Philippine Trip Update December 10-15, 2015
Tuesday, December 15, 2015th Year of Our Lord
Dear family, brethren, & friends,
I hope this report finds everyone well. Certainly our trip and work here have been going very well, by God’s good grace.
On Thursday, December 10, we flew from Manila to Davao City on Mindanao, 1,000 miles by land, 600 by air. We drug into town tired in the flesh but joyfully anticipating the classes here.
The classes were scheduled for December 11-15, omitting Sunday the 13th. It was a joy to see brother Juanito Balbin and his sons Dudley, Sonni, and Connie (or “C.B.”) as the first two days of classes began. Brethren in this area have been longing for this kind of instruction for a long time. Friday fifty participants came anxious to learn and were given a study manual and a pocket tone pitch pipe. Steven and Jim started with the basics and had excellent response and participation. It is always good to have ladies present to round out the singing and to give the leaders a realistic context in which to learn to lead.
I taught lessons on “The Purpose of Our Lives” (Gen. 1:27), “Before Abraham Was, I Am” (Jn. 8:58), and “Reverence in Worship” (Eccl. 5:1-7).
On Saturday Jim and Steven grouped the participants according to the four parts of music to teach each person how to sing his or her part. They reported that the session went very well. The class dismissed at noon to let the preachers scatter to their normal preaching appointments on Sunday.
I stayed in the hotel rather than join the session and teach today because of a bronchial infection which is affecting my voice. I consulted with Dr. Teresa Toreja in Manila and she recommended a regimen of medicines to try to knock out the infection. I accomplished little today other than to rest because the infection sapped my energy.
On the Lord’s Day, December 13, Steven and Jim were invited to speak at the New Matina church of Christ here in downtown Davao City, and the meeting place was full to overflowing. I was invited to preach for the church in Lower Madapo, an area inhabited by many poor squatters. Some of them even live in the adjoining cemetery among the mausoleum tombs. Robert Agsao is the preacher but he and he with several of the Madapo members is eight hours away preaching to a newly established congregation. About 20 attended today as I taught on”Why Saints Assemble” (Heb. 10:24-25). Since I am struggling to regain my voice, C.B. Balbin read all my passages to the audience, a great help.
Sunday evening I preached at the New Matina church, and again there was a full house including three ladies who serve in civic positions in the community. Again my topic was “Why Saints Assemble” and Steven led the songs very effectively.
The singing classes resumed Monday, the 14th. The classes have been running on schedule, a major accomplishment, and most of the participants were ready again to start on time today. Having taught some fundamentals of singing and song leading, Jim and Steven put every man before the audience to actually lead a song. Young and old participated including men who had never attempted to lead singing before, and it became obvious this group generally is learning quickly and well. The men encouraged each other, especially the first timers.
My lessons scattered through the day were “Holy in Life, Holy in Worship” (1 Tim. 2:8), “I Will Sing unto the Lord” (Ex. 15:1), and “Instrumental Music.”
When we arrived to begin the Tuesday class, the men were already gathered and practicing leading songs on their own! What a pleasant surprise. Steven and Jim led some exercises and then divided the audience again to sing in four-part harmony. Before lunch the men were given another opportunity to lead songs using the guidelines they have been learning. There are a couple of very young men who really stand out for their musical abilities and for their quickness in learning how to lead. My morning lesson was “Why Saints Assemble.”
In the afternoon Jim and Steven again put the men before the audience one by one to lead a song, and gave them any needed instruction or advice to improve. The brethren were overjoyed at the opportunity to benefit from this training. They were reminded that they must practice, practice, practice so as not to forget what they learned and in order to constantly improve.
I presented two lessons entitled “After We Begin, What Then?” The open forum followed with wide ranging questions about song leading, the roles of the three persons in the Godhead, and about Korean Presbyterians who roam in the Philippines donating money to any church or preacher. Politicians also offer donations. The brethren were advised that any person is free to donate funds, unless there is an agenda with strings attached. Funds should not be received from denominational churches because this represents fellowship with these false religions. God did not establish any denomination and Jesus said, “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (Matt. 15:13).
Typhoon Melor (called Nona in the Philippines) hit yesterday and today. Apparently many of you have been praying for us, because if it had hit the Manila area directly as predicted, it would have prevented Jim and Steven flying to Manila on Wednesday and home on Thursday. Melor turned south of Manila and hit the island of Mindoro hard. Though Manila got a ton of rain, the planes are still flying. Let’s all pray for Steven and Jim to have safe travel back to their homes and loved ones.
Meanwhile, a new tropical depression named Onyok has formed which is expected to turn into a typhoon and which may hit the Philippines and complicate my travel plans to Manila on Saturday or home on Monday, depending on its speed and course. We can only leave such matters to the providence of God and trust that He knows what is best and does what is best for all of us.
In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook
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