Dear brethren,

Elias Cruz and other brethren met me at the hotel in Manila on May 11 to repack and ship ahead boxes of Bibles & study material to be distributed along the way.  I flew to Tuguegarao, Cagayan the next day and traveled with Jerome Forelo, Dennis Yuson, and Mark Daquioag to the Pamplona area to preach at Dubeng with Robinson Pulveras on the 13^th.  After preaching on “Helping Each Other” and  “Born of Water and of the Spirit,” I proceeded to Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.  Sunday was spent laboring with Mat Sibayan, Sr. who is 80 but very active.  Our visits included churches in Laoag City, at the Provincial Jail (3 baptized), and at Sinai, Ilocos Sur.  Monday-Wednesday at the Laoag City church were devoted to the theme “The Bible Is the Word of God” with the attendance reaching 63.  Rody Gumpad joined in teaching.
Continue reading

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

While I was battling sinus and bronchial infection, it was good that Tueday, April 30, was scheduled to prepare for the upcoming week’s work.  By staying in the hotel to study and rest, I stayed out of the extreme heat and humidity which facilitate the infection.

Though not feeling at the top of my game Wednesday morning, I was picked up by James Paet and we drove 80 kilometers to reach a small house to work with Ely Ebuenga where 30 souls gathered to hear God’s Word in San Ildefonso, Bulacan Province.  Catholics and Baptists were welcomed as our guests to study God’s Word.  I taught from 11:00 A.M.-12:00 noon on “The Prison of Sin,” followed by a 30 minute open forum covering several questions on baptism.
Continue reading

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.).
Continue reading

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.
Continue reading