From: Ron Halbrook, RonHalbrook
To: Ron Halbrook, RonHalbrook

Date: 2/10/2000 5:04 PM

RE: Philippine Trip Mar.16-Apr.27, 2000

PLEASE PASS THIS LETTER TO ELDERS, CHURCHES, & BRETHREN INTERESTED IN SPREADING THE GOSPEL IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Feb. 10, 2000th Year of Our Lord
Dear brethren,

Since August of 1997 I have been working with the Hebron Lane church of Christ in a two-preacher arrangement with Andy Alexander. The evangelistic spirit of this church is seen not only in supporting the two of us, but also in encouraging us to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Mk. 16:15). In addition to our local and meeting work, Andy has preached in Lithuania and the Philippines and I have preached in the Philippines.

My work in the Philippines began in 1995 with Jim McDonald and continued with two trips in 1998, plus another in 1999. The Lord willing, I plan to preach in the Philippines this year March 16-April 27. I need your help. My efforts to raise money for this trip should have begun in late December, but the aftermath of my mother's death a year ago has complicated my work as a gospel preacher. Upon her death, I became solely responsible for dealing with their huge debt, dealing with the legal quagmire created by someone stealing blank checks from my parents' home during the funeral and forging them (had another call on this yesterday), serving as my dad's custodian (he is in a nursing home near here because of his special needs), going through all the red tape to get him on medicaid when his funds were exhausted, making visits to the nursing home day and night to attend to his needs, and many related matters. I had no idea my mother's death would increase my load of responsibilities so greatly, but
these unending duties have been accepted without resentment, knowing that to honor our parents is part of our service to God. We made it through this year only by God's grace and my wife's help.

The normal workload with the local church and meetings has continued, in addition to the aftermath of mother's death. Therefore, I am making a belated effort to raise the funds to preach in the Philippines. I must be ready to go about a month from now, so the time is short! My schedule will include several islands (Luzon, Mindanao, Cebu, Palawan, Negros, etc.). Keith Malone of Marietta, OH will be with me the first two weeks, but then I may be alone if no one else can join me. It is not ideal to work alone, but I can do it if necessary. Lessons will be presented to better equip the preachers in each area. Also, we will spend time traveling with some of these men to visit local churches and places where no churches exist in order to do first principles preaching. About 300 obeyed the gospel during my trip of 1998, about 270 during the 1999 trip, and the fields remain ripe unto harvest. Many denominational preachers have been baptized. They are busy teaching the truth to souls to
whom they once taught error and we will make special efforts to help in that work. We shall counteract error among brethren
(unity-in-doctrinal-diversity, one covenant theory, divorce-remarriage error, etc.).

Both churches and individuals may wish to help with funds for travel, evangelism, and benevolence. If you wish to designate funds for benevolence, I will be glad to act as your messenger in delivering them. Also, individuals may wish to provide money which can be used to help with such things as meeting houses. If you wish to designate money to buy Bibles and other literature for distribution, let me know. If any money remains at the end of the trip, I request your permission to use it for Bibles and study materials.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. Thank you for considering this request. All who help will receive a report and
accounting for the funds used. May God bless you.

In Christian love, Ron Halbrook, 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954
(Phone 502-955-1748; e-mail ronhalbrook@compuserve.com)

Fax 503-212-9554

[Editor's note: note the similarity between this plea and the 1999 plea]