Dear family, brethren, and friends,

The last night in the Bicol Region was Tuesday, April 11, and a low pressure cell brought steady rain and some high winds.  The weak internet prevented me from working on email, so I swam 50 laps in the very deserted pool and went to bed at 10:30.  I am almost ashamed to admit I slept 10 ½ hours, but maybe my body was sending a message about needing to catch up on rest.

Wednesday I walked and took a short swim but also talked with Donna on the phone, as I do morning and evening each day.  There were also several calls with David about last minute details preparing for his coming with Joel. Jhun Layusa with a contingent of dear saints took me to the airport that afternoon to catch a plane back to Manila.  After arriving about 7:00 P.M., getting checked in at the hotel, and eating supper, I dove into the backlog of emails and also worked on sermon charts before sleeping at midnight.

Thursday found me up about 7:30 to talk with Donna who is visiting Jamie and Deborah Williams and the grandchildren in Crosby, Texas.  This was another busy day including several errands such as visiting the moneychanger, printing tickets for upcoming domestic flights, and diving back into the backlogged emails as well as working on sermon charts.  I squeezed in time for exercise to keep my stamina up. The low pressure cell followed me to Manila and steady rain has been falling all day, but at least it is not the full force of a typhoon – and it cools the atmosphere somewhat, thank God.

I really focused on the backlogged email Friday except for taking time to eat, have a short rest, and exercise.  I worked until 10:00 P.M. when James Paet took me to the airport to meet David and Joel Halbrook after their long journey from Fairbanks, Alaska through Seattle, Washington and South Korea in route to Manila.

Some of you may have noticed their arrival is a couple of days later than originally planned.  This is because Starla is unexpectedly pregnant and they were making arrangements with their doctors in the hope all will go well.  Starla urged David to continue with the plan to visit the Philippines, though David was ready to cancel it if needed for her sake.  Please keep them in your prayers.

After getting to bed about midnight, we got up at 6:00 A.M. Saturday, ate a quick breakfast, and went to the airport again to fly to Cauayan City, Isabela. When we arrived about noon, Willie and Kathy Pastor welcomed us.  As we then traveled toward Gundaway, Cabarroguis in the Province of Quirino, we made several stops to eat and to replenish some supplies along with a little window shopping for Joel’s first Philippine trip.  After finally  checking in at our hotel in Gundaway at 7:30 P.M., David and Joel soon went to bed to begin recovering from their long travels with too little rest.  Though exhausted after this long day, I forced myself to walk for an hour to rebuild my stamina for a long day tomorrow.

The Lord’s Day was overcast which gave some relief from the infamous Philippine summer heat.  About 150 souls gathered for the morning service at the church in Gundaway, Cabarroguis, Quirino where Willie Pastor preaches.  David presented an excellent study of evidence proving there is a true and living God including the amazing design of the planthopper insect (check it out on the internet).  My sermon was entitled “Young in Age, Strong in Faith.”  Willie summarized both lessons in the dialect for the sake of people who do not understand English well.  Most places we teach it is not necessary to translate or summarize, but when it is needed we are thankful for brethren who have this talent.

When we sang the invitation song, two ladies bravely stepped forward to confess their faith in Christ and to submit to him in water baptism for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38).  There was much joy in heaven and on earth!

After lunch David went to the jail to preach while I went to Malapat, Cordon, Isabela about 30 minutes away.  Samiel and Emmuel Graneta labor here.  Emmuel translated as I presented the lesson “Children, Obey Your Parents” to a houseful which overflowed into the yard at the door – about 60-70 souls including many very attentive young people.

David and I returned to Gundaway in time for the 5:30 service which lasted three hours. Once again the brethren wanted both David and me to preach.  He preached on remembering what we have been taught and my sermon was entitled “Assurance by Faith,” explaining the biblical basis for having confident assurance of eternal salvation.

After a late supper, we returned to the hotel.  It was raining, but I was determined to walk with an umbrella, so David, Joel, and two Filipino saints joined me for a pleasant exercise.

An all day Bible lectureship was planned for Monday at the Gundaway church.  Then, after we leave, there will be three days of classes focused on how to improve the singing in worship to be taught by Sonnie Dave and Connie Balbin and their team from Davao City in Mindanao.  There brethren flew from Davao City to Manila and took a long bus ride to reach Gundaway.  They came Saturday in order to join our Monday lectures and there were also brethren from Mindoro, from Maconacon, and distant places on Luzon.

In the morning session I preached two detailed lessons on “The Threat of Pornography,” both of which were summarized in the local dialect.  After lunch David spoke on three “R’s” in Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1: rejoice remove, and remember.

Next was the open forum with a wide variety of questions such as should Christian girls enter beauty contests.  No, such contests involve displaying the body in immodest clothing.  Another question was, do we sin when we dream about participating in sinful things?  No, it simply means the temptations we face in our waking hours may follow us into our sleep.  The key is what we do when we awaken: make plans to fulfill the temptations, or resist and refuse them?

David then presented a study of the importance of humility in serving God, which was also summarized in the dialect.  I followed with a first principles lesson entitled “When Peter Confessed Christ” (Matt. 16:13-19).  During the final open forum, a denominational pastor asked good questions about the relationship between the Father and the Son in the Godhead.  His background was with Oneness Pentecostalism.  He asked if we could continue to study after the dismissal at 5:30.

We studied for almost an hour and then ate supper together.  As soon as supper was finished, our study resumed and continued until 8:30.  This man and his wife really demonstrated a strong desire to learn more about God’s Word and I believe there will be opportunities to follow up with them in the future by the providence of God.

I came back to the hotel exhausted but ready to take my walk with a couple of Filipino brethren while David and Joel lingered behind to play basketball in the dark with some of the young men.  Joel was very attentive today and took several pages of notes, and he has quickly made several new friends – he is already learning to love the Philippines and Filipinos!

Reneboy Maranion met us at the hotel in Cabarroguis and drove us to the church at Barocboc in Quezon, Isabela Tuesday morning.  The saints there are severed by Edgar Lingbawan as an evangelist.  Rody Gumpad arrived a couple of hours ahead of us and started preaching to about 40 souls.  When we got there, David spoke on trusting God from Psalms 146-147 and I preached “The Lord Is Our Shepherd King” from Psalm 23.

When we stood to sing the invitation song, one lady bolted to the front before we could sing the first word, and a man soon followed.  They confessed their faith in Christ and were baptized without delay.

Due to donations from U.S. brethren, the saints here have erected a substantial meeting house, but they lack sufficient funds to properly finish the inside.  They deeply appreciate the help they have received.

Our next appointment was with the church at Minagbag where Jayjay Gumpad labors in the gospel.  About 35 people heard David’s sermon entitled “Continue” (2 Tim. 3:14) and my sermon “The Lord Is Our Shepherd King.”  These saints also have just completed a new meeting house, but the pressure of vandalism is forcing them to build a fence to protect this property.  They also expressed their great gratitude for the financial aid several individuals have sent them.

Rody and Tessie Gumpad brought us the rest of the way to Tuguegarao City in the Province of Cagayan.  We registered at our hotel at 8:00 P.M. and walked a little over an hour at 9:00.  This has been a full and rewarding day, but the only thing lacking is the sight of the moon.

Joel is making friends everywhere we go.  Though he is only 10, he is learning things rapidly that will stay with him for the rest of his life.  It is amazing to see what good notes he takes even when we preach without PowerPoint charts, as we are doing in some cases.  Brethren young and old are delighted to see him here!

Thank you for your prayers, for glancing at the same moon I can see, and for continuing to serve God wherever you may be.  May God give all of us faith and courage to run the Christian race to the finish line where we will be rewarded by His grace with eternal life in heaven!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
https://www.hebronlanechurchofchrist.com
https://biblework.congregateclients.com
https://truthbooks.com
https://www.truthmagazine.com