Philippine Trip July 30-September 6, 2019
June 20, 2019th Year of Our Lord
Dear brethren,
Upcoming travels scheduled for July 30-September 6 will take me to preach Christ in the Philippines (75th trip), New Zealand (9th trip), and Australia (8th trip). I thank God for opening these doors by the invitation of Jim McDonald to accompany him to the Philippines in 1995. It will be a privilege to labor in these lands again to encourage the saints in the spirit of Philippians 2:14-16, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Saints shine in this dark and stormy world of sin and death as lights along the shore guiding souls to Christ, the beacon light of eternal salvation. “Let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across the wave.” Christian lights are brightly burning around the world!
God willing, July 30-31 will find me engaged in about 24 hours of travel from Louisville, KY to Manila. The next morning local brethren will help me repack boxes to ship ahead so that materials can be distributed in various areas where I will teach.
Friday I plan to travel northwest from Manila with Lordy Salunga to reach the church at Beddeng, San Narciso, Zambales Province where Rey Sienes supports himself as a teacher and proclaims the gospel. We also plan to go to the brethren meeting in Candon City, Ilocos Sur where Leonito Torreliza has labored for many years. As time permits we hope to visit other brethren along the way going and coming.
August 7 we will return to Manila so that I can prepare to fly early the next day to Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand. The Meadowood church of Christ began there in 2009 because Ronnie and Nina Salunga could not find a church free from the entanglements of institutionalism and the social gospel. This church meets in the Salunga’s basement. Lessons will be presented there August 9-15. Next I will travel 200 miles to work Friday-Sunday with the saints meeting at Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty Region on the North Island where Abner Salanguit supports himself and preaches. I will finish up back in Auckland Monday-Wednesday and prepare to travel to Australia.
On the 22nd I plan to fly from Auckland, N.Z. to Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. Daryl and Dale Johnson along with other saints have been meeting here for many years without a full time evangelist, but the men share the teaching duties. Six sessions will be conducted here to edify saints and save the lost.
I am scheduled to fly from Rockhampton back to Manila on August 26 and will take a day to rest and prepare for the last leg of the trip. The next appointments are in southern Mindanao, 650 miles south of Manila. I will work with Nestor Francisco, Jolly Julom, and other brethren in the vicinity of General Santos City. One day will be devoted to the work at the Municipality of Banga in the nearby province of South Cotabato. Two days of Bible lectures for preachers will be conducted in General Santos City. On September 1 I will preach with the saints at Kitakal, Malungon in the Sarangani Province with Dondon Caydaona and then at the City of Digos for two days with Julie Notarte in the province of Davao del Sur.
God willing, on September 4 I will return again to Manila. A visit is scheduled the next day at the Philippine Bible Society to purchase Bibles in Filipino dialects to be shipped to brethren requesting them, always a highlight of the trip! On the 6th I hope to return home to Donna and all of our loved ones here.
Thank you for prayers and donations which make these trips possible! Individuals needing a legal tax deduction may write checks to Help A Neighbor. Write all other checks to Ron Halbrook. Mail all checks to 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954. Donors receive financial reports (2 Cor. 8:21).
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.