Today we taped an interview with Mr. Siopan about his work in Visayan islands and the challenges he faces in caring for widely scattered church members in his area. To reach some remote areas to visit members or interested people it takes him several days of travel by bus, by boat, and sometimes walking.

He's no longer a young man, and I know such travel is very taxing, but he is very willing to do what needs to be done.

After the interview we toured the city of Tacloban, visiting the Santo Nino Museum, which was originally built as a palatial residence for the Marcos family.

Tacloban was the hometown of Imelda Marcos.




We also visited the memorial to MacArthur's famous wade ashore at Red Beach, which is where he famously pronounced "I have returned."

I thought of how far some young Americans came to fight in places like this during WWII.


After lunch we visited several members who reside in Tacloban. We also visited the usual meeting hall used by the Church. We interviewed Mr. Merino and Mr. Villiacote at the hall.

These two gentlemen were leaders in the Jerusalem Church of God that recently came to United. They told us that in all their years as Church of God members, we were the first elders that had visited them from outside the Philippines. This obviously added to their excitement, and sense of belonging to a truly international work. We ended the day at a local restaurant enjoying a meal of barbequed chicken, fellowshipping with our new friends.