December 20, 2019th Year of Our Lord

HALBROOK REPORT: 76th PHILIPPINE TRIP DECEMBER 2-20, 2019

Dear brethren,

For the 76th time God has granted me the privilege to preach the gospel of Christ in the Philippines since He first sent me there with Jim McDonald in 1995.  Christians who came from a pagan background in Thessalonica soon rang out the message of salvation in Christ in every direction – “The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere” (1 Thess. 1:8-10, niv).  Filipinos are abandoning their sins and false religions to sound out the true and original gospel of Christ throughout their nation and around the world.  On this trip I taught 35 lessons and 11 precious souls confessed Christ and were baptized to wash away their sins in his blood.

The flights December 2-3 from Louisville to Detroit to Tokyo, Japan and on to Manila were all safe, though we had a 4-5 hour delay in Tokyo waiting for Typhoon Tisoy to clear the Philippines.  Elias Cruz, James Paet, and Andrew Romero met me at the hotel Wednesday morning to re-pack 5 of the 6 boxes filled with Bibles and study materials to send ahead to places on the itinerary.  The other box made a side trip to Amsterdam and arrived a day late.

Southeast Luzon is a peninsula called the Bicol Region including several provinces, which was hard hit by Tisoy.  The airport in Legazpi City, Albay was damaged, but Thursday it was reopened.  When the plane landed I was met by Jhun Layusa and other brethren including Jonathan and Nanette Carino who came from Cebu City to help us.  Electricity was knocked out in every direction, but I bought a generator to be used by the brethren and to aid in our preaching schedules.  We traveled December 6 to Matnog, Sorogon to catch a pump boat and visit Baranggoy Island where the typhoon flattened the church building and four homes of our brethren.  After encouraging them, we loaded the pump boat again and reached Paghuliran where we used a civic building to preach to about 50 people.  Four were baptized into Christ.

Saturday Jonathan and I preached at San Isidro, Prieto Diaz, Sorogon with Larry Ebuenga. Two more were baptized.  That evening I preached to about 12-15 people meeting in a home at Daraga, Albay.  Sunday morning 30-35 souls heard my lesson on “The Prison of Sin” and Jonathan’s on “The Seed Principle” in the worship at Iwayan in Camarines Norte where Raymond Senar, Robert Balison, and Rolando Cadiz labor.  That afternoon I taught “Why Saints Assemble” at Del Rosario, Mercedes in Camarines Norte where Jhun Layusa preaches. December 9-10 Jonathan and I taught classes for preachers on the theme “United to Proclaim Christ” at a hotel function room in Daet, Camarines Norte.

Wednesday morning I traveled to Pasacao, Camarines Sur to preach with Rocky Ruado, Rico Ruado, & M.J. Dimaano, then spent the night in Naga City in order to fly Thursday to Iloilo City, Panay.

The next two days we taught lessons for preachers at a hotel function room in Iloilo City which 51 attended including a good number of denominational preachers, hosted by Bob Sinening, Roger Ramirez, and Jack Jaco from Negros.  Sunday we traveled by a large ferry boat to Bacolod City on the island of Negros to reach the church at Talisay where Bob Sinening preaches.  This congregation has been rather isolated in recent years and was using instrumental music and preparing for Christmas.  My lesson on “True Worship VS False Worship” resulted in Bob publicly stating his repentance and promising to remove these unscriptural traditions of men.  Sunday afternoon we returned to Panay Island and I preached to 25 souls worshiping at Zarraga where Roger Ramirez labors at the edge of Iloilo City.

Monday we took a break to visit with Zal Lanceta, a Filipino who has lived in Louisville for 47 years but is building a house in Iloilo City.  He is the agent for the Forex Cargo boxes we ship from home.

Tuesday Jonathan returned to Cebu City, Jack to Negros, and I to Manila.  Wednesday James Paet drove me two hours to reach the saints at Sta. Maria in province of Bulacan where I preached four lessons and conducted an open forum for about 50 souls.  Alex Estoy labors here alongside Doming Guevara who was converted in 2015 by Mark Copeland’s website. Many young people attended.

Thursday I ordered 899 Bibles in various dialects to be shipped throughout the Philippines.

I thank God and the many saints who serve Him by upholding the cause of Christ in the Philippines.

In Christian love, Ron Halbrook

A thousand “thank you’s” to the many saints who have been sending funds to aid our brethren suffering in a series of unprecedented disasters:  5 major earthquakes plus 3,000 aftershocks on Mindanao, flooding in northern Luzon, and Typhoon Tisoy in the Bicol Region of Luzon.  I shall continue doing my best to relay funds to meet these needs as donations continue to arrive.  Above all, please let us all remember to pray for these dear saints, knowing that God’s ears are open to the cries of His people.