. By the time the funds were ready, someone had
convinced the Mag-abo family that her injuries could be treated by massage, a
very popular treatment for many ailments in the Philippines.  The money
was kept in reserve because I knew it was only a matter of time until it would
become obvious these injuries could not be treated by massage.

I requested Dr. Teresa Toreja in Manila to
view the x-rays and prepare a message warning the Mag-abo’s of the serious
consequences of further delay.  Teresa warned that Normalita was in danger
of becoming a lifelong cripple or even dying of complications from her internal
injuries.

Finally, they were convinced this week with
the help of their friend Johnny Julom.  Jolly and his wife helped the
Mag-abo’s prepare necessary applications for Normalita to be admitted to a
government hospital with lower rates for the poorest people.  The surgery
was performed this morning and took three hours to complete.

Words betray me to describe the scene I have
just witnessed at this government hospital.  The halls and ceilings are
dingy and have not seen a coat of paint in years.  I hope the dark spots I
saw were not mold or fungus of some kind.  Where there is paint on the
door facings, it is peeling off.  I was in the section for surgery
patients and windows were open everywhere, in fact some have no window
panes.  There were no signs of air conditioning.

Because Normalita’s surgery was so serious
(she required several blood transfusions and will soon need another bag of
blood), she is lying on a worn out stretcher in the hall next to a nurse’s
station so that they can monitor her condition.  That is the best they can
do for a post-op recovery area!  The leg is wrapped in a bandage which is
literally soaked in blood.

We had prayer with the Mag-abo’s asking God
to relieve her pain and promote the healing process.  She will be taken to
another hospital for a CT scan Monday because the government hospital has no CT
scan equipment.  Her head injury makes it impossible for her to hold her
right eye open.

God has spared the life of sister Mag-abo and
touched the hearts of generous saints to donate funds for the medical bills
which were completely out of the reach of this family.  Without money,
there is no medical service here.  I am told brother Mag-abo is a very
talented preacher who does most of his study by listening to his wife read the
Bible and by memorizing the passages because he does not have much
education.  She is such a valuable asset to his work as an evangelist.

After getting past his wife’s surgery, his
great burden will be how to feed his family after the loss of his
tricycle.  This is a small motorcycle with a side car attached which
serves as a primitive taxi for the poor. The income generated is very meager
but vital.  Areston is responsible for feeding 13 mouths including
extended family members.  The setback he has suffered is truly
catastrophic.

Is there any possibility that funds could be
found to provide even a secondhand tricycle to help this gospel preacher who
works so hard to help himself?  I asked a couple of brethren to
investigate the cost without mentioning it to Areston (I don’t want to create
false hope).  A fairly good secondhand tricycle will cost $1,500-1,600.

Thank you for your prayers for my safety and
work in the Philippines, and please pray for the Mag-abo family as well.

In Christian love, Ron
Halbrook