Dear family, brethren, and friends,

From Calapan on Mindoro we drove out to the Victoria church of Christ to labor Saturday morning with Mario Cay.  Sixty attended, filling the small building made of baboo slats with people outside the entrance and at the windows.  I focused on the necessity for all men to “Born of Water and the Spirit” (Jn. 3:5), with Jimmy Bobis translating, followed by Rody’s sermon “Learn of Me” and his strong appeal for people to obey the gospel of Christ without delay.  Two men and a lady came forward to confess Chtist and to submit to him in water baptism in order to receive God’s saving grace.

After lunch my topic was “Why Saints Assemble” (Heb. 10:23-25) and then there was an open forum which provided clarification on the difference between wilful absence from worship and absence because of other duties or hindrances not of our own making (sickness, caring for the sick, work schedules, etc.).
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,                      

All day Wednesday was spent traveling from Rosario, La Union to Manila, and from there to Batangas where we caught a ferry boat to Calapan on the island of Mindoro.  It was a 20 hour day from my wake-up in Rosario to the bed in Calapan, but I napped some in the vehicle.  Since Rody took the job of all the driving, I took the job of being tired for him and napping – it worked well and we made it safely here.

At long last a dream of many years has been fulfilled because I am preaching on Mindoro for the first time.  The earliest definite record of a gospel preacher visiting the Philippines is George S. Benson who preached here on Mindoro about 1927 as a side trip while preparing to preach in China.  He baptized Leoncio Adap and Diosdado Menor – Menor in turn baptized Eliseo Sikat who died in May of 2016.  I am finally able to fulfill my promise to brother Sikat to visit and preach here.  His son Daniel and other children along with many other saints through the years have continued doing the work of the Lord in this area.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Last Saturday night I worked until 2:00 A.M. catching up on some email (the previous hotel had no working internet), but I woke up feeling rested and ready for the Lord’s Day activities.  Mat Sibayan, Sr. picked me up so that we could attend the morning worship services at the Laoag City church of Christ. About 60 attended as I presented studies entitled “Helping Each Other” and “Born of Water and the Spirit.”

I first visited this congregation with Jim McDonald in 1995, but there was no church building at that time.  It has been a joy to observe brother Sibayan’s work with this church as they grew in spirit and in number.  Elders and deacons were appointed years ago and a commodious building was erected in the downtown.  At 80 years of age Mat’s pace is not what it used to be, and like others of us he contends with hearing problems, but he presses forward with vigor.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

The Philippine preaching trip planned for April 9-May 7 is well underway.  I had the rare treat of 3 ½ hours sleep Monday night (usually the last night is so busy there is no time to sleep), which made for a great start!  The Tuesday-Wednesday flights from Louisville to Detroit to Tokyo to Manila were smooth and uneventful, the preferred way to travel.  Just for a little spice, the flight arrived in Detroit with only about 30 minutes for me to reach the Tokyo flight, but I ran to the next concourse and they held the flight till I could board – whew!  What is that song?…“Count Your Blessings.”  “Name them one by one.”

I worked on sermon material and napped on the 13 hour trip to Tokyo and the 4 ½ hour trip to Manila.  We arrived about 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, which allowed time for exercise before sleeping – that really helps overcome jet lag.

Thursday morning James Paet, Junior Gumpad, Ely Ebuenga, Elias Cruz, and a couple of other brethren joined me at the hotel to unpack and repack the boxes of Bibles and study materials which came as checked luggage.  Elias took the boxes to ship them ahead to the various places on my itinerary.  Later, Jerry and Teresa Toreja visited me at the hotel.  She is a doctor and wanted to examine a small sore on my face which started a couple of days ago suspiciously the same way as a staph infection which came up on my face in January.  She gave me some medicines to take in the hope of heading this problem off before it can get a good start.
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Dear family, brethren, & friends,

God willing, my next Philippine trip begins Tuesday morning.  I am providing the itinerary and looking forward to seeing many dear Filipino brethren.  I covet also the prayers of those of you who are not in the Philippines in the hope that God will give the increase and be glorified in all that we do.  May God bless each one of you as you serve Him.

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook
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March 21, 2019^th Year of Our Lord
HALBROOK REPORT: 73^rd PHILIPPINE TRIP Jan. 28-Mar. 1, 2019

Dear brethren,                                        

With much thanksgiving to God and brethren, I completed my 73^rd Philippine trip since first going with Jim McDonald in 1995.  This trip covered January 28-March 1, leaving a day early because of a winter storm and returning a day late because of an overbooked flight.  For the first time stops in London and Paris were included on the itinerary.  Jesus proclaimed, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (Jn. 7:37-38).  Rivers of salvation flow around the world with the help of Filipino saints!

I taught 56 lessons and 15 precious souls submitted to Christ in baptism to wash away their sins.

January 29-February 4 found me in London, England where I rented a hotel function room and studied with residents and Filipino immigrants Teddy and Bing Gumpad (she is pregnant!).  Not only was I able to put Filipino brethren in touch with the church at Brighton, but also it was a privilege to meet Constant Coulibaly, Kenneth Peters, Adrian Limb, and other British brethren.  We studied a series on “The Authority of Christ” as well as other topics.  February 5-10 it was my privilege to work with Edwin Cortez and the saints worshiping with him in a suburb of Paris, France. Sessions ran three hours with high interest and wide-ranging discussions, especially on the work of the church.  Lyca Bernardo was baptized in a bathtub.  We visited typical Paris sites including basilicas and cathedrals such as Notre-Dame de Paris.
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Dear family, brethren, and friends,

It is almost midnight on Friday, March 2, and I am finally at my house by God’s good providence.  My trip from Manila was delayed for a day because my original airplane was overbooked.  This trip has had more unusual twists and turns than any I can remember, but all is well that ends well.  When I feel a little frustrated over changes beyond my control, I just think how delighted Paul and the first Christians would have been if they could have had the facilities we have for travel.  What do I know about frustrations over changes in plans when I consider men like Paul:  beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, floating in the ocean, and numerous other perils they experienced!

I arrived home to find Donna well, and our children and their families are all well.  There is no time to rest.  Tomorrow we will meet some brethren to load and store Bible study materials which have been donated for the Philippine work and which eventually will be shipped to Filipino saints.  Then I must get ready to preach on Sunday.
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