Greetings Everyone:
Mr. Meredith is presently in England conducting business meetings. He will preach in London this Sabbath, then travel to Belfast, N. Ireland Sunday to meet with the brethren there. He would appreciate your prayers for a safe and profitable trip.
Everyone here is well this week. Reports from around the globe are generally positive.
I received the following report (names edited out) this week from the Manila Regional Office. It speaks better than I can of conditions in the Philippines.
SITUATION IN MINDANAO:
I have a report that things are a little more quiet for the brethren in Mindanao, although some of their neighborhoods were the sites where rebel forces passed through in the recent skirmishes.
Our pastor there was able to travel last weekend, and thankfully, there are no reports of any untoward incidents against our brethren. However, he also wished to pass on to me the report that we have not heard from our brethren in Cateel (extreme east coast of Mindanao, east of Davao) since December. Normally, some of our brethren from Cateel come out to meet once a month in Nabunturan or Monkayo, since (our pastor) was advised himself not to personally go to Cateel. Cateel is NPA (Communist) country, and travel or communication in or out is sometimes obstructed. Please remember our brethren in Cateel, that we would hear word from them soon.
Our Pastor reports that they are safe and sound in Bukidnon, although last week when they were travelling from Lanao del Norte, they couldn't sleep all night because of the gun firing in skirmishes between the government and the MILF.
I received a report from Our Pastor that (our radio program) is once again on the air. As you know, because they went off the air some months ago, we transferred to (another station). We will be finishing our obligations with (our current station, a six-month contract) and then consider going back to (our former station), since it is the larger station, and we had already built some base of listeners there. Our Pastor will be going to Sindangan this week - please pray for his health and safety in travelling, as it is a long trip and still potentially dangerous.
Mr. Don Contardi continues to battle pancreatic cancer. He has had some particularly bad days this week. Mrs. Contardi reported this morning that he rested better last night and ate some breakfast this morning. Mr. Contardi has fought valiantly against this thing. It is miraculous that he survives.
Media Department:
ANNOUNCEMENT: The semi-annual letter to Tomorrow's World subscribers was mailed last week. Dr. Meredith's new booklet, "Who Controls the Weather?" is offered. The booklet will be mailed automatically to member households. Therefore, members do NOT need to return the literature request card enclosed in the semi-annual letter to receive the booklet.
Mr. Ames reports that the third lesson of the Bible Study Course will be mailed today to those who are on the mailing list to receive it.
Mr. Wayne Pyle sent the following report about the telecast aired last week. I think you will find it interesting.
"We faced a lot of obstacles last week in trying to get program #30, "Is This the Only Day of Salvation?" to air in the United States and Canada.
WGN let us know that their tape arrived without any video! I don't think this has ever happened to us before with a commercial videotape. The tape had audio, but no video. As soon as we found out, we rushed a master tape to the Duplication Center of America and they dubbed a second copy at no cost to us. Then, we sent the tape overnight to WGN. Problem solved.
VISION was next to call, and for the second time, they rejected program #30. We had already edited out 32 seconds they had taken exception to the first time around back in November last year. But, this time around they did not like our reference to Hindus and Buddhists being possibly deceived, which they considered to be "disrespectful." They aired program #49, "Principles of Prophecy" offering the WAA booklet in place of program #30.
The third incident occurred with our new station in Omaha, KPTM. The manager called Anne Raiss at the agency and told her that they did not have a videotape! Anne immediately called me to find out what happened. We checked our purchase orders and our shipping records and found out that the tape was mailed back in April. Anne called the station back, and they made a more earnest search for the missing tape. A few hours later we were notified that KPTM had found the tape."
Did someone (the prince of the power of the air) not want that program aired?
Thought for the week:
"We must all wage an intense, lifelong battle against the constant downward pull. If we relax, the bugs and the weeds of negativity will move into the garden and take away everything of value." The Treasury of Quotes, by Jim Rohn