Slowly but surely the work of the Church in the Visayas, particularly in Leyte, continues to bear fruit. Maximo Menil, 56 years old, and his wife Lilia, 58 years old, from Abuyog town submitted to and covenanted with God to follow His way of life through baptism. The event took place in the afternoon of the Sabbath, March 24, 2007, in one of the nearby beaches in Tacloban City.

The combined Passover service for the three congregations in Leyte was held in Tubod Isabel, the evening before April 2 in the Roman calendar. There were 39 members who partook of the ceremony. Brethren who came for the occasion were accommodated in the residences of members in the area until the Night To Be Much Observed. The following day, the 15th day of the first month in God’s calendar, the First Day of Unleavened Bread was observed the whole day. Attendance increased to more than 50. After services, the brethren departed for their respective places. God’s people met at the residence of the Merino family where the weekly Sabbath services were being held since the congregation was started in Isabel.

In Bacolod the Passover service was conducted by Mr. Norman Julag-ay, our elder in the Bacolod area, with 14 baptized members. There was an increase in attendance to more than 40 during the services of the Days of Unleavened Bread and also the Night To Be Much Observed.

In Cebu City, the Bible study that was started a month before the Feast in 2006 is still going on. We meet every second and fourth Sundays of the month. Those who attend come from various religious groups—Catholic, Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist, and from the Messianic groups who strictly adhere to the name Yahweh in reference to God. We have, more or less, 20 people regularly attending the seminar.

Our next schedule for the Cebu Bible study will be on April 29, 2007. We will determine in that meeting whether we will start a Sabbath service as requested many times by some of the attendees. We ask for the prayers of the brethren for the success of this plan, that God will bless His work in Cebu with a congregation to be established.

The brethren in Sabah, Malaysia expressed their gladness and appreciation when the Church sent Raul Villacote, our elder from Tacloban, to conduct the Passover service there, in which eight baptized members attended. The attendance increased to more than 20 when members of the family attended the services on the Days of Unleavened Bread. The brethren in Sabah remain firm and strong in their faith and resolve to continue living as children of light despite the difficulties and trials along the way. Let us pray for our brethren in far away places as we wait for the return of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

© 2007 United Church of God, AIA - Pilipinas