Preaching in Isabela

Please excuse the absence of reports for the past few days. I could not send them due to a lack of internet connection over the past few days. My last time to be able to connect was when I was in Manila on Wednesday. I am again in Tuguegarao where we have a connection and I hope we have resolved the problem which prevented logging in to the wifi here.

Thursday was a day of travel, but not an ordinary one. Rody, Tessie and I were to depart Manila at 11:15am for our one-hour flight to Tuguegarao. About noon, we were informed our plane was diverted to Zamboanga, but assured another was coming soon for our flight. Two hours later, we were told that plane was had mechanical problems. At about 2:15pm, we were loaded on buses to take us to the plane at an auxiliary gate. (In other words, it was sitting out on the tarmac). After waiting in buses on the tarmac for over half an hour, we got on an unbelievably hot plane. After much sweat, we began to taxi towards our take-off runway, but soon stopped. After some time, we were informed the computers were “malfunctioning” so we would have to board another plane. So, we went back to the spot on the tarmac, waited in a hot plane for a while, got on buses again, took a long ride to another hot plane parked at another spot on the tarmac, and boarded a third plane. After more than 5 hours of delay, we were finally able to leave. You may wonder what compensation you get after such a delay. The answer: one cup of Ramon noodles, but you have to provide the hot water! Ah, the joys of luxury travel!

Friday, we traveled over three hours south to Quirino where Sammie Greneta preaches with the Saguday congregation. The effects of a recent typhoon Were evident in several places as some crops were destroyed and we experienced intermittent rain and wind from another typhoon coming towards northern Luzon at that time. It rained on and off at the venue throughout the day, but the attendance and interest were very good. I started the day by preaching on “Salvation and Saul.” Rody followed with a lesson answering several aspects of the premillennial doctrine. (The brethren there had asked Rody to speak on that subject since several Pentecostals had been invited and they were very trouble about that doctrine.) After lunch, I spoke on “Let Us Not Grow Weary” from Galatians 6:7-9. It was a lesson I had been asked to preach to encourage brethren not to lose heart in their service to God and to show all the greatness of the hope we have in a heavenly home which should give us a reason to continue a life of faith no matter the cost. Rody concluded the day with a sermon on the Lord’s church and how it differs from denominationalism. He ended by extending the invitation and two responded immediately to be baptized into Christ with another deciding to be baptized after a short question/answer period.

After the dismissal, we spent a long time talking with Kathy Pastor, Willie’s wife, concerning what we learned on Wednesday and discussing plans for her to follow-up on his papers to assure the best possible chance for his release from prison in the very near future. Several individual brethren provided funds for me to use at my discretion and I used them to help Kathy have the funds needed to travel to and within Manila so as to do the vital follow-up for Willie’s release. The Lord willing, I will join her and others on Monday, September 30 to show interest in his case again at the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

After spending the night at a small hotel in a city between on venue on Friday and the one for Saturday, we traveled about two hours to the place for preaching today. It was in Roxas, Isabela where Danny Dangalan preaches. Our venue was on the fourth floor of a hotel in spacious function room. Of course, there was no elevator, so it was up the very steep, small stair we go. Since the effects of the typhoon were getting a little worse as we were further north than the previous day, the wind was a little stronger, but the rain was diminished. It made for less heat in the room which had no air conditioning. To start, I preached on “God’s Use of Prophets,” a lesson on inspiration. Rody followed with a lesson that combined two or three of his lessons, closing with an invitation. None obeyed the gospel at that time. Since it was only a half-day lecture, we start back to Tuguegarao after eating some lunch and arrived safely about two hours later.

Tomorrow, we will be preaching with the Metro Tuguegarao congregation in the morning and traveling to Palca in the afternoon, the Lord willing. Thank you again for your interest in the work of the Lord here in the Philippines.