February 1 (Gospel Meeting at Lapogan Church in Tumauini)
I am invited to be one of the speakers in the Gospel Meeting at Lapogan. It is an hour drive from here in Tuguegarao. It is in Tumauini. There is also another Lapogan Church but it is in Gattaran. They are two hours travel apart.
Brother Peter Umalia is the local preacher in this congregation. It has been so long since went in this place. The last time I am there, the chapel is still incomplete. Now, everything looks beautiful a good place to worship God in spirit and truth.
The first speaker was brother Wille Otey Pastor and he preached “Lessons from an old testament assembly”. Then followed by brother Joeben Jacobo who preached “Jesus reliance upon scriptures”. I am the third speaker and got a chance to share the lesson “Crippled by a fall” from the story of Mephiboseth and David and made a comparison to our relationship with Jesus. The third speaker was brother Virgilio Bocarile and he shared “How do you know you are right?”. And finally, brother Rody Gumpad as the last speaker preached “2 Pet.3:1-18”. This is only a half day activity and we are only given 30 minutes each to preach. We extended the invitation and 9 precious souls confessed their faith and were baptized into Christ.
February 2 (Sunday worship at Tuguegarao and Palca)
I am again given by God the opportunity to share the gospel to the brethren in Tuguegarao. This was the week that the world mourns for the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter tragedy. And it came to my mind the question, why did he have to die?. And so I choose to share the lesson “Why did they have to die?” and used Adam and Eve, Abel, Sodomites, Job’s children, Siloamites, Lazarus and of course Jesus Christ as the examples we can read in the bible. In every bible character, we can answer the question. In the sermon brother Rody “A Christian should not...”. Stating some of the things Christians should not be doing.
In the afternoon at Palca, I also shared to them the same lesson. We do not have visitors but two sisters arrived back home for a short vacation and I am happy to see the again. They are working in Cavite as teacher and call center agent.
February 4 (Gospel Preaching in Sator)
We traveled early at around 5 in the morning to be with the brethren at Sator Church where brother Randy Tiene is preaching. One reason why we went there is because brethren from the US gave money for benevolence to be given to them. I am happy to see our native brethren. They are called Aetas and they are the first people to live in the Philippines. Brother Randy is one of them. Before the year 2000, many of them do not go to school and are only staying in the mountains, but since then, they came down and started to live with us and now they are also going to school. Brother Randy is lucky that he got a chance to study and now he can also speak our Tagalog language and even English.
Brother Rody shared a lesson about “When disaster structs?”. After the study, we distributed the benevolence (Rice and grocery items). They are very happy to receive the help coming from our generous brethren. I got a chance to talk to them and encouraged them more to be faithful.
February 5 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)
We have visitors coming from the US, particularly in Texas. They are deacons in Cedar Park. Brother Craig Hecht shared a lesson about “Lot (Decisions)” and brother Derek Anderson shared “Paul’s thorn in the flesh”.
They went to Illuru Church, San Luis Church and Catarauan church the next day (February 6), but I wasn’t able to join them because I needed to bring my son and our baby to the doctor. Our baby have asthma and my son needed to have blood testing and urinalysis. The result shows that he have Urinary Tract Infection. Thank God that after taking the medicines, in just two days, they are already good and healthy. Praise God for His loving kindness.
February 7 (Gospel Preaching at Bauan)
I got a chance to join again in the preaching of our fellow American brethren. We went to Bauan Church where brother Robert Pader is preaching. The time is not enough for two congregations for them to visit and so the brethren at Bangag Church joined in the activity. Brother Craig shared the lesson about “Lot” and brother Derek shared the lesson about “Paul’s thorn in the flesh”. The invitation was extended the two precious souls came in front to confess their faith.
After the activity, we brought our American brethren to the airport for their flight to Manila and in the evening, their flight back to the home country.
February 9 (Sunday worship at Tuguegarao and Palca)
In our bible study here in Tuguegarao, brother Jerome preached the lesson about “Abide”. And in the sermon, brother Rody preached “Three things to think that money can’t buy”.
In the afternoon, at Palca I preached to them the lesson “Counting all things but loss” as Paul had spoken of. The focus of the lesson is about what is truly important to us.
February 10 (Home Bible study)
We went to the house of brother Jimmy Delos Santos and had the bible study. They invited four of their neighbors. Two of them are Catholics, one is a Iglesia ni Cristo (1914) and the other one is a born again. I led our singing, and brother Rody taught “Blessed is the man that endures”. Brother Jerome led the prayer and brother Jay led our closing song.
February 12 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)
We continued with our study on the book of Genesis. This time brother Jay is task to do it. He shared the lesson on Genesis 47.
February 14 (Gospel Preaching at Cadaanan Church)
I am again invited to be part of a preaching activity in Cadaanan where brother Flor and Efren Respicio are preaching. It is valentine’s day and they wanted us to share about family and marriage. I decided to share a lesson that focus on the relationship between parents and children. I shared the lesson about “Stones and serpents”. The second speaker was brother Jerome and he preached about “Love”. After him, two speakers more, but I needed to go back to Tuguegarao to get my son in school. They ended their class early and no one will get him. The other two speakers are brother Jun Antonio and brother Robert Pader. They sent me their pictures so that I will include in my report. We do this because some brethren might ask about it.
February 16 (Sunday worship at Tuguegarao and Palca)
I am again task to teach in our bible study. I shared to them “Abraham’s surrendering faith”. Showing ALL the things Abraham surrendered just to obey the commandments of God. In the sermon, brother Jerome preached also about “Love”.
In the afternoon at Palca, I also preached to them the lesson “Abraham’s surrendering faith”. Many brethren are out because of sickness. Our weather is not good. It is very hot in the morning, and very cold late afternoon. Most of the sickness are flu, cough and fever. We have many elderly brethren and they are sickly. Please pray for them.
In the evening, we were invited by brother Flor to their house for his birthday celebration. Before having the meal, brother Jerome shared a lesson about Giving thanks. And we all prayed together for him and his family and also his daughter who had surgery on the throat on that same day.
February 19 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)
To continue with our study on the book of Genesis, I was tasked to discus the next chapter. I shared to the “Genesis 48” about the blessings of Israel to Manasseh and Ephraim.
February 22 (Gospel Meeting in Maguirig Church)
I am happy again to join in the Gospel Meeting at Maguirig where brother Jerome Forelo, brother Jerry Soliva and brother Edgar Corpuz is preaching. They really grew much in number because the chapel is already full even without the visitors who attended. We are jam pack inside the chapel and this only shows the work our fellow preacher. They gave us the schedule of the activities but because of unavoidable circumstances, we didn’t follow everything. Brother Dennis Yuson was the first speaker and he preached about “Spiritual Thirst”, followed by brother Geronimo Ganela who preached about “Modesty. He is already old and we can see it in the way he moves in front of the pulpit but he still gave his best and really edified us. The third speaker was brother Willy Otey Pastor who preached about “Digital Danger”. I copied his powerpoint outline because it is a good lesson that we needed to share to everyone. We are already in a digital world. It really helps us a lot but some use it for bad things. In the afternoon, brother Rody preached about “When the sun stop moving”. He should be preaching two lessons according to our schedule but because of having a bad health, he still manage to preached a good lesson.
February 23 (Sunday worship at Tuguegarao and Palca)
In our bible study, brother Jerome adopted the lesson of brother Otey about “Digital Dangers”. I am also planning to preach it in Palca in some other time. In the sermon, brother Rody preached about “A model of Christian Courtesy”.
In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about “Prison of Sin”. We have been imprisoned by Satan because of our sin. Satan enslaves us and we cannot do anything. We are destined to go to hell, but thanks to God that He gave His only begotten Son. With Him, we have the hope of going to heaven if we obey ALL His commandments.
February 25 (Gospel Meeting at Nangalinan Church)
We went to Nangalinan, Baggao for the invitation of a Gospel Meeting. It is an hour and a half drive from Tuguegarao. When we arrived, we didn’t expect the crowd. They prepared a tent where we gathered. Their chapel will not accommodate us all because two other congregations in that area joined in the activity. I am very happy to see every one of them. Brother Virgilio Paet is their local preacher and his son who is a preacher at Tallang is also helping him at times. Brother Jay was the first speaker and he preached about “How should we worship God?”, then followed by brother Rody who preached about “Divorce”. Invitation was extended and 7 precious souls came in front to confess their faith. When we went to baptized them, two more decided to join in the baptism and so we immersed them in water.
February 26 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)
It is again the last Wednesday of the month and as scheduled, we have our singing. Brother Rody and brother Jay led us in our praises to God.
February 27 (Visit elderly preachers at Ilocos Region)
We traveled early at around 4 in the morning to go to Ilocos. We are visiting our brother Vic Domingo in Marcos. He have been hospitalized for so long now because of Prostate Cancer. His doctors already have up on him and told his family to bring him home. His life here on earth is already numbered and anytime, he might go. Together with brother Rody, brother Jerome, brother Dennis, brother Robert, sister Tessie and I, we went to visit him. He is one of the pioneers of the Lord’s Church here in the Philippines. Together with brother Jun Macusi and brother Materno Sibayan, they are the first to preach the truth in the Luzon region. Without them, we might not be here in the Lord’s church right now. They baptized brother Rody in the 80’s and he came here in Tuguegarao and also spread the good news. I am one of the fruit of his labors. Not only me, but about 100 congregations in our region.
We arrived in Marcos at around 11 a.m. It should only be 7 hours but we have many stop overs. When we saw brother Vic, he is in his bed. Just like Israel when his sons visited him, he got the strength to sit up and talk to us. But for a couple of minutes, he went back and lay in bed. He looks very happy even with his condition. I cannot forget the words he spoke when he told his story with his doctor. He said, the doctor told him they cannot have surgery on him because the effects of the anesthesia might already be worn out and they will still cannot locate the parts where they need to remove and if they continue, his body might not make it. But he answered and said “It is ok, I know where I am going anyway!”. We laugh, but deep inside, I know what he means. Just like Paul when he said “I have fought the good fight of faith, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”. I am praying to God to give me the strength and wisdom to be like them so that when my time comes, I can also say that I KNOW WHERE I AM GOING and not be afraid of death.
After serving our lunch and prayer with them, we also went to visit brother Jun Macusi in Dingras. It is about an hour travel from Marcos. Brother Jun was paralyzed, I think for almost 6 months already if I am not mistaken. He is sitting in his wheel chair but during his recovery, he still tried to preach in their congregation. He is much better right now then the last time we visited him. We also prayed with them. Brother Vic and brother Jun are like the apostles of Jesus before because of the many sacrifices they made just to preach the truth. Until now, many are still trying to destroy them, but they continue to do what is right and well pleasing to the Lord. They know that they are doing right and those that are destroying them are like the Jews and the Pharisees during Jesus’ time.
We traveled back to Tuguegarao at around 3 in the afternoon and arrived safely back home by God’s grace at around 9 p.m.
February 28 (Gospel Meeting at Pangal Church)
This is the reason why we needed to go back home after a long trip in Ilocose. We needed to be in Pangal for the Gospel Meeting. It is two hours and a half travel from here. It is a new congregation (started last year), and now by the grace of God they have built a chapel. This is the first Gospel Meeting of the congregation. Brother Reynaldo Dulatre, brother Robert Dulatre and brother Willie Pastor are the ones preaching in this congregation. Their speakers were brother Jerome who preached about “The Lord’s wonderful works”, followed by brother Virgilio Bocarile who preached “Wash, sanctified and justified”. Then lastly, brother Rody who preached “Are you ready?”.
February 29
Today, as have done earlier before writing this blog, I work on the needs of the kids here in Tuguegarao. I installed a cork board in their room. After that, I needed to build a frame for the tarpaulin/canvass that I will erect in Palca for our Gospel Meeting. I am working on it here at home and will bring it tomorrow in Palca. I am not a carpenter but I tried to work on it. The effect of not being a professional, I have cuts in my foot and hands. But the finished product removes the pain and happy that I did something for the church.
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