We started the day by driving south from Laoag to Siniat. Our first schedule of the day was with the Katipunan congregation with whom Mat Sibayan, Sr. labors. The building is affixed to Mat’s house there. There had been a mistake and the announcements of the meeting did not get distributed, so the attendance was much less than anticipated. It was still a good number of interested people who showed great desire to serve the Lord. The singing was excellent and very spirited.
Chip preached first on the “Conversion of the Ethiopian” from Acts 8. Rex Bayaca interpreted for Chip. I followed with a study on “Create in Me a Clean Heart” from Psalm 51 and Mat Sibayan, Jr. translated for that message. There was excellent attention shown throughout both lessons. Mat Sr. extended the invitation and one young lady responded. After lunch, the brethren baptized her in the South China Sea less than a mile away – it was a beautiful scene in every way.
The afternoon schedule was with the Nueva Era congregation. Several congregations from the area met with these saints along with a number of visitors who were not Christians. The building was filled as was the yard in front of the building as well as the area all along the side of the building – about 160 to 170 people in total. The building itself is an attached addition to the house of Efren Ramos.
Efren works with this congregation and translated for us in both lessons preached there. I went first speaking on “Cornelius & Salvation” from Acts 10-11. Chip delivered a lesson on “Identifying the NT Church.” After the lessons, an invitation to obey the Lord was extended by Efren and his son, T.J., led the song of invitation. (Anothter son, Christian, also led singing earlier.) There were no visible responses on this occasion. After the studies, Efren and his wife asked all present to come into their house for refreshment before all traveled back to their homes. It was an enjoyable time to talk to them and others present about the work in their places. We were repeatedly asked to return in April of this year or next year to hold more classes during vacation time when more could be gathered and their young people.Brotherly, Harry O.
