Today was planned as a travel day with no preaching schedule. I was up a little before 5am to finish packing and get breakfast before leaving the hotel at 6:30am. John, Jack and Lordy took us to the Cebu airport where we caught the flight from Cebu to Manila. After a two hour layover, we were to be one a connecting flight from Manila to Tuguegarao. However, after first delaying the flight, it was finally canceled and we had to rebook for tomorrow morning.
After checking into our rooms in a hotel near the airport here in Manila, Chip and I both got some rest in the afternoon before going to eat supper in a mall nearby. We have needed a little rest, so the afternoon nap was very much enjoyed! We have also been mostly silent today as both of our voices were very raspy and throats sore from heavy use.
Since I have no report on results of the preaching, I wanted to pass on some news to brethren who may be helping to support Filipino preachers. When I first started coming to the Philippines about 10 years ago, the exchange rate was fairly constant with 50 to 55 Philippine pesos for one US dollar. The exchange rate on this trip has ranged between 43.40 to 42.80 pesos to the dollar. That amounts to a 20% decrease in buying power just from the exchange rate. The majority of that change in rate has occurred over the last 2 or 3 years. In that same period, prices in the Philippines have increased sharply. Please keep this in mind as you make determination about levels of support when you might have the ability to adjust that level.
Brotherly, Harry O.
