After breaking my arm last Wednesday, we were able to finish the class over the next two days. Please excuse my brief summary of this, as I have to do all of my writing through dictation to my phone.
On Thursday and Friday in Tuguegarao, we finished the book of Hebrews. We had excellent classes as the students were all very attentive. the attendance through the week reached a high of about 200, I would estimate. My guess would be that we always had about 150 or more. It was an excellent attendance, far more than I anticipated. My plan was to have about 50 preachers present for the study. However, word got out and we had brethren from a great distance who came to take part in the studies. My hope is that they were edified and helped by their time of study.
The much larger audience was good, but it absolutely busted my budget, costing over 3 times what I estimated and over twice what I planned as a “worst case scenario.” We plan for Leslie to wire me more money as soon as I can figure how much will be needed to finish the trip.
The last two days of the study, James Paet agreed to help me by staying in the hotel, and assisting as I needed i. James was a great help in so many ways as I learned what it was like to be a one armed man. One of the things I have learned is that you cannot put on your right sock easily when you’re right arm is broken. 😁 James also accompanied me on the flight to Cebu, and in the first two nights at the hotel there.
Our flight to Cebu turned out to be a total fiasco. After getting to the airport with plenty of time to board the flight for Manila, we were bumped due to an extremely rude clerk. We then waited for about four hours in the Tuguegarao airport to board the next flight to Manila. That flight was also delayed due to air traffic control, and we were running late to make the connection to Cebu. All of this was happening on the very hottest day we have had this trip. The temporary cast on my right arm became very sweaty and hot and I broke out in a heat rash. Let’s just say it was no fun at all.
By the time we finally got to Cebu, I think I had become dehydrated. Jonathan, Nanette and the girls all met us at the airport and then took us to the hotel. James again stayed with me to help. During that night, I became very sick at my stomach And was unable to attend Sunday services. The whole episode left me very weak. The hotel had a nurse on call who came and helped re-wrapping my cast. It was a miserable Sunday that I hope never to repeat!
On Monday morning we started the classes on the gospel of John. About 50 to 60 were present on Monday and Tuesday. So far we have made it through John chapter 7 and I think we are on schedule to complete the book. The students here have been very attentive, and have been active in comments and questions during the class. It has been very interesting to me to learn more about the students in this class. One is the grandson of brother Cipriano Carpentero who was a great friend and co-worker to me. I was thrilled to see that he has the same kind of sharp mind as that of my dear friend Cip. I look forward to going on with these classes for the next three days.
Please excuse whatever typos or problems there are in this report. I am finding it a great challenge to go on in the work without my right hand when I am right handed. on top of that I have not gotten my strength back and my left knee continues to be quite a problem as well. I guess it is just a reminder that I am definitely getting older!
Please keep this work and your prayers. Thank you for your interest in this work and your support of it. God bless!
After trying for over an hour to connect to the internet with my computer and send the above report, I still could not connect and finally gave up. I am now at the business lounge on Wednesday afternoon where an IT guy for the hotel got it working. So, I will include a short summary of today's work before sending this update. In the morning session, we covered John 8 through 10. The afternoon session was a bit shorter today, since I ran over in the morning, so we covered chapter 11 and the first half of chapter 12. The questions from both sessions were excellent. It is great to see the high level of interest and participation each day, then see it grow the next day! I could not ask for a better group of students than these!
