December 20, 2022^nd Year of Our Lord

Dear brethren,
 
God blessed me through Jim McDonald when he took me to the Philippines in 1995 and my 80^th trip was completed November 29-December 20.  It was a great privilege and joy to work with Filipino saints again.  I had 54 opportunities to teach and 19 souls submitted to Christ in baptism to wash away their sins.

When there was a great harvest of both Jews and Gentiles at Antioch in Acts 11, the church at Jerusalem sent Barnabas to help, “who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord” (vs. 23).  Anytime there is a great harvest such as has been happening in the Philippines, Satan works overtime trying to pull young saints back into the darkness of sin.  While I did some teaching on first principles, I concentrated on exhorting saints to cleave to the Lord.  Saints in every place need this constant reminder.

The trip from Louisville to Manila via Detroit and South Korea went well.  On December 1 Elias Cruz and James Paet helped re-pack 6 boxes of teaching materials to send ahead to various venues.  I preached Friday preach with Vicente Cay at the Minuyan III congregation, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.  Four sessions covered “Selecting A Mate” and “The Danger of Pornography.”

The next day I flew to Bacolod City, Negros Occidental to begin working with Jack Jaco and other area brethren.  The Lord’s Day found us at Magballo, Kabankalan City with Ronnie Carbadilla where we studied “Work While It Is Day” and “Marriage: God’s Gift to Man and Woman.”  That afternoon we visited Camingawan where his brother Jerry labors.  Monday was spent with Saul Datulayta at Codcod, San Carlos City, a remote place in the mountains where 3 sermons were preached, then summarized by Jack in the local dialect.  Over 100 young people gathered at Victorias City Tuesday and Wednesday for classes on How to Study the Bible by Jack and me.  A Baptist preacher who had studied with our brethren decided to obey the original gospel of Christ.  Thursday 132 people assembled at Escalante City where James Berden labors for four sessions on “Selecting A Mate” and “The Danger of Pornography.”  We squeezed in a short visit and lesson on Acts 20:32 at Sagay City where Jerry De Erio preaches as we returned to the hotel.

On the 9^th Jack and I flew to Cebu City, Cebu where John and Nanette Carino met us for a week of labor.  Saturday and Sunday we traveled to the Seaside church of Christ at Mainggit, Toledo City where Shamar Cajigas has been preaching since his father’s death last year.  The attendance was 150 and 344 for lessons on “Selecting A Mate,” “The Danger of Pornography,” “From Wretched Man to More Than Conqueror,” “Work While It Is Day,” “Marriage: God’s Gift to Man and Woman” and last, “Salvation: Amazing, Astonishing!”  17 precious souls of all age groups obeyed the gospel of Christ. On Monday we had all-day preaching at nearby Balamban where Cornelio Roda, Jr. serves as an evangelist.

We drove to Bogo City on Tuesday where Rupert Ramirez labors and 61 souls studied “From Wretched Man to More Than Conquerors,” “The New Testament Church,” “The Reformation,”  followed by “Come Out of Her, My People.”  Heaven rejoiced when Gil Suico, a backsliding preacher, confessed his sins and was restored to the Lord!  Roy Matta labors with the church at Liloan in Metro Cebu.  We spent the 14^th with him preaching on “Why Saints Assemble,” “True Worship VS False Worship,” “When Peter Confessed Christ,” and “Dangers of the Holiday Season.”  79 attended Thursday at the Cebu church of Christ where Jonathan Carino labors.

The 16^th I flew back to Manila, then rested and studied on Saturday. The Lord’s Day was spent with the Edsa-Pasay church where James Paet preaches and where Tonyboy Hornedo teaches deaf-mutes, and later with Jaime Battung at Parañaque.  I preached on “The Danger of Pornography” at both places.  A young lady 13 years old was baptized at Edsa-Pasay.  On Monday I had the privilege of purchasing 930 Bibles in various Filipino dialects to be shipped to brethren throughout the islands.

The gospel of Christ continues to spread at an amazing pace in the Philippines due to the tireless efforts of Christians there.  I pray this trip encouraged saints there to cleave to the Lord, fighting the good fight of faith until our Lord returns!  Thank you to all the saints who make these trips possible.

In Christian love, Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
https://www.hebronlanechurchofchrist.com
https://biblework.congregateclients.com
https://truthbooks.com
https://www.truthmagazine.com