Dear family, brethren, and friends,

While traveling from General Santos City to Davao City on Saturday, August 6, we stopped to preach for a half day at Kitakal, Malungon, Sarangani Province.  Rene Sandoval preached here but died in a vehicle accident a few years ago.  His widow Sel is still faithful and young preachers have been trained to continue the work.

When we arrived people occupied the little church building and a large tent erected outside. Our total attendance was 177 including visitors from area churches and people not yet converted.  Carlito Abella joined us to lead the singing.  Julie Notarte and his sons arrived early and Julie maximized the time by preaching until we arrived about 9:30 A.M.  Since the Philippines suffered a drought for about a year, I selected two topics to encourage them and to strengthen their faith in God.  I taught on “God’s Weather Forecast” (Gen. 8:22) to counter man’s arrogant claims about human’s endangering the earth by “global warming” – God not man controls the weather.

The next lesson was entitled “When Good People Suffer Bad Things” (Ps. 22:1).  We do not have all the answers about suffering, but we know sin introduced it into the world and we know God sustains His people in the face of every trial. Julie received the news that two brethren were murdered by bandits today.  Many brethren die in remote areas of Mindanao at the hands of roving bandits, communist rebels, and Muslim rebels.

Joshua Notarte translated the lessons since many of the people present were poorly educated and did not understand English well.  When Carlito led the invitation song, 22 precious souls came forward to confess their faith and submit to Christ in baptism.  After the baptisms and lunch, we proceeded to Davao City, arriving safely about 4:00 P.M. by God’s grace.

Juanito Balbin has labored for over 40 years in Davao City and it is always a joy to visit the church here in New Matina.  At the Sunday morning service about 80 souls heard my two sermons on “Be Not Weary” (Gal. 6:9) and about 60 heard the evening sermon on “God Created Us Male and Female,” (Gen. 1:27) countering the gender identity issue.  This good church has three elders and is constantly engaged in training young men to preach and in conducting classes to improve the work of preachers of all ages.

It is amazing to follow the news here in the Philippines about President Duterte who was inaugurated June 30, promising to eradicate the curse of illegal drugs from this nation.  Over 600 suspects have been killed by the police and by unknown shooters, and almost 200,000 drug pushers and addicts have surrendered to the police.  They all admit to the fear of being killed because Duterte issued a “shoot on sight” order.  There is a clamor for more rehabilitation programs and human rights protestors say the campaign is getting out of control.  Illegal drugs have become a virulent cancer and Duterte has no sympathy for people involved in the drug trade.

I finally saw a sliver of the moon tonight and it was relaying all the warm messages of love from so many of you who read these reports!

Several years ago Padada in Davao del Sur was a stronghold of Satan because a gospel preacher had a mistress there.  Ben Canada guided us to his relatives there who obeyed the gospel.  The preacher who had lived in sin also repented.  A dear brother in the U.S. name Toney Russell donated funds to build a small but adequate church building for the saints meeting in Padada (Toney has since died).  The church established here by Ben still worships God and proclaims the gospel with the help of Julie Notarte and his sons who live in nearby Digos City.  Satan suffered a defeat in Padada!

Again on Monday morning, August 8, the gospel was proclaimed in Padada first by Julie Notarte and then I preached “Man Answers to God” (Ezek. 18:4) and “The Gospel Makes Us Right with God” (Rom. 1:16).  Our attendance was 58.  It was very hot but not unbearable, and the brethren gave me fresh coconut juice to drink which is very refreshing (a doctor told me it has more electrolytes than Gatorade).

In the afternoon we drove to Digos City where Julie Notarte has preached for many years and 120 gathered from remote areas where they have suffered multiple tragedies including a long drought and attacks and killings by bandits and rebels.  For their encouragement Julie asked me to repeat the lessons presented at Kitakal: “God’s Weather Forecast” (Gen. 8:22) and “When Good People Suffer Bad Things” (Ps. 22:1).  Several of the brethren have approached me to ask that I express their appreciation for the benevolence funds sent by so many brethren during the depths of the drought.  Rains have returned and crops will hopefully be harvested within a couple of months.

It took over two hours to drive from Digos back to the hotel in Davao City, but we made it back by 7:30 P.M.  After eating supper I immediately went to the small “gym” (exercise room), knowing if I force myself to exercise even when I am tired it increases my stamina for the next day.  By the time I studied for Tuesday’s sermons, it was midnight again.  Trying to get to bed early seems to be a futile enterprise.  So, by God’s grace, I will rest and then do it all again tomorrow, God willing.  But none of this would be possible without the prayers and help of many saints who are reading this report – thank you and may God bless you!

A two hour drive Tuesday morning brought us to Digos City to work with Julie Notarte again.  He had wanted to guide us to a place in the countryside to preach where the fields are ripe to harvest because the people have listened to the radio program and follow-up studies with them have been productive.  Julie changed his plan because of some violent incidents in that region and he invited the people to gather in the church building in Digos City where peace and security prevail. Over 200 people attended including brethren and visitors.

I discussed Jesus’ statement “I Am the Bread of Life” (Jn. 6:35) to show that Christ promised eternal life with God in heaven not material things, and followed with “The Gospel Makes Us Right with God” (Rom. 1:16-17) detailing the plan of redemption..  When we sung the invitation song, 12 came forward to confess Christ and to submit to him in baptism.  We paid a fee at a swimming pool to immerse them and another soul decided to obey the gospel after we arrived at the pool, for a total of 13 baptisms today.

On Wednesday we traveled two hours to reach Santo Thomas, Davao del Norte to work with Joel Perigo.  (His sons are name Ron Halbrook, Jim McDonald, and Earl Mitchell.)   He gathered many people from a remote area where he has been preaching and we borrowed the church building of a denominational group because our brethren have no church building in this city.  Since the people came from a distance, we waited until 10:30 to begin the service.

Knowing they would have to travel far to return home, I preached only one lesson.  The subject was “The Gospel Makes Us Right with God” which is covers a lot of very basic principles in detail.  The audience did not know English well, so it was necessary to have the sermon translated as I spoke.  Naturally, this makes the teaching move slowly, but it is important for people to understand as much as is possible.  I preached until 1:00 P.M.  Juanito Balbin translated the first hour and then C.B. Balbin translated the rest of the sermon.

Ten souls responded and we took them to a river about 15 minutes away to baptize them into Christ.  I admonished them under the trees by the riverside to grow close to God by studying the Bible and praying every day.

A three hour drive Thursday morning brought us to Luna Sur, Makilala, North Cotabato where 40-50 people gathered in a building owned by the Church of God denomination.  Some of the people are Ben Canada’s relatives. He has been teaching and baptizing people in this community including members of this very denomination.  If a preacher could work with these folks on a regular basis, Ben believes the whole group would soon be converted.  As Jesus said, “The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few” (Matt. 9:37).

All of my lessons for the day focused on the theme of “The Kingdom of God:” 1. “Attitudes Essential in God’s Kingdom” (verse by verse study of Matt. 5 introducing God’s new kingdom).  2. “The Bread of Life” (Jn. 6:53; Jesus came to save our souls not to feed our bodies).  3. “Thy Kingdom Come” (Matt. 6:10, showing how Christ fulfilled this prayer by establishing his church in Acts 2, contrary to the false claims of premillennialism).  4. “When Peter Confessed Christ” (verse by verse study of Matt. 16:13-19, showing that souls saved by Christ constitute his church and his kingdom).  Short summaries of the sermons were made by Connie Balbin and Jonathan Carino in the local dialects to help clarify a few points.

Though there were no baptisms, the interest in the audience was evident in their listening attentively all day in the summer heat to hear the gospel as vehicles roared by and immersed the audience in dust, and in the pertinent questions they asked. This occasion is typical of the good work Ben has done through the years gathering people who are interested in hearing the gospel – he has a special heart and talent for doing this.  Several preachers from other areas joined us to help and encourage this effort.  We arrived back safely in Davao City about 8:00 P.M., tired but rejoicing for the good day!

Friday we were scheduled to preach in a remote mountain place over 3 hours distance from Davao City.  Brethren became concerned about possible security dangers which arose during the week, so this trip was cancelled to err on the side of caution.  I woke up early nursing an upset stomach, almost surely the result of dehydration after preaching all day in the summer heat the previous day, so I actually could not have made the trip anyway.  I consulted with Dr. Teresa Toreja in Manila via cell phone who guided me in the process of hydration and taking needed medicines.

Having decided to cancel the scheduled trip, I requested some brethren to gather to discuss several issues of personal attitudes and conduct troubling the Lord’s work from time to time.  We gathered at 1:00 P.M. and soon began the discussion, but some of the needed principals did not arrive until the early evening.   Everyone spoke frankly but respectfully which provided a healthy discussion in the process of bringing about some needed correction and reconciliation.  We are very hopeful additional steps will be taken.

Leonardo Maste from General Santos City had come to Davao City to make his vehicle available to brethren needing transportation.  Actually, brethren generally stopped working with him about 7-8 years ago when he fell into sin.  Having endured the chastening of the Lord in several ways, he decided to make a public confession and correction of these sins while this large group of brethren from throughout the area was gathered.  We welcomed him in during a break in the meeting and he made a very full and complete confession, asking God and his brethren to forgive him.  Juanito Balbin led a very loving and tender prayer on Leonardo’s behalf, then everyone gave him the right hand of fellowship and promised to help him press forward.

We are not surprised there are problems at times among saints including preachers.  Satan is alive and active at all times, which requires constant vigilance on our parts.  In the New Testament we read of saints including preachers who fell into sin, and even of friction generated by immature attitudes, as well as differences over judgmental matters.  Satan tries to exploit all of these matters to his greatest advantage in disrupting and hindering the work of the Lord – we must humble ourselves before the Lord and seek His grace, mercy, and strength to fight the good fight of faith to the end in order to receive eternal life with God in heaven.

Friday was a difficult and stressful day but a very good day in fighting the good fight of faith because Satan’s devices were exposed and steps of correction taken which will help saints in this part of Mindanao “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).  As moderator, I opened and closed the meeting by reading what Jesus commanded in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” I challenged all of us to examine ourselves and strive to show more brotherly love in helping each other go to heaven, rather than acting with a selfish and carnal mind to the destruction of precious souls for whom Christ died.

We dismissed at 11:30 P.M., exhausted physically and mentally but also thankful and rejoicing in spirit.

Please pray for these dear brethren so that wounded hearts will heal and unity will grow.  Pray for the son of Leonardo Maste whose son is deathly sick with leukemia.  Pray for the gospel to spread here in the Philippines and in every place, for, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few” (Matt. 9:37).  May God bless us all as we “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).

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