Dear family, brethren, and friends,

James Paet brought me to the Kapitbahayan church of Christ in Navotas for the Sunday morning service.  Knowing the death of Jimmy Bobis is fresh on everyone’s minds, I preached “After Death, What Then? (Eccl. 12:7).”  Today’s attendance was about 80.  I have been visiting this church since my first trip in 1995 with Jim McDonald and it is good to see their progress through the years.

In the afternoon we traveled to the church meeting at Floodway, Taytay in a room below street level with no windows.  Twenty people heard my sermon entitled “Finish the Race (2 Tim. 4:7-8).”  This is a squatters area, so the people are very poor.  In 2016 Fred Gonzales helped start this work (he has served as an elder at Kapitbahayan in the past).

A lady visitor from the Iglesia ni Cristo 1914 group was very happy and surprised that I showed so many Bible verses using PowerPoint, and she was amazed that the members had Bibles in their hands.  That is not allowed at the INC services because they are taught to simply let their preachers tell them what the Bible says and means.  She said she understood the lesson perfectly well because everything was taught directly from Scripture.  We gave her a Bible, which she was thrilled to receive.  Obviously, she is a good prospect, and the brethren plan to follow up with her.

Incidents like this remind me why I come to the Philippines and will keep coming so long as the Lord allows it and circumstances permit. I take too much for granted and need to open my eyes and my heart to people like this lady who hunger to learn God’s will though they are being deceived by false teachers and false religions.  This is a good reminder of the providence of God who opens doors for people like her to bring them into contact with the truth they seek!  Many of you who will read this report have helped to make such opportunities possible – thank you for being co-laborers in the cause of Christ!

On Monday morning James Paet drove us two hours to reach the church at Bitungol, Norzagaray, Bulacan where Juan “Jun” Gabas labors.  This church began in 1999 and has converted many souls to Christ through the years.  Today 40 souls gathered including visitors to hear the study “When Peter Confessed Christ (Matt. 16:13-19).”  A young lady and a young man stepped forward by faith in Christ, repenting of their sins, confessed Christ, and were baptized to receive God’s grace in forgiving their sins.  The young man is a grandson of Jun and we rejoice with them.

We drove another hour after lunch to reach Marilao, Bulacan where Elias Cruz preachers on Sunday afternoons and Wednesdays.  Twenty of us met at the side of a house, some of us under an extended roof and some sitting in the hot summer sun, and nature provided the same floor for all of us.  I had to step around carefully while preaching to avoid slipping on the rocks scattered on the ground.

Today’s temperatures ran 100 to 110 degrees.  Although the heat is exhausting, it is a privilege to teach people God’s Word when they are willing to endure such heat to hear it!  Aged people, cripples, and people in poor health were present to share in the study.

The subject was “Finish the Race (2 Tim. 4:7-8)” and four backsliders were present.  We hope the study will help them repent and return to Christ.

I taught only one lesson at each place today because it was one of those rare times when I used a translator to help some of the audience who did not understand English well.  In most situations, that is not needed.  I always speak at a slow pace in the Philippines and try to enunciate every syllable since English is their second language.  Using a translator slows the pace even more, so one sermon can involve two hours under these circumstances.  Filipinos are patient to a fault, and they are very vocal in expressing their appreciation for the lessons in spite of the extreme heat and the slow pace.

Tomorrow, we fly to Panay Island to start the second leg of the trip, God willing.  Thank you for praying for the cause of Christ in the Philippines!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

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https://www.hebronlanechurchofchrist.com
https://biblework.congregateclients.com
https://truthbooks.com
https://www.truthmagazine.com