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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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

I reached home before midnight last night by the grace of God but was delayed in sending this notice by computer problems.  I am thankful to be home with Donna and to see she is doing so well.  David and Joel arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska just shortly after I arrived at the airport in Louisville, Kentucky.

This trip to the Philippines was fruitful in every way.  Having David and Joel to help was a great blessing.  David’s preaching was edifying and encouraging, and Joel’s public relations presence topped it off — everyone loves a 10-year-old as sweet as Joel!  Joel was attentive to the lessons and encouraged other young people to be attentive.  All of our travels were safe and there was no sickness.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Having completed our schedule in the Ilocos region, we said our goodbyes to our dear brethren there and flew from Laoag City, Ilocos Norte to Manila on Thursday, April 27, arriving in the late afternoon.  James Paet took us to the Asian Mall (the third largest mall in the world) so that David and Joel could look for souvenirs and gifts for family and friends.

On Friday I woke up with the gift of knowing it was Donna’s birthday (at least in the Philippines – we are 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time here).  Then I had the honor and privilege of purchasing 750 Bibles in various dialects to be shipped to brethren in many parts of the Philippines by the Philippine Bible Society, thanks to the generous donations of many saints.  Joel went with James and me, but David stayed behind to rest because his energy was depleted and he did not want to crash and miss the special classes planned for Saturday-Monday.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Early Saturday morning (Apr. 22) Rody and Tessie Gumpad picked up David, Joel, and me to take us from the Cagayan region to the Ilocos region in northwest Luzon.  First, we drove three hours to reach Magacan, Pamplona in the Province of Cagayan to preach to the Negritos, one of the poorest of all the tribal groups.  They live in little huts made of native materials with the ground as the floor and cook over open fires.  In spite of their deep poverty, they are intelligent and humble people.  Danilo Bautista is a Negrito and works among them proclaiming the gospel.

More than 120 attended as David preached from Psalms 145-146 about putting our trust in God who alone can give us true happiness.  I spoke from Psalm 23 on “The Lord Is Our Shepherd King.”  Robinson Pulveras translated in the dialect.  Ten souls responded to the gospel call and were immediately baptized into Christ with great rejoicing all around.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Wednesday morning Rody Gumpad drove David, Joel, and me about an hour from our hotel in Tuguegararo City to Remus, Baggao, Cagayan Valley where Abraham and Sammy Paet serve as evangelists.  They have just constructed a new church building which lacks only a few finishing touches in a couple of rooms and on the outside, in addition to putting up a fence to be complete.

71 souls were gathered including visitors, one of whom is a denominational pastor who attended high school with Sammy.  Sammy has been studying with his friend Joel and I have also been sharing study materials with him via email.  He was very happy to be with us today to hear David’s lesson from Ecclesiastes on the three R’s (rejoice, remove, and remember) followed by my sermon “When Peter Confessed Christ.”  Rody summarized our presentations in the dialect because this is another remote place.  These saints want me to relay their appreciation for the financial help which enabled them to construct this new building.
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