Ron & Donna Halbrook
3505 Horse Run Ct.
Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954

PLEASE SHARE THIS LETTER ON GOSPEL PREACHING IN THE PHILIPPINES!

January 18, 2017^th Year of Our Lord
                                                            
Dear brethren,

God opened a door for me to join Jim McDonald preaching in the Philippines in 1995 and a door is now open for my 65^th trip February 16-March 7.  This trip is shorter than usual because I will visit only Manila and northern Luzon.  The main goal is to edify and encourage saints who suffered from the terrible typhoon in October.  Benevolence funds have been sent as much as possible, but the recovery is slow.  They need not only financial help but also strengthening of their faith.  Satan demanded Jesus to turn stones to bread, “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).

After arriving in Manila, I will make some preparations such as visiting a moneychanger and sorting boxes of books to be shipped ahead.  On Sunday I will preach in Manila and then start the long journey which will carry me across a large swath of northern Luzon.

Last October 19-20 a ferocious super typhoon named Lawin made a direct hit on northern Luzon leaving a path of unbelievable devastation.  It reached out to strike other parts of Luzon but the major force of its fury was concentrated in the Provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Kalinga, Apayao, and Ilocos.  Sustained winds clocked 160 miles per hour with gusts reaching nearly 200.  Thousands of homes were destroyed and thousands more severely damaged.  Farm animals were killed and crops destroyed.  Somehow the loss of life was not great, but many were injured and some were killed including a few of our brethren.  An early report by brethren who gathered at Tuguegarao, Cagayan tallied over 200 houses totally destroyed or severely damaged, and another 400 with significant damage.  Dozens of church buildings suffered the same fate.  Those numbers went higher, and this is just in the area around Tuguegarao!  I could continue describing the devastation, but this is sufficient to indicate the magnitude of the destruction.

After three months brethren along with most of the population are still struggling to recover.  In recent weeks there has been a lot of heavy rainfall and many thousands of roofs are still not repaired.  This includes important buildings like the city hall in Tuguegarao and many businesses.  Since our brethren are poor, they are at the bottom of the list in financial resources and in finding available materials.

Natural disasters of this magnitude take a toll not only on physical and material possessions but also on the soul.  Satan tries to use our suffering as a stumbling block.  The faith of Job’s wife could not bear their trials and she told her husband, “Curse God, and die” (Job 2:9).

Many saints have shown their love by sending benevolence funds to the suffering saints of Luzon.  I now seek financial help to go to our suffering brethren and teach such lessons as “When Good People Suffer Bad Things” (Ps. 122:1), “Trust God Till the Danger Passes” (Ps. 57:1), “Take Job As an Example” (Ja. 5:10-11), “Joy Cometh in the Morning” (Ps. 30:5), and “Rejoice in the Lord Always” (Phil. 4:4).  Let’s lift their hearts with spiritual food and fortify their faith so that they can see hope through their tears.

I am still piecing together my travel schedule.  When I leave Manila on February 19 or 20, I will visit as many brethren and congregations as I can squeeze into my allotted time.  This will likely include saints in the Provinces of Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and possibly La Union.

On March 4 I will return to Manila to preach on Sunday.  Monday I will order Bibles again if funds permit (I was able to stretch my funds in January after returning home to order over 1,000 Bibles in various dialects, which totally depleted my Bible fund).  God willing, I will return home on the 7^th.

Thank you in advance for making all this work possible!  Individuals writing checks to Help A Neighbor can get a legal tax deduction.  Write all other checks to Ron Halbrook. Mail them to 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954. Donors receive financial reports (2 Cor. 8:21). God bless you all!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook
Phone 502-955-1748 or 957-6726; e-mail halbrook@twc.com

P.S. There is a dire need for songbooks!  I can ship new or used copies very cheaply.