After the lectures yesterday, we ate supper with Sam Robinson about whom I wrote yesterday. It was very good to get to know him better and I appreciate him even more now that we have had that opportunity. Sam grew up in Oklahoma City, but has spent his adulthood in a variety of locations with the US Air Force. He has retired here in Cebu and it seems to be agreeing with him.We handled the lectures differently today than in previous days. Since Ron had to leave at noon to catch his flight, he took the entire time in the morning from 9am to noon. He gave a detailed study of Acts 2 which he broke in the middle to provide a few minutes of rest for himself and the
audience. I stayed behind at the hotel to take care of some errands that needed to be run and rest for a while in the air conditioning. At about 11am, I went to the building and was present for the last part of Ron’s lesson as well as the entire Q&A period to end the morning session. In the afternoon, I took the entire time from 1pm to about 4:45pm. During that time, we were able to have three lessons: (1) “Salvation & Saul,” (2) “Being Holy as God Is Holy” and (3) “Repentance: What It Is & What It Does.”
When I concluded my part, Jonathan Carino extended the invitation and one lady responded to be baptized. John talked with her to make sure she understood the commitment being made and then took her confession. She was one of the visitors invited by the members of this local church. Since the pool at my hotel is uninhabited at night, the brethren asked that we use it as the most convenient place to baptize. So, I baptized her into Christ about 8:30 this evening.
At this point, Ron is in Manila boarding a flight to Auckland, New Zealand to work with Lordy Salunga’s brother, Ronnie, in trying to establish a congregation there. There are a number of Filipino brethren that have found work in that city, but have found no sound congregation. The same problem exists with some of the Filipino brethren who have gone to a few places in Australia. While on this trip, I have received two invitations from brethren pleading that I come to Australia in order to help start sound congregations where none exist. In one of the places, the Filipino brethren accepted invitations to work because they were assured a faithful church existed in that place. However, when they started attending, these brethren found the congregation to be unsound in practice as well as the preacher being unsound in his teaching. I told them it would be considered and we would trust God and His providence to open a door in some way for someone.
The Lord willing, I will fly to Clark Airfield near Angeles City and begin working with Lordy Salunga in that area the next day. That will be a special opportunity for me as my father helped build that airfield at the conclusion of World War II. We have no scheduled lectures tomorrow, but will be available for follow-up studies with those who have remaining questions. After almost 4 hours of preaching today, my voice is very raw and my throat is a bit sore. A day’s rest for the voice will be welcomed before I head to Angeles for three days back-to-back with heavy schedules. Please continue your prayers in behalf of these efforts that lost souls may hear the truth and God may use the work done unto His glory.Brotherly, Harry O.
