Halbrook Philippine Report Feb. 18-23, 2014
February 23, 2014th Year of Our Lord
Dear family, brethren, and friends,
By God’s good grace the trip from Louisville to Manila went smoothly on Tuesday, arriving Wednesday about 10:30 PM (Feb. 18-19). By the time I passed through customs, got to the hotel, and got to bed it was 2:30 AM on the 20th. The nice thing about being exhausted is the good sleep that follows!
I brought four additional boxes filled with Bibles and study materials, clothes, food, and personal items. Elias Cruz met me at the hotel to repack the contents to send the boxes ahead via air cargo, which is much cheaper than checked bags. He left here at 3:00 PM, so I ate a late lunch, studied, and exercised in an effort to offset the exhaustion created by the 12 hour time difference.
Friday I met Cyrus Gesulga and his wife for an all-day study. Rody Gumpad joined me. Cyrus lives in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Province, on Mindanao but had come to Manila for a few days. For years he was a leading preacher among premillennial churches of Christ but came to hear me preach in December 2010. In the months which followed we had an extensive study via email reviewing passages he thought taught the premillennial system. He repented in August 2011 for helping to create and perpetuate a faction among God’s people. The Guardian of Truth Foundation later published a tract by Cyrus affirming the simple Bible doctrine of Christ’s return, the resurrection, and the Final Judgment.
Our studies today further confirmed his faith and better equipped him to teach about 70 preachers who have been associated with him. We discussed plans for me to teach on the book of Revelation and to present more detailed lessons on errors of premillennialism. He is anxious for me to do that. It was a very profitable day.
On February 22, Saturday, I left my hotel about 7:00 AM to join Cyrus and Rody to travel two hours north to Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Bulacan Province, where Cyrus has contacts for a day of preaching. Our audience numbered about 35-40 for this gospel meeting. My first lesson was on “The Purpose of Our Lives.” Rody then gave an overview of Bible history and of the one true church. After lunch my topic was “The Gospel Makes Us Right with God (Rom. 1:16-17).” During the open forum which followed questions ranged from the Sabbath Day observance to the proper use of the church treasury.
Atoy Franco picked me up on the Lord’s Day to travel to Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila. This is the national prison where Willie Pastor has been incarcerated since 2010. He has trusted God’s providence in these difficult circumstances like Joseph and has persistently taught the gospel, resulting in some 500 baptisms. Inmates are rotated from Willie’s sector where they first arrive to other sectors and there are now three separate congregations meeting in the prison. Willie’s brother Kenneth held services for the other two today, so I did not get to see him.
My topic today was “Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost,” which I broke into two lessons in order to explain basic concepts in more detail for these unlearned men and also to give Willie time to translate the lesson. There were 65 present and over 30 of them have already been baptized. They paid excellent attention and expressed appreciation for the studies.
The Philippine President has been very strict and hesitant about giving pardons or early releases because of past abuses in the system. Willie is qualified on both grounds, but it appears he will serve out his minimum sentence and be allowed to go home in July or August. His wife Kathy and their precious children continue to struggle financially in Willie’s absence, though compassionate brethren are giving some help.
In the afternoon Atoy took me to the home of Jimmy Battung. His garage has been converted as a meeting place and a church of 15-20 meets here. After presenting the lesson “Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost,” I conducted an open forum where we discussed at length the plan of salvation for the sake of an attentive visitor, and questions about our existence in the hadean realm.
The next segment of my trip is in the Visayan Islands where the super-typhoon Yolanda hit.
I saw the moon and remembered that loved ones back in the U.S. are looking at the same moon. Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and financial help which makes these trips possible.
In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook
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