Dear family, brethren, and friends,

From Calapan on Mindoro we drove out to the Victoria church of Christ to labor Saturday morning with Mario Cay.  Sixty attended, filling the small building made of baboo slats with people outside the entrance and at the windows.  I focused on the necessity for all men to “Born of Water and the Spirit” (Jn. 3:5), with Jimmy Bobis translating, followed by Rody’s sermon “Learn of Me” and his strong appeal for people to obey the gospel of Christ without delay.  Two men and a lady came forward to confess Chtist and to submit to him in water baptism in order to receive God’s saving grace.

After lunch my topic was “Why Saints Assemble” (Heb. 10:23-25) and then there was an open forum which provided clarification on the difference between wilful absence from worship and absence because of other duties or hindrances not of our own making (sickness, caring for the sick, work schedules, etc.).

We arrived back in Calapan in time to fulfill the request of Nelson Sikat that we conduct a short service to encourage the saints here.  We met for about an hour for songs, prayers, and my lesson “No Surrender, No Retreat” and Rody’s admonition with a short history of this church reaching back to the 1920’s.

This has been another full – and hot and humid – day, but no one has complained, but rather we rejoice with the angels of heaven because three more souls were rescued from Satan and hell, being washed in the blood of the Lamb.  Likewise, many saints were edified and admonished to keep fighting the good fight of faith.

We joined the saints in worship on the Lord’s Day at the Aurora church where Daniel Sikat labors. Rody’s lesson on things that cause backsliding was excellent, and then I preached on “The Bread of Life” (Jn. 6:35).

After lunch we drove toward the foothills of the mountains and onto gravel and dirt roads to reach the church at Evangelista where the aged Claro Cuderias and a young man work together.  Brother Claro is one of the old timers who numbers among the early converts of brother Diosdado Menor (who is buried in this community).  Claro was baptized in 1941 at the age of 18 and started preaching when 30, An 89 year old member who obeyed the gospel before World War II began was present in a wheelchair – and was very alert.  After my sermon on “Rejoice in the Lord” (Phil. 4:4), Rody gave a summary in the dialect with added words of encouragement and admonition.

What a joy to see both congregations using young men to lead songs and to conduct the Lord’s Supper!  What a joy to learn there are 20 young men in the area who regularly meet and study together learning to preach!  Surely in the future I must return to this area to conduct preaching training classes – these young men are hungry and eager to learn.  Again today we were swimming in heat and humidity but most certainly rejoicing in the Lord!

I am still fighting a sinus infection which is trying to spread to my bronchial tubes, but I have done this kind of work enough to know that being in wet clothes for much of the day promotes this very problem.  Tomorrow we travel back to Manila and Tuesday I hope to rest and study in preparation for the following schedules, and this will likely help solve the health issue.  I am also consulting with Dr. Teresa Toreja.  Your prayers are always greatly important.  As I write this part of the report, the saints back home in the U.S. are meeting for worship and I pray God to shower all of you with His spiritual blessings in Christ as you draw near His throne of mercy and grace in worship.

Early Monday morning we left our hotel in Calapan to catch the ferryboat from Mindoro to Batangas on Luzon.  The water was choppy for a while which made some passengers seasick, but the sea finally became calmer and we arrived safely about 10:30 A.M.

Rody drove to Manila and we arrived at 3:00 P.M. at Dr. Teresa Toreja’s clinic.  I had communicated with her about some symptoms as I have continued to fight a sinus infection and she wanted to examine me.  Some infection has gotten into my bronchial tubes and she used a nebulizer to open them.  I am somewhat dehydrated as I suspected.  Some fluid has gathered in the bottom of my lungs which could result in pneumonia.  Teresa loaded me with enough medicine to open a pharmacy.

These are typical problems when the heat and humidity are extreme (90 degrees at 6:00 P.M. today), and Filipinos face these challenges often.  It is worse now because of the prolonged drought.

By God’s good grace, all is well and I expect to recover quickly.  I will study and rest tomorrow, and will be ready to ht the trail again Wednesday, God willing.  Truly God provides our every need, and I am reminded again about how many dear saints are praying for our safety and health as we travel and preach His Holy Word.

Tonight’s moon is in a Waning Crescent phase, but I have not been able to see it for the last few days. Still your messages of love always reach me with or without the moon.

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
http://www.HebronChurchOfChrist.com
http://www.biblework.com
http://www.truthmagazine.com
http://www.CEIbooks.com