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HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
P.O. BOX 431, TUCSON, ARIZONA 85702
In flight, Tokyo-Pasadena
February 17, 1983
Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:
Once again I write you from my office in the sky, aboard our G-II jet
aircraft over the Pacific Ocean. Captain Black just announced over the public
address system that we are flying at the speed of 690 miles per hour, due to a
stiff
tail wind.
We are returning from visits to Manila, the Philippines, Bangkok,
Thailand,
Malaysia, Hong Kong, Manila again, and a week in Tokyo.
Mr. David Hulme, in charge of TV and radio time purchasing, flew with us
to Manila, then he flew by commercial jet to Australia and New Zealand, meeting
us again in Hong Kong. In Australia he managed to open up time for us on TV in
Melbourne. We now cover all cities in Australia on TV. He also received an offer
for a time slot on Hong Kong TV if we decide to purchase it.
The PLAIN TRUTH circulation now is right around 5 l/2 million copies per
issue. It has grown tremendously during the past year.
On this trip I spoke before a large audience of Church members and PLAIN
TRUTH subscribers in Manila, and a group of somewhat less than 100 PLAIN TRUTH
subscribers in Hong Kong.
Also at Manila, in a special ceremony in Malacanang Palace, I was
decorated by President Ferdinand Marcos with the Presidential Special Merit
medal. The President and I walked together before an audience to the front of
the
Grand Salon room. Flag bearers--one with the stars and stripes and the other
with
the Philippine flag--marched to the front after us. A band played "The
Star-Spangled Banner" followed by the Philippine national anthem. Then a
protocol minister read a presidential proclamation conferring the decoration.
Then
the President and I rose, facing each other while he placed the medal around my
neck, after which the President and I walked back together, followed by others.
There was a private meeting with the President in his office prior to the
ceremony.
At Bangkok I had another private meeting with King Bhumibol, and the
following day there was a special ceremony at another palace or public building
at which the Minister of Foreign Affairs decorated me with the highest
decoration
of the Thai government. At this ceremony, both the U.S. flag and the Thai flag
were placed side by side, though there was no band playing.
At Kuala Lumpur some 800 Church brethren and PLAIN TRUTH
subscribers gathered for a Sabbath service. Several had come from Singapore.
Our local minister had arranged for the hall and the permit for the meeting. But
at