Ron & Donna Halbrook
3505 Horse Run Ct.
Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954

PLEASE SHARE THIS LETTER ON GOSPEL PREACHING IN THE PHILIPPINES!
October 26, 2016^th Year of Our Lord
                              
Dear brethren,

If God wills, I will travel November 29 to the Philippines to preach for the 64^th time since He first permitted me to go with Jim McDonald in 1995.  Doors are open in other lands as well. December 9-20 will be devoted to working with the saints in New Zealand for the 7^th time since 2009.  Next, Australia is scheduled for December 20–January 5 for the 6^th time since 2011.  Finally, I return to Manila January 5 and come home on the 10^th, God willing.  As the Son of God, Jesus Christ alone has the authority to save our souls from sin.  All the world must know our Savior has come!  “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matt. 28:18-20, ESV).

The first day in Manila I will take care of preliminaries in preparing to teach through December 7 in Metro Manila.  The first couple of appointments are still in the making, but on Sunday I will be with Elijah Sikat and the saints at the Pasig church in the morning, then with the congregation meeting in Jimmy Battung’s home in the afternoon.

One of the most important meetings will be December 5-7 with Antonio “Tonyboy” Hornedo.  He is a deaf mute who has worked with a deaf mute congregation for many years.  Teaching them is tedious but rewarding.  I present lessons on PowerPoint charts with a whiteboard at the side so that additional explanations can be made.  The lessons are translated by sign language as we go along.  They flood me with questions because many things need to be clarified.  Knowing it will go slowly, I decided to carve out three days to teach them the six part series on “The Authority of Christ.”  I believe Tonyboy’s parents are Roman Catholic and he wants to move our venue from the little meeting place of the mute deaf brethren to his parents’ home in hopes of converting them.  The lessons deal with the original teaching of Christ which established his church, the apostasy which created Catholicism, next the Reformation, and then restoring New Testament Christianity.

I am scheduled to fly from Manila to Auckland, New Zealand on December 8.  When the Ronnie Salunga family could not find a sound church in the area, they asked me to come and help them establish one in their home in November 2009.  Though the number is small, this church has grown and they are very zealous to invite visitors.  I will do my best to encourage and edify these dear brethren – they are truly an inspiration!  In addition, they are in contact with another group which began in a house about four hours away at Ohope, Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty on the Pacific Ocean.  We plan to study “The Authority of Christ” with these brethren.  We have visited them twice in past years and they are very open and receptive to God’s Word.

God willing, on December 21 I will travel from Auckland to Gladstone, Queensland Province, Australia.  In 2007 Jamie Williams married our daughter, Deborah.  His job with ConocoPhillips took them to Gladstone in 2011 for a huge project which is nearing completion.  They found a sister who had been meeting in her home.  Other brethren who have rotated in and out of the area working on the project have worshiped with them.  Efforts such as gospel meetings and home studies have been made to convert the local population.  The seed is being sown though no one has yet submitted to Christ.  I want to continue doing my best to edify and encourage this congregation.  Also an established congregation has been meeting for many years about 70 miles away at Rockhampton.  Jamie preaches here once a month.  I have held a gospel meeting there and they have welcomed Steven Deaton and Stan Adams to their pulpit as well.  We have learned to love these saints and have included them again in the itinerary.  I will spend the holidays in Gladstone.  The Williams are expecting a new daughter to join their two sons about January 1.  Donna will come to help Deborah.

On January 5 I will fly to Manila to preach in the Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City again with Ely Ebuenga for a couple of days, and then take a day to order Bibles, and finally return home on the 10th.

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.S.  IMPORTANT NOTE TO ANYONE WANTING TO SEND FUNDS FOR ANY PURPOSE INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR PREACHERS OR BENEVOLENCE:  I will be away from home Nov. 29, 2016 – Jan. 10, 2017.  Donna will be away Dec. 7, 2016 – Jan. 16, 2016.  It will be necessary to work around those dates or to use some other means of relaying funds to recipients.

P.S.S There is a dire need for songbooks!  I can ship new or used copies very cheaply.