Chip and I stayed at a hotel in Tabuk last night since we had two more places scheduled there today. It was an interesting place. The first stop this morning was with the Burayucan church. The drive to get there is an hour drive up into the mountains of Kalinga. It is a journey back in time as nothing seems to have changed there for the last few hundred years. The views of rice fields and coffee plants dominated the landscape. There was no electricity. We met in a small shelter with only a metal roof and no walls. As we preached, chickens, dogs and other animals wondered through.
I spoke first on “What Is Repentance?” from 2 Corinthians 7:10-11. Chip then preached on Acts 2 and the conversion of the multitude there. Upon completion of each lesson, Rody summarized them, and then he gave a lesson on “The Glorious Church.” After that lesson, I spoke again on “What Is Baptism?” and then we offered an invitation. Four came to be baptized, but six ended up being baptized when they went to the river.
After finishing the morning studies in the mountains, we drove an hour back into Tabuk where we met with the Centro Tabuk congregation. Brother Efraim Etab, who used to preach there, passed away and his son, Kenneth, now preaches for the group. (Kenneth was one of the former students we had in the preacher training program in Tuguegarao.) Sister Etab, the widow of Efraim, has been a strong influence for the congregation to reject factional elements and take a strong stand for truth. Chip preached first at this place on “Philip & Samaria.” I followed with a short form of “What Is Written? What Is Your Reading of It?” examining the gospel teaching on salvation and the church. Rody gave a combined summary of both lessons at the end as well as extending an invitation. Four came to obey the gospel.
We are now back in Tuguegarao and trying to get prepared for a full day of lectures tomorrow at the building of the Metro Tuguegarao congregation. I will send this report out for now so that I can get to work on preparations for those studies. It promises to be a very late night! Thanks again for your prayers and encouragement in these efforts.
Brotherly, Harry O.
