Aug. 3, 2018^th Year of Our Lord
HALBROOK REPORT: 71^st PHILIPPINE TRIP JULY 3-AUGUST 2, 2018

Dear brethren,                               

God’s good providence first brought me to preach Christ in the Philippines in 1995 with Jim McDonald and the 71^st trip was completed July 3-August 2.  It was a memorable trip working with Filipino saints who are such an inspiration and having Zach and Taya Martin make their first trip.  Zach effectively proclaimed the gospel and Taya effectively taught ladies’ classes.  He is back in medical school and she is back teaching school, but they will be long remembered by Filipino brethren.  The Philippine fields are white unto harvest because so many souls seek God in the spirit of Psalm 63:1, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.”  I taught 60 lessons and 18 precious souls confessed Christ and were baptized.

Elias Cruz, Sammy Paet, and Jhun Gumpad met us at the hotel in Manila on July 5 to re-pack and ship ahead the 10 boxes of Bibles and study materials we brought to distribute.  July 6-7 I preached a series on “The Bible Is the Word of God” at Kaptibahayn, Navotas with Jerry Toreja. This series proves we have all the original 66 books of the Bible and why the Apocrypha, the pseudepigrapha, and so-called “lost books” are not included in God’s Word.  Zach’s sermons and Taya’s ladies’ classes were well received.  Zach learned about Philippine medical practice by spending time with Dr. Teresa Toreja, and later with Dr. Cathy Forelo.

Sunday we preached at the Edsa-Pasay church with Sammy Paet and Jhun Gumpad, then again at 2:00 PM in Paranaque City with Jimmy Battung.  Both churches continue to thrive.  Monday we learned some Philippine history and culture by visiting the Manila American Cemetery where thousands of U.S. servicemen are buried from WW II, the Santiago Fort from Spanish times, and the Jose Rizal Monument  .

Tuesday we flew to Tuguegarao, Cagayan to work with Rody Gumpad at the Metro Tuguegarao church, where I repeated the series on the Bible Wednesday-Thursday.  The brethren warmly welcomed Zach and Taya and their lessons.  Rody then took us to the Pamplona area to work with Robinson Pulveras and with Negritos, very poor tribal people from the mountains.  Five souls were baptized.

Saturday evening we reached the Ilocos region in northwest Luzon.  Sunday was spent working with Mat Sibayan in Laoag City.  Following the jail service Mat, Jr. took Zach while I went with Mat, Sr. to the Sinait church to speak on “The Tree of Life: Lost & Found” – five were baptized into Christ in the nearby ocean.  Monday was spent working with Vic Domingo at the church in Escoda, Marcos and with Angel Pascua at the Cacafean church, where a young lady obeyed the gospel.

On July 17 the three of us flew from Laoag City to Manila and on to Cebu City on Cebu Island to work with Jonathan Carino.  The series on the Bible was presented at the Cebu City church of Christ, plus the good lessons by Zach and ladies’ classes by Taya.  Zach visited another hospital with Kris Carino.

On the 20^th we flew back to Manila so Zach and Taya could go home the next day.  I hated to see them leave but knew their lives had been changed in many good ways forever.  I proceeded to Davao City in southern Mindanao to preach Sunday at Lower Madapo with Robert Agsao and at the PM service at the  Downtown church with Juanito Balbin.  July 23-24 I taught the series on the Bible to 50 attendees with additional lessons by Jonathan Carino, Jack Jaco, and Don Masaba.  Many said the preachers had never heard an explanation of how we know the 66 books are genuine the Apocrypha and other false books are not.  It seems the series was worthwhile and came at a good time for our Filipino brethren.

The 25^th brought us to Kitakal, Malungon, Sarangani to conduct a wedding service for Dondon Cadayona and Sel Sandoval, then to preach “When Peter Confessed Christ” in the afternoon.  One was baptized.  The next two days were devoted to the series on the Bible, hosted by Jolly Julom in General Santos City.  We planned for 60 and 94 came!  July 28-30 was devoted to Padada, Davao del Sur with Julie Notarte’s help and to work with Ben Canada at Kiblawan, where five submitted to Christ.  After returning to Manila, I ordered 495 Bibles in various dialects to be shipped to brethren who requested them.

God granted us safety and success in our travels and teaching, and He gave the increase!  I praise Him for every prayer and every penny which makes these trips possible.  Thank you for your help, brethren.

In Christian love, Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
http://www.HebronChurchOfChrist.com
http://www.biblework.com
http://www.truthmagazine.com
http://www.CEIbooks.com