Dear family, brethren, and friends,

I tell newcomers to the Philippines to memorize the words “patience” and “flexibility.”  I myself have been remembering them lately.  I have not been able to get a sufficient internet signal to be able to send reports or check email–I have lost a lot of time trying even late at night when I should have been sleeping.  Oh, well, patience and…what was that other word?

More importantly, our efforts to encourage and edify the saints affected by super-typhoon Lawin in October continue by God’s grace.  From Tuguegarao, Cagayan Province we traveled two hours on winding roads through the mountains of the Kalinga Province Wednesday morning to reach the Gobgob church of Christ in a rural area of Tabuk City where Ben Vistro labors in the gospel.  There were 123 people waiting for us, some in the meeting house and some under a heavy plastic shelter at the entrance.  Knowing they had been hit hard by the typhoon, I did my best to encourage them to endure life’s trials by faith in God.  So, I taught again “Take Job as an Example.”  It was not necessary to translate the sermon, but Rody Gumpad was asked to summarize it in Ilocano to underscore some important points.

Just as the gospel’s power united Jews and Gentiles in the first century, the gospel has united tribal groups in the Philippines whose forefathers even a generation ago freely and fiercely fought and killed each other.  Thirteen additional souls who descended from these warring tribes confessed their faith in Christ and were baptized into Christ today!

As we travel and teach, brethren are approaching me to ask that I extend their love and gratitude to donors who have provided funds for benevolence, repair of church buildings, and Bibles which were sent before I made this trip.  Their hearts have been lifted by the love and fellowship of saints thousands of miles away.

Rody drove us about an hour after lunch back to Cagayan to meet with the church at Tagapan where Rolando Agpoon has preached for many years.  They have an adequate church building which was filled with 60-70 people including saints and visitors.  Seeking to lift the hearts of saints suffering from the effects of the typhoon and other trials, I preached the sermon “Rejoice in the Lord Always” (Phil. 4:4).  This is a textual study designed to show how we can cultivate joy in the Lord.  As we submit our hearts and lives to him in obedient faith, he fills our souls with joy which no trial can destroy.  After Rody summarized the sermon in Ilocano and extended the Lord’s invitation, teenage twin girls came forward to be baptized into Christ.

After pausing for a short visit and refreshments at Rolando’s house, we rushed back to Tuguegarao for the midweek Bible study which began at 6:00 P.M.  The brethren here are studying the book of Galatians and I was asked to teach chapter 4.  False teachers were perverting the gospel by binding the Law of Moses on Gentile Christians in Galatia.  Paul fought the good fight of faith by exposing their errors and demonstrating the superiority of the gospel of Christ to the old Jewish system which was designed by God to be temporary.  We too must be soldiers of the cross of Christ by fighting the good fight of faith as we expose every doctrine and system which is contrary to the original gospel of Christ!

On Thursday we left the hotel in Tuguegarao about 8:00 A.M. and drove to the city of Piat where there is a world famous Catholic shrine to meet with the saints at the Aquib Norte church of Christ where Dennis Yuson is an evangelist.  He is a steady and stable worker in God’s kingdom and a good friend for many years.  I baptized one of his sons in the ocean years ago.

This church has a very good meeting place which was originally a Methodist Church, but all the Methodists were converted out this human denomination and submitted to be baptized into Christ – then they changed the sign.  That may sound incredible to Americans’ ears, but similar incidents happened all over our country back in the 1800’s when more of our people were earnestly seeking the truth.  Today too many of our citizens dismiss the idea of truth with a sneer like Pilate when he said mockingly to Jesus, “What is truth?”  American religion is now much more focused on entertaining people than preaching the truth to save them.

About 70 souls gathered for this morning’s session on the subject “Take Job for an Example.”  After Rody’s summary in the dialect, Dennis opened the floor to questions and we had an excellent discussion period.  Some of the questions were if God knew Job was faithful, why did He put him through all of his trials (but Satan not God was responsible for Job’s suffering), why did God create angels who could sin (see Deut. 29:29), and what does 666 mean in Revelation 13:18 (a symbolic number meaning in spite of the Roman Caesar’s demand to be worshiped as a god, he is a man and only a man).  When the invitation song was sung, a lady came forward to confess Christ and submit to him in water baptism for the remission of sins.

Across the river from Piat we could see the mountains where the New Peoples Army (the communists) are fighting the Philippine military.  I was shown two houses today where slain soldiers had lived.  The NPA threatens industries, businesses, and even farms to extort money in the name of “protection,” which is how they finance their bloody movement – many comply to avoid being bombed or burned.

After lunch we drove an hour to reach the brethren in the church at Bauan where Robert Pader is doing a good work.  Their little church building was demolished by typhoon Lawin and is still under reconstruction as funds permit little by little, but it was filled and people were gathered outside listening, about 60 in all.  I again taught on Job and they were very interested and attentive.  I make the point every place that just as Job suffered and struggled with questions beyond his capacity to answer, yet maintained his faith in God, so can we!  Who can explain why typhoon Lawin did such enormous damage to northern Luzon last October?

I met an elderly brother whose wife was killed when their house collapsed during the storm.  He is still struggling to repair his house and I gave him some help made possible by donations from saints at home in the U.S.

Two more precious souls were converted to Christ by putting their faith in him, repenting of their sins, confessing his name, and submitting to him baptism.  The fields are truly ripe unto harvest!

Leaving Tuguegarao before 8:00 A.M. on Friday, we arrived about 10:00 at the Cabuluan East church of Christ in Ballesteros, Cagayan Province where Fidelfin Miranda serves as an evangelist.  They were constructing a church building when typhoon Lawin destroyed their work.  They have started rebuilding with funds donated by our brethren, but they ran out of money and the work has stopped.  The building is not yet useable, but a huge tarpaulin was erected at the side of the structure which is where they are meeting.

Our attendance was over 115 as I taught “Rejoice in the Lord Alway” and Rody summarized it in Ilocano.  Nine came forward to be baptized into Christ.  Rody patiently interviewed three who were in the 8-10 age bracket and decided they were not mature enough to understand.  The other six confessed Christ in order to be baptized into Christ.

As we travel across northern Luzon we are near the ocean and a steady refreshing wind has blessed us all day.

After lunch we traveled to the San Carlos church of Christ in a rural area near Sanchez Mira, Cagayan Province but in the Apayao Province.  Sammy Vargas is the preacher. He has been repairing damage to his house from the typhoon while using an extension attached at the side for the church to meet, although it has not been completed.  In addition, he supplements his income by utilizing a large room as a small store where he sells a selection of simple items.

Over 50 people were singing while waiting for us when we arrived.  Knowing they have had many trials, I again preached “Rejoice in the Lord Alway” and Rody followed with a summary and invitation in Ilocano.  Three stepped forward to be baptized, but again Rody interviewed one and decided she was not mature enough to make this all-important decision.  Before we left, another person submitted to the Lord by requesting baptism for the remission of sins.

Friday night we slept in a hotel in the nearby town of Sanchez Mira and prepared to labor again in the Cagayan Province.

Saturday we drove from Sanchez Mira to the meeting place of the saints in Dubeng, Bidduang, Pamplona, Cagayan where Robinson Pulveras has been laboring for a number of years.  As a school teacher, his income is supplemented and his influence in the community increased. Seeing signs of the devastation and knowing the trials of saints in the region because of typhoon Lawin, I again presented the topic “Take Job as an Example.”  Everyone listened well as was evident when I asked the audience questions.  Rody again emphasized and clarified key points in the Ilocano dialect which many here speak.

Robinson said 99 attended, but I told him it was definitely 100, because whenever the saints gather Satan is always present looking for ways to hinder the work of the Lord.  There was great joy when one sinner repented, confessed Christ, and submitted to him in water baptism.

After lunch we drove to a rural area off the main roads at Sitio Pukel, Sanchez Mira to meet with Negrito saints who are served by the evangelism of Elpidio Tiene.  These are native tribal people from remote mountain areas in northern Luzon.  They are shorter and darker than average Filipinos, and they have kinky hair as opposed to straight hair which is more typical for Filipinos.  They also tend to have very humble hearts.

Negritos can barely subsist in the mountains and many come down trying to improve their lives.  Often they are taken advantage of by industries, farmers, and even religious leaders.  A group of about 500 were given permission by a landowner to settle on land which was not being utilized.  When this owner saw that American preachers visited them from time, he demanded to sell the land to the Negritos for an exorbitantt sum and gave them an ultimatum to vacate the land if they could not produce the money.  The deadline was today and therefore they must move tomorrow.

125 of them gathered under a light structure with open sides and covered by GI sheets.  After the lessons on Job, a young man who appeared to be in his 20’s confessed Christ and was baptized in order to be saved by Christ.  After this wonderful event, the brethren gathered to begin dismantling their meeting place so that they could carry the lumber and GI sheets to a new location guaranteed by the government.  A second group of some 500 is also being forced to leave another site, but they do not yet have an alternative place to land.  I used some of the funds donated for benevolence to provide help for moving expenses for both groups.

And we think we have problems?  Like, I can’t use the internet?  Please pray for these precious Negrito brethren. I am far behind reading email and do not know when I will have time to catch up.  I regret that I am missing important reports and questions, but it cannot be helped.  I did learn when talking to Donna on the phone that she got word Larry Hafley came through his heart-valve replacement surgery well.  We are thankful for this good news.

It is very late here and I must sleep. Thank you for your prayers for our safety in travel—we are doing a lot of it!

I cannot catch the moon at the right time, but it has been in the waning crescent phase and is hard to find.  I hope you are having better luck than me, and I will keep trying!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
http://www.HebronChurchOfChrist.com
http://www.biblework.com
http://www.truthmagazine.com
http://www.CEIbooks.com