Philippine Trip April 4-7, 2023
Philippine trip Apr. 4-6
Dear family, brethren, and friends,
The April 4-May 2 Philippine trip got off to a very good start Tuesday and Wednesday. First, I got to sleep almost 3 hours Monday night (often it is only 15 minutes to an hour the last night at home). Second, the flights from Louisville to Detroit to Tokyo to Manila were on time and encountered very little turbulence, allowing me to get a lot of work done between naps.
Third, we arrived in Manila about 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, much earlier than normal. This gave me time to get to the hotel before bedtime to work out for 40 minutes in the fitness room plus to swim 30 minutes (only a few young boys swimming, no women in the pool). That combination really loosens cramping muscles and builds stamina for the next day.
And, to top it off, a beautiful moon was smiling down on the scene with greetings from many loved ones and friends! I got to bed at a decent hour and slept over 8 hours.
Thursday morning brought a blessing when Ali Cruz, James Paet, and two other brethren came to the hotel to help repack 6 boxes of Bibles, homemade communion trays, and study materials to ship ahead to various places where I will preach, God willing. I visited the moneychanger and James took me to a store to get a few items, but we were not able to go to a phone shop to solve a problem because so many businesses were closed for the Catholic so-called “holy week.”
After reviewing lessons I hope to preach to benefit young people, my day ended with the privilege of sharing a late supper at a Mexican restaurant with Dr. Teresa Toreja, Jerry’s widow. Their 3 children plus her brother Elias “Ali” Cruz and his wife joined us. We enjoyed sharing memories of Jerry and discussing good news about the progress of the church at Kapitbahayan since its recent reunification. While we all miss Jerry very much, we understand we can prepare to be with him again around God’s throne if we faithfully serve Him to the end as Jerry did. We all are closer to that day with every passing moment.
Friday morning was spent reviewing sermons and working on email, plus 25 minutes exercise preparing for the full day of travel to follow. I left the hotel at 2:00 P.M., flew from Manila around 4:00, and arrived at the new Bicol International Airport in the Bicol Region, a peninsula extending from southeast Luzon. The towering beautiful Mayon Volcano overlooks the airport. It has erupted about 50 times in the last 500 years, the most active in the Philippines, but today it was a picture perfect backdrop.
Jhun Layusa with several other preachers met me to drive to Naga, Camarines Sur. What should have been a couple of hours of driving turned into 4 hours because every little town was conducting a parade of Catholic images in celebration of “the holy week.” We passed several groups of men making a pilgrimage while practicing self-flagellation, their backs bloodied, supposedly in honor of Christ’s suffering. Not surprisingly, many of them celebrate by drinking alcoholic beverages after they finish because human traditions do nothing to help men escape the works of the flesh and produce the fruit of the Spirit.
After finally arriving at the hotel in Naga, I walked for 30 minutes, got some work done, and fell into the bed about 12:30 A.M. So, all is well that ends well – and a full moon joined me for the walk , so, indeed, all is well!
In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook
To see good Bible study material, go to:
https://www.
https://biblework.
https://truthbooks.com
https://www.truthmagazine.com