From Manila

After a 29-hour commute, I arrived safely in Manila last night about 10:15pm local time (9:15am 9/27 CDST). The longest leg of the trip was the flight from Atlanta to Tokyo. It was a little over 14 hours in flight time, but we were on the plane over 16 hours including loading, taxing and just sitting there. Due to a typhoon off the eastern side of Japan, our flight routing was well west of the normal route. We flew over northern Alaska, down the far eastern side of Russia, down the Kamchatka peninsula and right down the middle of the Japanese islands. The flight was a bit rough almost the whole way, but not unbearably so. The bumping and rocking were a good incentive to sleep which I did for the vast bulk of the time. My stomach was not adversely tested until I ate the airline food a few hours out of Japan. I can promise you that the "eggs" never saw a hen, but the cardboard gently folded into a slightly yellow colored mush were of unknown origin and inedible quality.

In about an hour, the Lord willing, I will start working with Atoy Franco. I am scheduled to preach for the congregation where Atoy and Elijah Sekat labor. After that, we will go to other places that they have arranged. It will be a short day ending about 6 or 7pm so that I can get back and rest for the start of the full schedule of lectures with denominational preachers that will begin tomorrow in Leyte.

Since I arrived well after dark last night, I could not see any typhoon damage on the drive to the hotel. However, this morning I saw some obvious damage to area properties when I looked out my room's window. I will probably see much more during today's journey.

When I read the newspaper this morning, I found there is another typhoon on its way to the Philippines. At present, it is fore-casted to hit on Oct. 31 or Nov. 1 (Sat. or Sun.). The track of this typhoon is to the south of the previous ones. The Manila area is evidently about the center of present track probabilities. Since Lordy Salunga and I are scheduled to fly to Leyte tomorrow, we will probably not see the heart of the storm, but will likely see some rain from the southern edge of it. One piece of good news, this typhoon is not nearly as strong as the previous ones that caused great damage here. Please pray that the storm will not further damage this country.

Here is a side story before I close that I found interesting because it reminded me of home. It seems the President of the Philippines does not like the fact that gasoline prices are rising. So, she issued an edict lowering prices to levels of about a month ago. The oil companies responded that they cannot buy oil at those prices and the edict would cause a shortage of supply. The government responded by telling the oil companies to lower prices immediately or they would be nationalized. The paper is full of statements demonizing the oil companies and threatening governmental takeover of the industry. Same story, only the industries change. Oh that government had the power to wave the magic price wand without adversely affecting supply! Does anyone take Economics 101 any more?

Must go for now. Thank you for helping make this effort possible. Please keep it in your prayers as you will be in mine. May God bless and keep you by His care.

Brotherly, Harry O.