Evangelists' Updates
“Robert Raif June/July 2020 Report”
Categories: Robert Raif ReportsJUNE/JULY 2020 REPORT ON
THE WORK IN CORRIGAN, TEXAS [email protected]
281-756-7957
ROBERT RAIF
171 CALDWELL ST. LIVINGSTON, TX 77351
Dear Brethren,
I find it just as hard, if not harder, to find time to write this report as when I was actually going to the prison. Going to the prison occupied two whole days basically. Now I find myself, every day, grading their lessons and sending them my sermons that I believe will help them and writing personal notes. Sometimes I get tired of the constant flow, getting lessons in the mail as I am sending more out. But I know it is opening their eyes as I am actually personally studying with each one. It is so encouraging to get to know them this way. I sent off five envelopes today and each one was about 1/4 inch thick. I went and bought $140 worth of stamps and a bunch of printer cartridges and 10 reams of paper and 1000 envelopes. Some write a lot and do perfect on the lessons, some are slower, some haven’t done any lessons yet - - but they write (There are 5 or 6 who are almost blind and it is difficult for them). I’ve heard from them all. And there is no telling if they will open up Estelle before the year ends.
Most of the prisons didn’t lock down like Estelle. Estelle is the medical unit for this region, so they get the sickest to come there. And if an individual needs a real hospital, then they are all sent to John Sealy Hospital in Galveston. Estelle had about 1000 tested positive out of 3000, and they were juggling them to keep the positives form the negatives. But Estelle is starting to open up a little. The men have been eating sandwiches three times a day in their cells. The same o' same o' for 70 day! And their sandwiches have no nice things in them. They were really happy this week to get out and go to the dining room - - no one complained about the food. And they got to go out and see the sun and breathe fresh air. Two of my guys were pretty sick, but they both pulled through. The work goes well.
Switching gears. The Christians in Jerusalem needed financial help from the get-go. And Paul was still helping brethren send contributions to those same brethren 30 years later on his third journey (Rom 15:26- 27)! He URGED brethren to help these “foreigners” because they were all in the same family - - the family of Christ. When Paul met with the church in Jerusalem, they only asked Paul to remember the poor there (Gal 2:10). Almost always the contribution is designated for the “poor saints” among us (I Cor 16:1-2; 2 Cor 8:5; 9:1, 12). We say “Amen” to all of this.
Our Filipino brethren barely make a living in harsh conditions, and many hundreds have been actually living in tattered tents even in winter the last year because the 2019 typhoons wiped out entire cities. And now the CoVid has hit. They are living in a nightmare - - no food, no shelter, and now sickness. Please consider them. I have been helping receive and send money to one particular preacher, Jimmy Domingo and his congregation over the years. He is a good and faithful worker, spoken of highly by good brethren like Ron Halbrook and others. He appealed for help for one special sister, Dalores Mabborang. She fell last weekend and broke her femur. The doctor said he could do a hip replacement for $1000, but that there would be another $1100 to pay the hospital etc. She got the hip replacement and is up and walking with an aid, but needs to pay off the rest. She is a good and active sister in the Tuguegarao City congregation where Jimmy preaches. Jimmy verified her situation by sending X-rays, and copies of the medical bills. If there are any who could help her, it would be greatly appreciated. If the hip were not fixed, she would die a slow painful death as she would waste away to nothing since she couldn’t move. The church there doesn’t have the money. They can hardly buy enough rice to eat. If you want to help, I can send money directly and Paypal charges just $4. It is not tax deductible. But if you want to send a large amount and want it to be a tax deduction, you can send it to Ron Halbrook who is constantly going down there and knows all these brethren personally. He has set up an account just for helping the poor and he can send it directly to them. If you want that information, write to me and I can give it to you.
Yours in Him who saves, Robert
