Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Thursday, January 5, brought mixed emotions because I always look forward to working with Manila brethren, but I hated to leave Donna, Jamie, Deborah, Timothy, Seth, and Arabelle (with her arrival still pending) in Brisbane.  The plane flew from Brisbane to Darwin, Australia, and on to Manila, a trip of 8-9 hours.  There was much turbulence between Darwin and Manila, but I managed to do a little work and I was tired enough to sleep through much of it.  After checking in at the hotel about 8:30 P.M., I ate a snack and went to the exercise room for about 40 minutes even though I felt like dropping in the bed.  I knew it would help me adjust to the trip and the change of the time zone again.

Checking email Friday morning, I learned that my good friend Mark Mayberry slipped on the ice and snow while visiting his son Nathan, Sarah, and the grandchildren in the Louisville, KY area.  Unlike my wrist injury which escaped broken bones, Mark broke seven ribs and punctured a lung.  He had just begun serving as editor of Truth Magazine this month, so he certainly did not need this setback at this time, but we are praying he can recover without any serious complications.

Later in the day I learned Arabelle was born and both Deborah and the infant were safe and well at the hospital in Brisbane, Australia.  We thank God for this great and precious gift to our family!

I spent today quickly checking email messages, preparing to teach at the national prison for the next two days, and trying to adjust to another change in time zones.

On Saturday Sammy Paet took me to the Bilibid Prison in Montinlupa City, Metro Manila to teach the inmates  in the Medium Security sector.  For our morning session about 190 gathered in the Presbyterian church building – the leader there always graciously accommodates us and admits he is learning the differences between New Testament Christianity and Presbyterian doctrines.  Ely Ebuenga works regularly with the saints in the Medium Security and he translated as I taught a series of lessons on “How to Study the Bible.”

After teaching for an hour and a half, I paused to give the audience time to ask questions.  There were questions on baptism such as, “Why do I need to be baptized again if I have already been baptized in a denomination?”   I used Acts 19:1-5 to illustrate that in Bible times there were people who made the decision to be baptized in the name of Jesus when they learned their former baptism was not the baptism authorized by Christ.

In the afternoon we moved to the place where our brethren normally meet: a small area enclosed by a wire fence with a dirt floor under the shade of a small octagon roof but open air on the sides.  Fifty souls joined us.  After the baptism of nine men in a barrel of water, I continued our lessons on “How to Study the Bible.”  When I offered time for questions, they said the teaching was very simple and clear – they had no questions.

Neither words nor pictures can adequately capture the living conditions, the sounds, and the smells of this prison.  I met a faithful brother who had been with us in another sector who now sleeps on a concrete slab.  He said in this sector life is about survival.  Inmates are often hungry and corruption is so rampant he dubbed the Bureau of Corrections as the Bureau of Corruption.  They must pay to get water to bathe.  We must pay for water to baptize and also rent the barrel.  Wealthy inmates such as drug lords can buy whatever they want, but the average inmate struggles to survive.                               

Small fires are burning to destroy trash and to cook food – smoke and ashes occasionally covered us while we studied.  I asked the audience questions at times to see if they were learning, and, yes, it was very evident they were!

I always leave the prison with a better understanding that I do not really know how to count my blessings – I do not even know what all of them are.

After leaving the prison about 2:30 P.M., Sammy drove me to an apartment where a man lives nicknamed “Boy” Lawin.  In past years he was a well-known radio announcer in Metro Manila on a station where Ben Cruz used to preach in the mid-1990’s.  That is how he was first exposed to the truth.  He was living in Tacloban, Leyte when the typhoon and tsunami hit November 8, 2013 and he lost his house and belongings there.  This brought him back to Manila.

Manny Epilogo is visiting him from Leyte and brought him to hear my lessons at the Kapitbahayan church in Metro Manila December 1-3.  Manny, Sammy Paet, and Rody Gumpad have continued to study with him.  I studied with him for at least an hour this afternoon.  He is partly paralyzed as the result of a stroke.  We took him up to the roof where there is a swimming pool, then Sammy and I took him out of his wheelchair and down into the water and baptized him for the remission of his sins.  He is anxious to learn more and teach others.

Sammy Paet took me again to preach in the prison on the Lord’s Day.  About 80 men were crammed into our area under the octagon roof and spilling out beyond it.  The Presbyterian leader had sent us a blackboard which was very helpful. To apply the principles of Bible study I had covered, I selected some passages for us to analyze.  First, we studied Colossians 1:15-20 which teaches that Jesus Christ holds the highest rank in the universe – he is “the firstborn.”   Three reasons are given:  he created all things, he sustains the universe, and he is the head of his church.  The Jehovah’s Witnesses try to twist “firstborn” to mean God created Jesus Christ first and, therefore, he is not God or deity.

Next, we studied Jesus’ lesson to Nicodemus on the new birth in John 3:1-21 to show the connection between verse 5, which requires baptism for salvation, and verse 16 which emphasizes faith in Christ.  Jesus challenges Nicodemus to believe in him by believing the lesson he taught on the new birth.  This contradicts the typical use of John 3:16 to teach salvation by “faith only” before and without water baptism.

Finally, we looked at the meaning of the word “faith” in the book of Romans which proclaims and defends salvation by faith in Jesus Christ not in the Law of Moses. “Faith” in Romans does not mean the mere mental assent taught by the denominations, but it means obedient faith (Rom. 1:5; 16:26; 10:9-10; 6:3-4).

After the lunch break, 40 men joined us to continue our studies.  In the morning service a retired military officer asked me to clarify the works of faith in James 2:17-26.  I had discussed the necessity of baptism for the remission of sins in previous lessons, so in the afternoon I presented an extemporaneous sermon on “Living by Faith” (Rom. 1:16-17).

First, we must be committed to follow and obey all the teaching of Christ to live by faith in him (Jn. 6:66-69; Matt. 28:18-20).  Second, we must learn to be faithful in worship (Heb. 10:38-39, 25; Acts 2:42; 20:7; Eph. 5:19).  Third, we must respect and obey our civil government (Rom. 13:1-7).  Fourth, we must live a clean life (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-23).  Fifth, we must love our family (Col. 3:18-21).  Sixth, we must seek to help all men as we have the ability and opportunity (Gal. 6:10).  I closed by emphasizing Acts 22:16 – two more men submitted to Christ in baptism.

While we were assembled for worship today, our ears were assaulted on the left side by a Pentecostal service about 10 yards from us, and on the right side by passersby hawking products for sell, pushing metal carts which loudly clanked and clanged on the concrete walkway, and other assorted noises.  No one seemed to care as they concentrated on the lessons.  Money was donated a few months ago to improve this area by adding a concrete floor, but the wheels turn slowly to get such a project approved.  Next time I come, hopefully it will be completed.  Meanwhile, let us pray for these saints.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn Ramon and Jonathan Carino were in Manila to complete some legal paperwork regarding Ramon’s status as a WW II veteran.  They worshiped at the Edsa-Pasay church where Rody Gumpad preached today.  Sammy took me to their hotel room to visit for a couple of hours.  It was good to see them, to discuss the progress of the gospel, and to pray together!

I rejoiced to learn that “Boy” Lawin climbed the four flights of stairs to worship at Edsa-Pasay in spite of his handicaps from a stroke.  Sammy plans to visit his home for follow-up study with “Boy” and his wife (she is Roman Catholic).  “Boy” has many talents to give for the service of God and we expect to hear good things about him as he grows in Christ.

I always tell newcomers to the Philippines to memorize two words: patience and flexibility.  We learn to expect the unexpected here.  Today, Monday, Rody and Tessie Gumpad, Sammy Paet, Ely Ebuenga, and myself traveled to the Philippine Bible Society to make arrangements to order and purchase Bibles in various dialects to be shipped throughout the Philippines.  When we arrived, the P.B.S. was closed.  The management decided to close the store today because millions of devotees of the Black Nazarene would be clogging the streets to participate in a procession and hoping to touch it for its supposed miraculous powers.

Many were passing through the street to join the procession, some carrying small images, while we were there. This image of a black Jesus carrying his cross was carved in Mexico and sent to the Philippines in 1606 and it is enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene here in Manila.  After I returned to the hotel, the news reported that over 1,000 devotees had already been treated for various injuries by the mid-afternoon and the procession continues for almost 24 hours.  The images of Catholicism promote rank idolatry and superstition – how desperately these people need to hear the simple, pure, original gospel of Christ!

Though we did not accomplish our purpose, we enjoyed the time visiting and discussing the work of the Lord.

I contacted a lady on the P.B.S. staff who is very helpful to us and she offered to make arrangements to complete the order after I go home and let me pay via a bank wire.  I have received pleas from Filipino saints scattered throughout the islands for a total of about 1,000 Bibles.  I may have to cut the requested number by as much as half because of a lack of funds.  I had not expected such a high number of requests and I may be as much as $4,000-$5,000 short.  After getting home and paying the remaining debts from this trip, I will count my pennies and stretch them as far as possible.

I will spend my remaining hours packing, making final preparations for tomorrow’s trip home, exercising (which gives me stamina for the long trip), and resting.  Though I love and admire our Filipino brethren, I always miss my family and brethren at home and long to see them.

Many of your will read this report while I am making the long trip home on Tuesday.  If all goes well, I will arrive home Tuesday night.  Thank you, one and all, for your thoughts, prayers, and support which make this work possible.  May God bless you and reward you as He alone can do!

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