August 21, 2019th Year of Our Lord

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

The last day in Whakatane was a beautiful, cool sun-shiny day.  As I prepared for the Monday afternoon flight back to Auckland, I worked on a report, answered email, walked on the Ohope beach with Patrick discussing Bible questions, joined Abner and Lani at a Thai restaurant, and squeezed in a nap.  I hate to leave the saints here because I am inspired by their diligent efforts, but I will keep them in my heart and prayers.

The 4:45 P.M. flight was smooth sailing.  I took a picture of Auckland as we approached in the distance, showing the heavy cloud cover which continues to bring intermittent rain showers.  Randy, Crisel, and Asylle Cabrillas picked me up at the airport and we joined Ronnie and Nina Salunga for a good supper and visit at a restaurant on the seashore.  After we reached the Cabrillas’ home I worked until 2:00 A.M. and then fell soundly asleep.

Tuesday was a pretty day with the sun often breaking through the clouds.  I was so busy preparing tonight’s lesson and answering email that there was no time to walk until 4:30 P.M.  After a quick walk, I dressed for our service and we shared a supper of delicious Filipino foods at the Salunga’s house.
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August 15, 2019th Year of Our Lord

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

I have been getting 8 hours of sleep the last couple of nights, plus on Tuesday I walked three times: an hour before lunch, 20 minutes in the late afternoon, and 30-40 minutes after the evening service.  Therefore, my strength and stamina are good at this time by God’s grace.  This helps to overcome the wear and tear of traveling and jet lag.  The brethren are kind and hospitable in providing plenty of healthy food.  The Cabrillas were at work today, so I spent the day preparing tonight’s lesson and working on a ton of email messages, important work which it seems is never caught up (apologies to those of you wondering why I have not responded to your message).

By the way, speaking of apologies, I need to correct this sentence from the previous report: “This is winter in New Zealand and temperatures are running mid-40’s to mid-50’s (7-13 centigrade).”  Celsius, not centigrade – what was I thinking???
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August 12, 2019th Year of Our Lord

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

On Thursday, August 8, I awoke at my hotel in Manila before 4:00 A.M. to go to the Philippine Air Lines international airport for a 9 hours flight to Auckland, New Zealand.   I left the hot summer monsoon rains of the Philippines and arrived in the cold winter rains of New Zealand because it is well south of the equator.  Thank God I was able to study and nap off and on with smooth flying.

Randy Cabillas was waiting for me at the arrival area to take me to his house.  I appreciate their hospitality for my 8th visit with the Meadowood church.  The Ronnie Salunga family kept me in past years, but they have just returned from the Philippines because Ronnie’s brother, Ramil, died suddenly.  He was a faithful member of the Southside church of Christ in Angeles City where his brother, Lordy, preaches.  We offer our sympathy and prayers on behalf of all the Salunga family, and yet also we rejoice with you because Ramil was faithful to the end and died in the hope of heaven.
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Dear brethren,

Elias Cruz and other brethren met me at the hotel in Manila on May 11 to repack and ship ahead boxes of Bibles & study material to be distributed along the way.  I flew to Tuguegarao, Cagayan the next day and traveled with Jerome Forelo, Dennis Yuson, and Mark Daquioag to the Pamplona area to preach at Dubeng with Robinson Pulveras on the 13^th.  After preaching on “Helping Each Other” and  “Born of Water and of the Spirit,” I proceeded to Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.  Sunday was spent laboring with Mat Sibayan, Sr. who is 80 but very active.  Our visits included churches in Laoag City, at the Provincial Jail (3 baptized), and at Sinai, Ilocos Sur.  Monday-Wednesday at the Laoag City church were devoted to the theme “The Bible Is the Word of God” with the attendance reaching 63.  Rody Gumpad joined in teaching.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

While I was battling sinus and bronchial infection, it was good that Tueday, April 30, was scheduled to prepare for the upcoming week’s work.  By staying in the hotel to study and rest, I stayed out of the extreme heat and humidity which facilitate the infection.

Though not feeling at the top of my game Wednesday morning, I was picked up by James Paet and we drove 80 kilometers to reach a small house to work with Ely Ebuenga where 30 souls gathered to hear God’s Word in San Ildefonso, Bulacan Province.  Catholics and Baptists were welcomed as our guests to study God’s Word.  I taught from 11:00 A.M.-12:00 noon on “The Prison of Sin,” followed by a 30 minute open forum covering several questions on baptism.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

From Calapan on Mindoro we drove out to the Victoria church of Christ to labor Saturday morning with Mario Cay.  Sixty attended, filling the small building made of baboo slats with people outside the entrance and at the windows.  I focused on the necessity for all men to “Born of Water and the Spirit” (Jn. 3:5), with Jimmy Bobis translating, followed by Rody’s sermon “Learn of Me” and his strong appeal for people to obey the gospel of Christ without delay.  Two men and a lady came forward to confess Chtist and to submit to him in water baptism in order to receive God’s saving grace.

After lunch my topic was “Why Saints Assemble” (Heb. 10:23-25) and then there was an open forum which provided clarification on the difference between wilful absence from worship and absence because of other duties or hindrances not of our own making (sickness, caring for the sick, work schedules, etc.).
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,                      

All day Wednesday was spent traveling from Rosario, La Union to Manila, and from there to Batangas where we caught a ferry boat to Calapan on the island of Mindoro.  It was a 20 hour day from my wake-up in Rosario to the bed in Calapan, but I napped some in the vehicle.  Since Rody took the job of all the driving, I took the job of being tired for him and napping – it worked well and we made it safely here.

At long last a dream of many years has been fulfilled because I am preaching on Mindoro for the first time.  The earliest definite record of a gospel preacher visiting the Philippines is George S. Benson who preached here on Mindoro about 1927 as a side trip while preparing to preach in China.  He baptized Leoncio Adap and Diosdado Menor – Menor in turn baptized Eliseo Sikat who died in May of 2016.  I am finally able to fulfill my promise to brother Sikat to visit and preach here.  His son Daniel and other children along with many other saints through the years have continued doing the work of the Lord in this area.
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