Philippine Preaching Trip August 1-29, 2017
Ron & Donna Halbrook
3505 Horse Run Ct.
Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954
PLEASE SHARE THIS LETTER ON GOSPEL PREACHING IN THE PHILIPPINES!
May 24, 2017th Year of Our Lord
Dear brethren,
The next Philippine preaching trip August 1-29 will be number 67 since Jim McDonald first took me in 1995. I plan to edify saints, preach to the lost, and conduct training classes for preachers. John saw visions of angels who announced God’s wrath on Rome for idolatry, immorality, and persecuting Christians. One angel proclaimed “the everlasting gospel” of victory to martyred saints and defeat to their enemies: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6). The everlasting gospel still proclaims victory to God’s faithful saints and defeat to all Satan’s forces today!
I will arrive in Manila late on the evening of August 3. Thursday Filipino brethren will meet me to ship boxes of teaching materials ahead to the venues where they will be used.
On August 4 I plan to fly to Dumaguete City on the southeastern coast of Negros Oriental, where Jonathan Carino from Cebu City will meet me. About 12-15 miles further south Macario Mag-abo labors with the church meeting in Baslay, Dauin. Macario has done good steady work in this region for years and we want to spend all day preaching with him. U.S. donations are helping to build their church building.
On the Lord’s Day we will travel about 40 miles going even further south to reach Siaton. On April 28, 1999 I baptized Pablo Quimada in a river at night in this remote area. This former Methodist preacher held his first service as a member of the church of Christ on May 2, 1999 and he has continued to labor in the gospel through the years. He has attended our training classes and I look forward to working with him again.
It will take 7 hours on Monday, August 7, to travel nearly 150 miles by van from Dumaguete City to Bacolod City, far to the north on Negros Island in the province of Negros Occidental. There has been a great harvest of souls in this large province in recent years. This is our first opportunity to teach a weeklong series of classes on The Home & Family. Preachers will come from far and wide to study these vital lessons with Jonathan, Jack Jaco, and myself. Sunday we will visit churches in the Bacolod City area.
The following week our focus will turn to the province on Cebu on Cebu Island. A couple of days will be lost in travel to reach Cebu City, rest, and prepare for a busy week. We will go as far as Bogo City, a trip of 65-70 miles over rough roads requiring about 3 hours of travel. We will join hands with Gil Suico and Rupert Ramirez in that area. A day will be devoted to work with Nathan Cajigas at Mainggit, Toledo City, about 2 hours from Cebu City. Other appointments are pending at this time, but Sunday I will preach at Mandaue City with Roy Matta.
August 21–25 is reserved for Cebu City church of Christ where preachers will gather to study the book of Revelation and Mike Willis’ workbook entitled Then Comes the End (covers death, hades, the Judgment, heaven, hell, and false doctrines such as the A.D. 70 theory and premillennialism). Jonathan, Lordy Salunga from Angeles City, and myself will share teaching duties.
From Cebu City I will travel back to Manila on Saturday, August 26, preach in Manila on Sunday, and purchase Bibles in Filipino dialects on Monday. Then I travel home on Tuesday, the 29th, God willing.
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.
P.S.S. Some brethren have expressed concern about my return to the Philippines in view of the attack by Muslim terrorists on the city of Marawi in the province of Lanao del Sur in northern Mindanao. This Muslim faction called Maute in the Philippines has associated itself with the dreaded ISIS movement. They attacked and took Marawi City on May 23 and the Philippine military has been fighting since that time to retake the city and are gradually succeeding. Over 200 people have died in the fighting. President Duterte declared martial law on Mindanao. As a result of all this turmoil, I revised my first plans which included some time on Mindanao and will postpone going there until a later time. Thank you for your concern. Let us please pray for our brethren in Lanao del Sur and other parts of Mindanao who are affected in one way or another during this ordeal.