Dear family, brethren, and friends,

The Philippine preaching trip planned for April 9-May 7 is well underway.  I had the rare treat of 3 ½ hours sleep Monday night (usually the last night is so busy there is no time to sleep), which made for a great start!  The Tuesday-Wednesday flights from Louisville to Detroit to Tokyo to Manila were smooth and uneventful, the preferred way to travel.  Just for a little spice, the flight arrived in Detroit with only about 30 minutes for me to reach the Tokyo flight, but I ran to the next concourse and they held the flight till I could board – whew!  What is that song?…“Count Your Blessings.”  “Name them one by one.”

I worked on sermon material and napped on the 13 hour trip to Tokyo and the 4 ½ hour trip to Manila.  We arrived about 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, which allowed time for exercise before sleeping – that really helps overcome jet lag.

Thursday morning James Paet, Junior Gumpad, Ely Ebuenga, Elias Cruz, and a couple of other brethren joined me at the hotel to unpack and repack the boxes of Bibles and study materials which came as checked luggage.  Elias took the boxes to ship them ahead to the various places on my itinerary.  Later, Jerry and Teresa Toreja visited me at the hotel.  She is a doctor and wanted to examine a small sore on my face which started a couple of days ago suspiciously the same way as a staph infection which came up on my face in January.  She gave me some medicines to take in the hope of heading this problem off before it can get a good start.

This was a good day as I tried to adjust to the 12 hour time-zone change and to study for upcoming appointments.

The Friday flight north from Manila to Tuguegarao, Cagayan was not cancelled as happened on February 14 (and on too many other occasions).  What is that song again?  When I arrived, Rody and Tessie Gumpad met me and we took our lunch.  We had to wait four hours for my suitcase to arrive on the next flight–at least it arrived rather than traveling to China and Canada as happened in February.  Rody departed to conduct a wedding tomorrow, but  Jerome Forelo, Dennis Yuson, and Mark Daquioag drove me three hours along the northern coast of Luzon to Pamplona, Cagayan.  There we had supper with Robinson Pulveras, then slept nearby at Sanchez Mira.  We were only a few miles out of town, so I took a walk to the edge of town and back, and, lo, and behold, before I got rained on I saw the moon!  Donna told me before I left Manila that she saw the moon – a good sign all is well.

On Saturday I preached with Robin Pulveras and the saints at Dubeng, Pamplona, the region of many Negrito brethren who come down from the mountains and live a very primitive life in thatched huts made of dried palm branches.  My subject was “Helping Each Other” (Acts 18:27-28), emphasizing the unselfish nature of the Christian life and the privilege of serving each other in order to help each other reach heaven.  (God willing, I will present this lesson at the Truth Lectures in Athens, Alabama the last week of June – and I look forward to seeing some of you who read this report there.)

The next lesson was entitled “Born of Water and of the Spirit,” a study of John 3:5.  Both sermons were summarized in the local dialect by Jerome Forelo – he can always do the job fluently and smoothly, very effectively.  Seventy souls joined us including Negrito saints.  Robin’s wife and the sisters helping her provided our delicious lunch, and then Robin drove me 3-4 hours to reach Laoag City in Ilocos Norte. Traveling this route brought back pleasant memories of the trip with Zach and Taya Martin last July as we entered Ilocos Norte on the mountains overlooking the South China Sea, one of the most beautiful sights in the Philippines.

After arriving at the hotel shortly before sunset, I walked about a quarter mile to the ocean and took a long stroll along the shore, hoping to strengthen my stamina for the days ahead.  Soon the canopy above boasted a beautiful half-moon surrounded by brightly beaming stars – another scene proclaiming the glory of God.

This is the hot season and much of the Philippines has been suffering a drought for several months, but we had a good rain shower last night and again this morning.  The overcast sky deflected some of the heat, but my clothes still were wet after my lessons.

It was a joy to see Robin distribute the Bibles and study materials I brought, and the Negritos who received the wooden communion trays made by Laymon Byers were literally beaming with joy and thanksgiving!  It has been a good day indeed!

Let’s keep watching for the moon and stay in touch as we serve God from opposite sides of the globe.

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