December 3

Help A Neighbor Annual Report (November 1, 2017-November 1, 2018)

November 24, 2018th 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 1, 2017-November 1, 2018 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 $339,939.00.  Most donations are modest amounts with occasional larger gifts.  Including funds from other accounts used for the Philippine work, a total of $373,300.00 passed through the H.A.N. account.
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November 25

Philippine Preaching Schedule November 27 – December 18, 2018

Dear brethren,

Here is the itinerary for the next Philippine preaching trip.  Please pray for Jim Barnett, Steven Saunders, and me.
Steven & Jim are prepared to teach classes to improve singing in worship and especially to help song leaders.

Nov 27-29 (Tues-Thur) Jim Barnett, Steven Saunders, & Ron Halbrook travel to Manila, prepare to teach

Nov 30-Dec 1 (Fri-Sat) Singing classes at Kapitbahayan, Navotas, Metro Manila with Jerry Toreja

Dec 2 (Sun) Preach in Manila: Ron at prison with Ely Ebuenga; Jim at Edsa-Pasay with Rody Gumpad;
Steven at Navotas with Elias Cruz; PM at Paranaque with Jimmy Battung

Dec 3-7 (Mon-Fri) Monday leave travel to Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, work with Dario Belviz;
Mon.-Wed. singing class; Thur.-Fri. series on The Bible Is the Word of God
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October 16

October 13 Update on Typhoon Relief

Dear brethren,

On September 28 I sent an update regarding the effects of Typhoon Mangkhut or “Ompong,” a category 5 storm which hit Luzon on September 15.  By God’s grace, no saints were seriously injured or killed, but crops and homes were destroyed on a massive scale.

At one point shortly after the disaster hit, Rody Gumpad compiled a list of 125 churches which were affected, at which time their emergency needs equaled over $90,000.00.  Those churches are located in northeastern Luzon in the Cagayan Province and some surrounding provinces, but this does not account for all of the needs in these areas – not to mention other provinces.
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October 15

Halbrook, Saunders, Barnett: Philippine Preaching & Singing November 27-December 18

Dear brethren,

Below is some information about the next Philippine preaching trip planned for November 27-December 18.  Funds for this trip have been slow to come in, especially in view of our concentrated efforts to find financial help for Filipino victims of the super Typhoon Mangkhut (also called Ompong) which hit Luzon on September 15.  Thank you for the generous response to their emergency needs for food, medicines, and repair of their houses.

I must now begin to focus on the preaching trip coming up next month as outlined below.  Also please read the appeal from Steven Saunders below regarding his preparations for the trip.
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October 5

Efforts to Relieve Suffering of Saints

Dear brethren,

On September 15 while the Carolinas here in the U.S. faced Hurricane Florence, Luzon in the Philippines was hit by Typhoon Mangkhut or “Ompong,” a category 5 storm (Florence hit as a category 1).  CNN reported, “Mangkhut was the strongest storm anywhere on the planet in 2018, carrying gusts of up to 325 kilometers per hour (200 mph) before it made landfall in Cagayan province, on the northern tip of Luzon, about 1:40 a.m. local time.”

Brother Rody Gumpad with the help of several brethren surveyed the vast damage in the Cagayan Province and nearby provinces (though not comprehensive of all the churches in all of these or other provinces).  He listed the name and location of the churches, the evangelist’s name at each place, the active members and attendance, the estimated amount needed in each place, and notations regarding churches that reported receiving some help (not meaning all the needs were met in those places).  The total of these reported needs is $91,400.00 U.S. dollars (almost 5 million pesos).  Including funds already relayed by myself and others, $15,900.00 can be distributed (which would average about $90 per congregation if divided in that manner), i.e., lacking $75,500.00 to actually meet the estimated needs among the brethren.  The most pressing needs are food and repairs to destroyed houses.  Rody’s breakdown of this information is dated September 26 and reproduced below.
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September 25

Filipino Saints Suffering Hunger & Devastation

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

The Philippines gets 15-20 typhoons each year spread out over several months, which helps the rice fields which require much water, but this year several have hit in quick succession with monsoon rains in addition.  Therefore, the Philippines has suffered much flooding and other calamities which destroy crops, houses, and lives.  Much of the damage has been done on Luzon because of the track the most typhoons follow.  Many of our brethren have been struggling for food.  Recently, I learned that northern Mindanao is also suffering.  Successive torrential rains have destroyed crops and created landslides in southern Mindanao.

A super-typhoon with the international name Mangkhut, locally named “Typhoon Ompong,” hit the Philippines on Saturday, September 15, and much help will be needed especially on Luzon again.  Here are excerpts from a CNN report dated the day the typhoon hit:
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September 14

Philippine Preaching & Singing November 27- December 18, 2018

PLEASE SHARE THIS LETTER ON GOSPEL PREACHING IN THE PHILIPPINES!

September 5, 2018th Year of Our Lord                                                                     

Dear brethren,

God willing, November 27-December 18 I will labor for the Master in the Philippines, my 72nd trip since Jim McDonald first took me there in 1995. Jim Barnett who labors with the saints in Hope, NM and  Steven Saunders who preaches in Macon, MO will be making their third trip with me.  These men are not only competent evangelists but also excellent song leaders who can teach singing – and Filipino brethren dearly love to sing the praises of God.  Psalm 148 calls upon all the creation to praise Jehovah:  “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven” (Ps. 148:13).  We sing this psalm by singing the beautiful song “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah.”

The three of us will leave our respective homes on November 27 to meet in Detroit, MI, then fly to Tokyo, Japan, and arrive in Manila late on the night of November 28.  Filipino brethren will meet us the next day to repack materials we will bring to be shipped to the places where our gospel meetings are planned.
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September 8

Philippine Report July 3 – August 2, 2018

Aug. 3, 2018th Year of Our Lord
HALBROOK REPORT: 71st PHILIPPINE TRIP JULY 3-AUGUST 2, 2018

Dear brethren,                               

God’s good providence first brought me to preach Christ in the Philippines in 1995 with Jim McDonald and the 71st trip was completed July 3-August 2.  It was a memorable trip working with Filipino saints who are such an inspiration and having Zach and Taya Martin make their first trip.  Zach effectively proclaimed the gospel and Taya effectively taught ladies’ classes.  He is back in medical school and she is back teaching school, but they will be long remembered by Filipino brethren.  The Philippine fields are white unto harvest because so many souls seek God in the spirit of Psalm 63:1, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.”  I taught 60 lessons and 18 precious souls confessed Christ and were baptized.

Elias Cruz, Sammy Paet, and Jhun Gumpad met us at the hotel in Manila on July 5 to re-pack and ship ahead the 10 boxes of Bibles and study materials we brought to distribute.  July 6-7 I preached a series on “The Bible Is the Word of God” at Kaptibahayn, Navotas with Jerry Toreja. This series proves we have all the original 66 books of the Bible and why the Apocrypha, the pseudepigrapha, and so-called “lost books” are not included in God’s Word.  Zach’s sermons and Taya’s ladies’ classes were well received.  Zach learned about Philippine medical practice by spending time with Dr. Teresa Toreja, and later with Dr. Cathy Forelo.
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August 5

Home Again by God’s grace Thursday PM

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

I made it back home safely by God’s good grace.  The flight from Manila to Tokyo went fine, and from Tokyo to Detroit we encountered turbulence, but I arrived in Louisville, KY about 5:30 PM Thursday as planned.

This has been another heart warming and uplifting trip working with Filipino saints who serve the Lord by faith, hope, and love.  They are an inspiration.

It was also uplifting to have Zach and Taya Martin join with us in the work of the Lord on Luzon.  They were greatly blessed in meeting so many Filipino brethren
and they will never forget them.
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August 3

Halbrook Philippine Trip July 29-August 1, 2018

Dear family, brethren, and friends around the world,

On the Lord’s Day we worshiped with Ben Canada in the small newly constructed church building at Kiblawan, Davao del Sur.  My morning sermon was on “Salvation: Amazing, Astonishing” (Isa. 52:13-15).  We were blessed with visitors from denominations who are retired school teachers, servicemen, and policemen who have been studying with Ben and were very attentive all day.  One man took notes constantly.

The weather is quite hot again and I was soaked in sweat before lunch time – a small price for such a wonderful privilege.  After the lunch break I preached on “How Sinners Receive Salvation” (Rom. 10:1-17).   Comparing this passage with Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2, Acts 8:35-39, and Acts 22:16 proves that men “call on the name of the Lord” to receive salvation when they submit by faith to Christ in water baptism.
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