Dear brethren,

I do not have adequate words to express my gratitude to all of you who have prayed for our Filipino brethren and donated funds to help them during the last several months.  In addition to a wide range of needs typical in third-world nations, southern Mindanao has suffered 13 major earthquakes with thousands of aftershocks since October 16, leaving hundreds of our brethren homeless.  Many are not permitted to return to their devastated areas and houses because the land continues to be unstable.  Your ongoing donations have made it possible to build small houses for dozens of our brethren, but dozens more still live in dilapidated tents which are being shredded by the weather.  They struggle to have adequate food and water.

We would do well to try to imagine living under such conditions with our own families for months on end.  Sanitation.  Attempting to sleep.  Huddling together during wind, thunder, lightning, and downpouring rain.  Surrounded by hundreds of other such tents.  I feel ashamed of my feeble efforts when I think of all this!

Just when we thought conditions could not get worse for them, the coronavirus pandemic hit and the Philippine government imposed a national lockdown in mid-March which has been only partly relaxed during the last few days.  They have been allowed to exit their houses once a week for essential needs, and officials methodically examine anyone found away from their home.  Most of the saints are poor day laborers.  If they cannot work today, they cannot feed their families tomorrow.  Your ongoing donations have provided benevolence to feed thousands of these saints, but what we are able to send to various locations provides food for only a few days.

We have our own problems here at home, but ours do not match the magnitude of what Filipino saints are suffering.

Well over $100,000 has been sent and scattered to hundreds of locations around the Philippines because of your sacrificial donations.  Though we are making progress on building small houses in southern Mindanao, we still have a long way to go.  Though we have fed many hungry saints throughout the Philippines, we still have a long way to go.

Shall we give up and quit trying?  I cannot image any dedicated Christian who would say, “Yes,” but I can see by the eye of faith many of you saying, “Let us press on!”  No one can do it all, but let each one do what he or she can do including abundant fervent prayers.

Many, many messages of thanksgiving and praise to God have been received from the recipients of this benevolence in the Philippines.

I still do not know whether it will be possible to visit the Philippines in August as planned.  If I can go, I will focus on lessons of encouragement for the saints in Mindanao.

I will gladly share information about how to send funds directly to Filipinos with anyone who requests it, and I am willing to serve as a messenger to send funds for anyone who requests it. (Or contact Michael & Donna Glaesemann at michael@butw.org who are also serving as messengers.)  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.  For PayPal, the account is Richard Halbrook (or if that snags, use halbrook@twc.com – indicate “send to a friend” not “pay for item or service” – PayPal deducts a charge if the money is drawn from a credit card but not if from a bank account).

By the eye of faith, we see and hear Christ saying to each one of us, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40).

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
https://www.hebronlane.com
https://biblework.congregateclients.com
https://truthbooks.com
https://www.truthmagazine.com