Help A Neighbor Annual Report
October 23, 2016th Year of Our Lord
Dear brethren and friends,
Help A Neighbor began in July of 2007 to provide for others what they cannot provide for themselves in the spirit of Matthew 22:39:
“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Help A Neighbor (H.A.N.) exists for humanitarian and charitable purposes as defined
by section 501 (C) 3 of the IRS Code. All donations are legally tax deductible. This is simply a legal means for individuals to extend aid
to individuals. No church donations are accepted – H.A.N. is not an ecclesiastical organization.
This annual report covering November 3, 2015-October 23, 2016 is made in the interest of integrity and transparency. Our main focus
is helping Christians in the Philippine Islands, but occasional help is extended to Christians in other parts of the world including the U.S.
Our aim is to help people who demonstrate their willingness to help themselves. During this time period donations amounted
to $308,109.01. Most donations are modest amounts with occasional larger gifts.
The generous gifts of brethren made it possible to repair or construct about 15 church buildings and make a few payments for lots.
This includes sites on the islands of Luzon, Cebu, Negros, and Mindanao. It is very hard to find funds for church buildings, but as the churches continue to grow a meeting place is very vital. A total of $17,855.00 was used for church buildings in many places.
Appeals for benevolence were answered to aid brethren suffering all sorts of injuries, health issues, and medical problems. Some were given
as little as $50 or $100. At times brethren need simple over-the-counter medicines and at times emergency surgeries. Dr. Teresa Toreja has
a small clinic in Navotas, Metro Manila where she serves the needs of very poor saints and other citizens. Funds were provided to her to help
in some of the most serious cases of our brethren. Dr. Cathy Forelo who lives in Tuguegarao, Cagayan Province on Luzon likewise often serves
the needs of saints and funds were provided to her for such cases. All in all, $10,530.00 went to medical emergencies and needs
throughout the islands.
In about 50 cases brethren struggling with all sorts of personal and families problems were given aid. Damaged homes were repaired.
Motorcycles and other vehicles desperately needed repairs or registration renewal. There are times Filipino brethren can eat only twice a day
and children are crying from hunger. The needs are so vast and so varied it is mind numbing. Filipino saints often lack the most basic things
we take for granted.
In several cases limited help was extended to aid brethren serving the needs of saints in Mexico, Chile, India, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone,
and Canada. In a few cases benevolence was provided to saints in the U.S. facing difficult circumstances. The amount used
for all these various needs is $189,132.35.
Special emergencies involving mostly typhoons are addressed whenever possible, but 2015 was also a year of widespread drought.
Since our brethren are among the poorest people in the Philippines, they have suffered greatly. A couple of days before this report
was prepared, one of the worst typhoons on record, named Haima or Lawin, struck northern Luzon causing horrific damage. I sent out
appeals for help, but it was not possible to include that situation in this report – it will appear in next year’s report.
Funds sent for special emergencies amounted to $13,961.58 during the past year.
Funds used for my travel and related expenses on preaching trips to the Philippines and Australia added up to $17,109.76.
Bibles and Bible study literature distributed on my trips or shipped to various places amounted to $34,187.00.
In addition to English Bibles obtained here in the U.S., hundreds of Bibles in various local dialects have been purchased at a discount in Manila
and shipped throughout the Philippines.
As the gospel spreads throughout the Philippines, there is a rising chorus of pleas for songbooks. Since Filipinos commonly speak English
as a second language, they can sing with our books. Used English songbooks are constantly being located, donated, and shipped
to the Philippines.
In addition, for the first time ever, a few donors took an interest in helping to provide Filipino congregations the new songbook
entitled Psalms, Hymns, & Spiritual Songs produced by Sumphonia Productions. These churches are thrilled beyond words and are singing
their way through all 850 songs!
Still, there is a very pressing need to provide songbooks in various Filipino dialects. Filipino brethren from place to place select enough songs
to fill a small paperback songbook and they are printed in various locations where the dialects are spoken. Someone made a special $10,000 donation for this purpose and the printing is in process in several locations.
Miscellaneous expenses during this time period were $14,459.03. Most of this is the cost of wire fees and of shipping huge boxes
filled with songbooks, Bibles, study materials, food, clothing, and personal items. As brethren have learned I can ship door-to-door a box
of 60-90 songbooks for about $125, they have sent me hundreds of used songbooks which I continue to ship to the Philippines.
The total amount of donated funds was $308,109.01. This appears to leave a balance of $10,874.29, but $6,975.00 is earmarked
for printing Filipino songbooks and $1,450.00 was sent to typhoon victims immediately after closing out the financial data on this report.
That left an actual balance of $2,449.29 which will soon be gone. There is virtually no overhead because I work out of my office here at home
and no compensation is taken. Fowler Durham CPA’s & Advisors files the necessary forms with the I.R.S. to verify our non-profit charitable status. This allows donors to take a legal tax deduction.
God willing, I will make my 64th trip to the Philippines November 29-January 10. My first week in Manila will include three days
with the deaf-mute saints and their visitors. December 8-20 I will labor with brethren in New Zealand. December 21–January 5 will be spent
with saints in Australia. January 5-10 will find me in Manila again with my special aim of preaching in the national prison and also going
to the Philippine Bible Society to order Bibles in Filipino dialects.
In addition to financial needs for my upcoming trip, donations can be applied to many needs, especially the saints who are victims
of the typhoon last week which swept away houses, church buildings, and crops. Here are a few other targets:
(1) FILIPINO BIBLES. I will continue to visit the Philippine Bible Society in Manila to purchase Bibles in Filipino dialects at a discount
which will be shipped directly to the brethren.
(2) SHIP SUPPLIES. Shipping companies load cargo ships with truck-size containers, including door-to-door deliveries of special boxes
which ship for about $125 regardless of weight. I have shipped well over 200 large boxes filled with Bibles, songbooks, study materials
(much donated by Guardian of Truth Foundation), clothes, food, and other needs. I hope to ship more boxes soon to typhoon victims.
(3) SONGBOOKS IN FILIPINO DIALECTS. Filipinos love to sing the praises of God using English songbooks, but English is their second language and they also want to sing in their own dialects. The cost is about $2.00 per small paperback book if printed 500 copies each time.
Pleas for these books come to me repeatedly.
Many other needs such as church buildings, medical treatments, and vehicle repairs continue.
H.A.N. is a labor of love. No one takes compensation for this service. Every penny donated goes to needs we have identified in some way
as reflected in this report. Thank you to all who make it possible by your donations. Visit www.HelpANeighbor.net to learn more
(thanks to Thomas and Jacob Keese). Truly, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)!
In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook
(halbrook@twc.com)
To see good Bible study material, go to:
http://www.
http://www.biblework.com
http://www.truthmagazine.com
http://www.CEIbooks.com