PHILIPPINES:
MARCH 29 - APRIL 12, 2010

 

"Time flies", goes the saying.  About a year and a half had come and gone, and once again I found myself in the Philippines in the hot and humid month of April.

In Butuan City, Pastor Orsel Dumanon holds a yearly convention during the Holy Week. His assembly hosts the meetings with attendees coming from various churches from the different cities and islands.

This time I was also invited to a wedding that took place just a day before the convention started. The groom, Brother Albert Cong, had earlier requested me to attend his wedding and that I was to give an inspirational message during the wedding dinner. Well, I did and spoke for half an hour on God's Institution of Marriage.

May the Lord bless their union.

 

The convention began on the 1st April and ended on the 4th April. There were three services a day; morning, afternoon and evening. There were several ministers coming from other churches. Time was given to those who had a message to share.  Bro. Jonathan Togonon, Bro. Nonoy Togonon, Bro. Michael Otiz, Bro. Edgar and Bro. Joel Togonon took a service each. Of course, being true Filipinos, they preached either in Tagalog or Taglish.

 

I took five services and ended the series of subjects on Religo, Cain, Giants and Canaan on Sunday afternoon. As the heat and humid was too much, we ended the convention closing it at after 1.00pm.

On Monday, together with some ministers, I flew back to Manila.  My staying there for a week was to see if a Pastor Jun Elevera of Angeles City would be able to have some time with us. It was a request made between him and Bro. Nonoy; but it so happened that a Norwegian minister and his wife had come to minister to them in those few weeks.  Anyhow, I was glad to be able to meet up with Bro. Rolf Strommen after some 16 years.

On Wednesday, April 7, and on Sunday, April 11, I ministered in Pastor Nonoy's church where some believers from other churches also joined in the fellowship.

In between, on Thursday, I ministered to the believers working in the hotel where Bro. Neil Esperanzate is Chief of Security; and on Saturday, to a small group of ministers from out of the organized churches who need more understanding of the Faith given to the saints of old. This was held in Novaliches, about 2 hours drive to the north of Metro Manila.

Bro. Andrew Durano of Iloilo City came for the convention in Butuan. He has a testimony to share. You can find it here.

I flew home on the April 12.