Dear family, brethren, and friends,

No preaching or travel was scheduled for Wednesday because I needed time to work on the transition into the new time zone, look at some of the email backlog, get some vigorous exercise, and review lessons for the next leg of the trip.

Thursday was a travel day which included flying from Manila to Iloilo City on Panay Island, where Jack Jaco picked me up for the long drive to San Juan in the Province of Antique where denominational preachers have invited us to teach.  Jonathan and Nanette Carino are with us, as well as Hernane Equipado from a Christian Church in Iloilo.  Upon our arrival in San Juan, we were welcomed by Richard Panaligan, a preacher for the Koinonia Community Church.  After eating supper and reviewing some sermons for tomorrow, I walked from 10:00 to 10:50 PM.  Though I am exhausted, this will boost my energy and stamina for tomorrow’s work.  After walking, I finished reviewing lessons for tomorrow and got to bed at 1:00 AM.

All-day preaching was conducted at a rented venue Friday in San Juan, Antique Province on Panay Island where our host was Richard Panaligan.  Sixty people attended, nearly all of them preachers for various denominational groups.  One preacher sat near the back during the AM lessons, then right a the front the rest of the day.  Another one approached me to say, “These lessons are really a wake-up call for us to follow basic Bible teaching.”

The first sermon answered the questions, “When Am I Ready to be Baptized?” (Acts 8:36-38; 22:16).  Next, we studied how the gospel of Christ replaced the Law of Moses which was “Nailed to the Cross” (Col. 2:14).  After lunch the sermons were entitled “The Gospel Makes Us Right with God” (Rom. 1:16-17) and “True Worship VS False Worship” (Jn. 4:20-26; Matt. 15:1-9). Inquiries during the Q & A period covered ground which is typical for denominational preachers hearing such lessons for the first time, but no one was combative.

Some asked when we can return to give them more of this basic Bible teaching.  I hope to find a way to send Jack back soon to follow up, but the challenge for our Filipino preachers is finding the funds necessary for such work when they can barely make ends meet at home.

Unfortunately, shortly before the last couple of questions, I lost my voice, but Jack did an excellent job completing the session.  I am not sick and do not have a sore throat, but it is likely the result of being physically drained by all of the recent travel and the five hour change in time zones after preaching in New Zealand.  I will try to get to bed early tonight and catch up on some much needed rest (my body has been complaining about this issue!).

After sleeping 8 hours last night, I still can only barely whisper this morning.  I texted Dr. Teresa Toreja about my symptoms and she sent prescriptions for four medicines which I immediately started.  Jack and John proceeded to our Saturday appointment with Renato Palacios at the Tina Victory Church in a rural part of Antique.  I slept through a large part of the morning in the hotel and Jack picked me up to join the afternoon session where they delivered two more sermons on God’s conditions of pardon to receive salvation by His grace and on the nature of the New Testament church.

When a passage was projected on the wall, often the whole audience would spontaneously read out loud in unison.  When the speaker explained the passage and asked rhetorical questions regarding its proper application, likewise they answered in unison.  This was a new experience for me.  These people were running to the truth rather than running from it!  During the open forum, the audience’s questions sought more clarification on subjects such as baptism, worship, and security in Christ, and they were receptive to the answers shown in Scripture.

It turns out Renator had been baptized into Christ many years ago but lost contact with our brethren and drifted back into denominationalism.  It is obvious he is headed back in the right direction.  There was a plea for us to “return next week, next month, next year or anytime as soon as possible because we are preaching to indigenous people in remote mountain areas and we do not want to teach them the wrong things.”

It was disappointing for me again to be stuck in my hotel on the Lord’s Day and not to be able to join Jack and Jonathan at the Oton Gleaner’s Christian Church at Alegre, Oton, Iloilo City where Hernane Equipado preaches.  This man is very interested in the truth he is learning and 42 precious souls heard four sermons by Jack and Jonathan today.  Study materials were also distributed for follow-up study.

Meanwhile, another blessing has unfolded as Jack made contact with a mature brother from the Balite congregation in General Santos City (I have preached there several time through the years).  Marvin Escodero has moved to Iloilo City with a five-year assignment with his job and he is willing to help us start a new work here!  Since there is no faithful church of Christ meeting in the city, Marvin came with Jonathan, Nanette, and Jack to my room so that we could worship together this afternoon and lay plans for him to start the new congregation.  Jack has several Bibles and songbooks on hand from supplies I provided and he will share them with Marvin.

We are expecting baptisms to follow from the teaching we have been doing, and when the word gets out there is a sound church here, other Christians in the area will surface who are looking for our brethren.  The prospects for this new work are bright indeed.  So, this is an unexpected boon to the cause of Christ which has occurred even before we have finished our schedule here in Iloilo City!

In addition to the medicines Dr. Toreja gave me, Jack is going to try to find a traditional Filipino concoction which is guaranteed to bring my voice back, and at this point I am willing to try anything.  Here is an interesting side note: Since I have to whisper to people, often they whisper back!  It occurred to me that this demonstrates how our own conduct influences other people whether it is intentional or not. Let’s remember as Christians how important and powerful our example is every day!

Since I do not have my full strength back, I am alternating short periods of exercise with my rest and sleep, while working on email off and on as my energy fluctuates.  Whatever purpose Satan has in sending this torn in the flesh, God will overrule it to some good purpose.  Maybe this is God’s way to force me to come back sooner than I would have expected to teach and distribute all the printed materials I had prepared, especially dealing at length with the authority of Christ.

Thank you to all who are praying for Donna in my absence.  God alone understands how much she sacrifices in order for this work to be done.  “Her price is above rubies” applies to all godly wives but double and triple to the godly wife who fills the role of a preacher’s wife.  (Plus my wife gets bonus points for putting up with all of my quirks…you really don’t want to know!)

Have you noticed how absolutely gorgeous the moon has been the last few nights?  What a beautiful reminder of God’s love for all of us and of our common bond in viewing it!

In Christian love,

Ron Halbrook