October 28, 2014^th Year of Our Lord

Dear brethren,

This report is filled with good, happy, encouraging, uplifting news from the Philippines!

Willie Pastor released from prison

Finally, after wading through much bureaucratic red tape, on October 15 Willie and Kathy Pastor completed all the necessary steps for Willie to be released from prison.  After his release at 2:50 P.M., he sent me an email message later that evening which said in part, “I am so happy and thankful that after 4 years 2 months and 23 days in prison I was released and able to see the freedom land again” (this was the time served in the national Bilibid Prison, not counting the time spent in the provincial jail).
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August 30, 2014th Year of Our Lord

HALBROOK REPORT: 55rd PHILIPPINE TRIP

July 29-August 28, 2014 

Dear brethren,

A merciful God permitted me to join Jim McDonald in the Philippines in 1995 and has guided me safely through my 55th trip July 29-August 28, 2014.  Christ told Peter after guiding him to a great catch of fish, “From henceforth thou shalt catch men” (Lk. 5:10).  “Disciples are fishers, human souls are fish, the world is the sea, the gospel is the net, and eternal life is the shore whither the catch is drawn” (McGarvey, Fourfold Gospel, p. 162).  With 74 lessonspresented, 67 answered the gospel call.

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Super-typhoon Haiyan (Philippine name Yolanda) is likely the strongest typhoon or hurricane on record with sustained winds of 195-199 mph and gusts up to 235 mph. The storm itself was 300 miles wide and created additional cloud cover over nearly the whole Philippine nation. It was equal to a Category 5 hurricane. Category 5 hurricanes include Hurricane Camille which hit the U.S. with winds up to 190 mph in 1969, Katrina which hit with 175 mph winds in 2005, and Wilma which hit the Caribbean Sea with 185 mph winds in 2005.

The same type storms are called “hurricanes” in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, “typhoons” in the Northwest Pacific, and “cyclones” in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Haiyan hit the Visayan Islands in the central Philippines with the greatest concentration on Samar and Leyte. Damage is still being assessed but over 100 people are known to be dead. In spite of great devastation, many people were evacuated to places of relative safety.

We are beginning to get reports of widespread damage to the homes of brethren at Tacloban City and Ormoc City on Leyte, and at Bogo on Cebu. While waiting for more information, let us pray for our brethren as well as alien sinners who are suffering from the typhoon in many ways at this time.

To see good Bible study material, go to:

www.HebronChurchOfChrist.com

www.biblework.com

www.truthmagazine.com

www.CEIbooks.com