May 14, 2012 Update
Dear family, brethren, and friends,
Greetings to one and all from the Philippines where I am concluding my 46th trip and preparing to return home from Manila. Therefore, this will be my last report on this trip.
Davao City in southern Mindanao has a population of one and a half million and is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Juanito Balbin has preached here for many years. We were scheduled to have an all day gospel meeting where Johnny Espinosa preaches at the Quezon Blvd. Church of Christ in Davao City today, Wednesday, May 9. After losing my voice Monday evening, it is returning little by little but I definitely was not able to preach today. Cyrus Gesulga, Jonathan Carino, and Jack Jaco preached. I studied and rested at the hotel, knowing that if I went I would want to talk with the brethren which would only set me back again. This is probably the first time brethren not holding premillennial views were asked to hold a gospel meeting here, and I received an excellent report about our reception with these brethren today.
Cyrus stopped by the hotel tonight and we visited about 30 minutes. He is very pleased with the work we are doing together. I expressed appreciation for him opening doors to our estranged brethren and helping us work for biblical unity.
Thursday Jack Jaco returned to Negros, Jonathan Carino to Cebu, and I to Manila. I arrived in the mid‑afternoon, took a short rest, and studied and prepared for the next two days of work. My voice is still recovering and this extra day without preaching will give it another boost. Late tonight Jim McDonald and Zach Olson arrived in the Philippines.
Good news: the lost Bibles are found!
To make the story short, here is what happened. I sent a large box via Forex Cargo to Teresa Toreja back in February loaded with our Bibles, and I sent many other boxes of mixed books to several addresses in the Philippines.
Shortly before leaving to come here in early April, I received an apologetic letter from Forex Cargo saying one of the shipments was waylaid by the U.S. government in a spot check security program. Therefore, its delivery would be delayed. There was no explanation which box was held up. I thought no more about it and assumed the box was delivered somewhere in due time, not thinking it might be that one certain box with all our Bibles!
Today Teresa texted me that an unexpected box was delivered. She opened it and our Bibles are there, thanks to the love of God! They will be shipped to Tuguegarao, General Santos City, and Davao City–and 75 men will rejoice to hold a new Bible in their hands by the providence of God.
Today, Friday, begins a two‑day meeting with the Kapitbahayan Church of Christ, Navotas, Metro Manila. Atoy Franco brought me there and we met Elias Cruz and all the brethren along with Jim, Zach, Lordy Salunga, and Jhun Bautista. Jim’s lessons dealt with Holy Spirit baptism and the indwelling of the Spirit, while Zach taught from 1 Corinthians 10:1‑12. After teaching on “The Existence of God,” I began a series on the Godhead with “The Father Is God.” In the afternoon Zach left with Lordy and Jhun to work with them for a few days.
Again on Saturday Jim and I met with about 90 brethren at Kapitbahayan as he presented a very thorough lesson on the nine miraculous gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8‑10. It was a rich and clear presentation. I spoke on “Jesus Christ Is God.” After lunch, Jim left with Noli Villamor to travel several hours to Infanta, Quezon Province. As we were saying our good‑bye’s, an uncovered electrical box at the front of the church building emitted loud explosive sounds, then sparks, then fire! Someone ran and found a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. All power was knocked out, so the building was dark and extremely hot. The brethren went to work immediately repairing the damage and replacing the wires.
After a three hour delay, we started the afternoon session with a lesson entitled “The Holy Spirit Is God” followed by an hour long open forum.
About ten saints were from the deaf mute congregation. They sat at the front, wrote down the passages and the outline from the PowerPoint charts, and then participated in the open forum by submitting written questions. I answered by writing on a white board.
One man who had been listening to the radio program attended, and he decided to obey the gospel. He was baptized without delay! This was a long, hard, and rewarding day!
Monday, May 14, is our last day of teaching before I return home. I used the morning to prepare a special lesson for five relatives of Atoy Franco. Little by little he is getting his relatives to show more interest in the truth. We met for three hours in the Serye Café Filipino and studied an overview of the Bible with emphasis on the plan of salvation, the New Testament church, and apostasies resulting in Catholicism and denominationalism. Most of their questions related to baptism and to premillennialism. They requested a study of premillennialism when I return again. There are open doors on every hand to teach the gospel in this land.
God opens the right doors at the right places at the right times, and we must utilize these opportunities while we can. Without the help of many saints back home, I could not be here to utilize these opportunities. There were only 17 baptisms on this trip because nearly all the time was given to training preachers, but in the long run the work these men will do will reap a great harvest of souls to the glory of God.
By the time many of you read this report, I will be seven miles high in the sky somewhere between the Philippines and the U.S. Please pray that I may have a safe trip in returning to Donna and the saints of the Hebron Lane church.
May God bless each and every one of you.
In Christian love,
Ron
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