“Our last evangelistic event was the most dramatic. We left Malapatan on 5 tricycles with kids riding on the roofs holding on to amplifiers and food. This was the same group as in the Jeepnee. It took 1 1⁄2 hours to travel 40kms to Barangay Klabalan. This is another jungle farming community. The church here had a coconut tree fall on the roof and was not in use so the crusade was held in a basketball court. There were some 300 folks listening. 3 tribes and some folks from the Religion (adherents of the major world religion centered in the Middle East) watching from the side of a hill.
The electricity was a little better in the beginning. There were 2 microphones at the start going through a small guitar amplifier. During the singing of a few songs, one of the microphones stopped working. Next a Religionist man threatened us because it was Ramadan and he did not like the style of music. This made me a little tense as he had been drinking and this area is known for being an aggressive Religionist. We continued on! I contemplated using the name of Jesus or Isa Almasih to share the Gospel. I went with Jesus and prayed that no weapon formed against me would prosper.
At this evangelistic event I asked for a first volunteer to come forward for healing after sharing the Gospel. I asked for someone with back problems. Some men came from the hillside carrying an unconscious, pregnant lady that that looked to me to be about 8 or 9 months pregnant. As I waited for the volunteer with back pain to come forward, the lady “woke up” screaming and salivating. At first I thought she was having her baby and I sort of panicked as I was asking for a doctor as I thought we were going to have the first Elijah Challenge crusade birth.
When I looked at her eyes and she tried to bite me I could see that there was something bigger than a birth to deal with. I am not the cleverest evangelist but I thought something was wrong. When I laid my hands on her she began slashing like a shark for some 20 minutes while coming in and out of consciousness. I had to protect myself with 1 arm to keep from being bit. Every time she became unconscious I thought all was okay. Then I would place my hands on her again and she would come after me with her teeth.
Jaimie Alonso trained with Elijah Challenge in 2008
By this time the trained pastors joined in. She seemed to settle for a bit and sat upright in her chair. She began to mock Jesus in a sort of praising way and by this time I did not really know what to do. I was very aware of all the tribes’ people watching. I decided to have her walk from one side of the basketball court to the other. She was clinging on to me and still mocking the Lord in a sarcastic worship sort of fashion. I sat her down on a chair and she continued to mock and salivate. Again I could see all the tribes’ folks watching, including the Religionists as they had threatened us at the start of the meeting.
My trained pastors joined me in this dramatic ministry time. At last she settled and seemed very normal. Sarcasm gone! Now I walked her to the other side of the basketball court, all the people watching. This time she was changed and thanking me for what had happened. Her voice was very sincere and eyes had returned to normal!! As she returned to her family she gave me another hug and again thanked me again!
We were all very bewildered as to what had happened but I asked for others to come forward for healing. I was thinking that there could not be any bigger mountain to deal with tonight. A lady with a swollen cheek due to a rotten tooth, another with a tumor and others with back problems came forward for ministry. All were healed.
When I gave the altar call to become followers of Jesus over 130 folks RAN from the side of the hill to the where I was standing! Classic Elijah Challenge crusade! The farther I minister into the jungle areas, the more I am seeing demonic manifestations and the need to teach the Elijah Challenge Training. I will return to work with the Blaan people next year. The invitation is to go to another island with The Elijah Challenge.”
-July 2014