February 25, 2016th Year of Our Lord

HALBROOK REPORT: 61th PHILIPPINE TRIP Feb. 9-25, 2016

Dear brethren,

By God’s good providence February 9-25 marks my 61st trip proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ in the Philippines since I first went with Jim McDonald in 1995.  It is a harvest time in that land and Filipino brethren are working hard to save the lost.  When many turned away from Christ, he asked the Apostles if they would also leave him. “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (Jn. 6:68-69).  Like Peter, many Filipinos seek the words of eternal life.  I taught 49 times on this trip and 48 souls submitted to Christ in baptism along with one who was restored to Christ..

After arriving in Manila on February 10, I spent part of the next day preparing for my preaching appointments and part of the afternoon at the Manila American Cemetery & Memorial.   Thousands of U.S. soldiers from the Asian theater in W.W. II are buried here.  Huge stone walls are inscribed with the names of 36,286 missing in action including Lt. Col. Claude A. Thorp, the father of Arlene Harkrider.  I delivered her manuscript of her father’s exploits to an American official at the memorial.  The sacrifices of Americans during W.W. II help to open doors for us to preach the gospel by God’s providence.

All of my appointments were in Metro Manila on this trip.  February 12-13 I preached at the Kapitbahayan church of Christ in Navotas where Jerry Toreja and Fred Gonzales serve as elders and Elias Cruz is one of the evangelists.  Benny Angeles, a former denominational pastor at the Bilibid Prison, was baptized here when I came in December and he attended.  Lessons included “The Message of the Bible,” “The Two Covenants,” and a six-part series on “The Authority of Christ.”

On Sunday the 14th I preached all day at Sampaloc church of Christ where Tony Boy Hornedo is the longtime faithful evangelist. The members are deaf mute, but my sermons were delivered with the aid of PowerPoint charts and quick notations on a white board.  A deaf mute brother signs to add clarification.  Two precious souls responded to the gospel call.  After the service I distributed Bibles, song books, study materials, clothing, food, and personal items which had been shipped ahead.

60 brethren of all ages gathered February 15-19 at the Edsa-Pasay church of Christ where Rody Gumpad and Sammy Paet work together (Rody commutes from Tuguegarao, Cagayan).   Lordy Salunga from Angeles City shared in teaching as we covered every verse in the book of Revelation, using Dan King’s excellent workbook as a guide.  Classes were also conducted using Mike Willis’ Then Comes the End covering such topics as soul and spirit, hades, the resurrection, heaven, and hell.  Additional study materials were distributed along with 1,000 song books in their dialects printed with donated funds.

I worked with Ely Ebuenga February 20-22.  Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City was our venue on Saturday and Sunday.  We visited the Medium Security sector twice, baptizing 21 souls.  Topics included “The Bread of Life,” “To Seek and Save the Lost,” and “Christ Teaches Us All Things.”  During the open forum an inmate who had been a Baptist preacher tried three times to nix baptism as essential to salvation, but the audience spoke out against him – they got the point!  The leader at the Presbyterian chapel we borrowed wants me to return to preach for three days.  In the Receiving and Diagnostics Center on Sunday over 100 attended in the Catholic chapel we borrowed and 24 were baptized.  Saturday afternoon I also preached for the congregation meeting at the home of Jimmy Battung in Paranaque.

Monday was spent at Bicas, North Caloocan were Ely Ebuenga labors.  50 attended and one was restored.  Tuesday I visited Calumpit where Mel Tacbad has preached for many years.  A very attentive audience heard four lessons and participated in a good open forum.

On the 24th I went to the Philippine Bible Society to purchase 1,422 Bibles in various dialects to be shipped to brethren throughout the Philippines.  Generous donations by loving saints made this possible.

God be praised for diligent Filipino saints, open doors, and His saints who make these trips possible!

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