April 28, 2015th Year of Our Lord
HALBROOK REPORT: 58th PHILIPPINE TRIP Mar. 31-Apr. 28, 2015

Dear brethren,

By God’s good providence the Philippine preaching trip planned for March 31-April 28 has been successfully completed.  This is my 58th trip since the first one with Jim McDonald in 1995.  God promised in Isaiah 11:10, “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.”  Mark Mayberry, evangelist and elder at the Adoue St. church of Christ in Alvin, TX, was an effective companion in holding up the banner of Christ with Filipino saints.  I presented 71 lessons and 61 people responded to the gospel call.

Mark and I arrived in Manila April 1.  The next day Elias Cruz helped us repack boxes to ship ahead to various destinations and he sent them for us. Then Lordy Salunga took us to Angeles City, Pampanga where we taught the book of Revelation April 3-4, using Dan King’s new workbook.  Seventy attended from near and far with good interest. A sister converted from Herbert W. Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God repeatedly expressed appreciation because the study clarified a lot of premillennial errors she had been taught.

After Mark and I preached in the area on Sunday, Lordy went with us to Cebu City, Cebu where we  held preacher training classes April 6-10. Twenty-five men were given a reference Bible, Harkrider’s workbooks on Basic Bible Doctrine, Strong’s Concordance, and Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary.  Twice that number attended including converted denominational preachers from Masbate Island.  Two Baptist preachers were baptized during our classes.  Mark and I preached among local churches on Sunday.

April 13-17 we were back on Luzon in Tuguegarao, Cagayan with Rody Gumpad and other good men.  Two days were devoted to a gospel meeting with the Tuguegarao City church.  Our topics covered a range of issues and we conducted an open forum so that people could ask for clarification or explore other subjects.  Over 150 attended and three were baptized.  Thursday and Friday Mark and I went different directions. I spent Thursday with Edgar Licondini and the saints at Bliss Village, Ilagan, Isabela Province.  A large part of the 70 who attended were young people because schools are dismissed April-May.  They heard these lessons: “Young People, Read the Bible,” “Love Not the World,” “When Peter Confessed Christ,” and “Things That Please God” (by Rody Gumpad).  On the 17th my day was spent at Cordon, Isabela with Domie and Frankie Jacob.  Domie is 79 but still going strong.  Eight were baptized.

Saturday the 18th we flew to Manila and on to Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.  Mat Sibayan and Vic Domingo have labored many years in the Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur provinces.  Dozens of churches are scattered throughout the region.  Sunday we visited five places starting with the Laoag City church, then to the Bengcag church meeting in a home, next to the Ilocos Norte Provincial Jail, and on to a late afternoon service at Katipunan, Sinait, Ilocos Sur.  We drove two hours to reach the Escoda, Marcos, I.N. church where Vic Domingo labors for a service running from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM.  We enjoyed every minute.

Monday–Tuesday 130 people gathered at the Laoag City church to study “Leadership in the Church” using my new workbook by that title.  This is not a sermon or lecture series but is a class format.  The audience participated well by reading verses, answering questions, and joining in discussions.

The 22nd-24th Mark and I went different directions to cover more ground.  I went to the Cacafean church in the mountains of Marcos, Ilocos Norte where Angel Pascua preaches and taught an overflow crowd as Gil Caindec translated, followed by Santiago where Freddy Pascua labors.  I visited the Caestebanan church at Cabittauran, Nueva Era and Nalibegon church at Caestebanan Banna.  When I preached at the Batac Provincial Jail, two confessed Christ.  Friday I preached at Binacag Banna, I.N. where Efren Ramos labors and at Poblacion Burgos, I. N. where Redentor Nonato preaches.  The Filipino saints are working diligently and we merely help them to harvest where they have already labored.

We returned to Manila.  Sunday I spoke at Kapitbahayan, Navotas with Elias Cruz and at Meycauayan, Bulacan with Jaime Bobis.  Mark went to the Bilibid Prison and Jimmy Battung’s home.

Thanks to saints who responded to my appeal, the 27th we bought 1,324 Bibles in Filipino dialects!

None of this work would be possible without the help of loving and generous brethren.  I thank God on every remembrance of you.  Let us labor for the Master from dawn to setting sun!

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