The
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in this Forum,
I
have a great testimony for you to read. You may remember that on
Emergency...
Apostolic ministers face death in the
I
have just received from Bishop David Fuller the copy of an e-mail letter
written by Brother Luke Smith to his father Bishop Samuel Smith. Brother Luke
is the son-in-law of Pastor Almeda. He brings the
good news that Pastor Almeda and his ministerial
staff have now been set free. Read Brother Smith's e-mail
that describes the miraculous protection of our Almighty God. A full
article "Free At Last" follows the e-mail.
Pastor
Almeda's rescue is the proof that God protects His
servants and also the evidence that when Christians set aside their
denominational differences and pray in one accord our heavenly Father honors
their prayers. The ARK Forum rejoices with the Almeda
family and the Jesus Church in God's miraculous deliverance.
May
God bless you,
Your
servant in the Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul Wong ~ E-mail Address: [email protected]
**********************************************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: David Fuller
To: Paul Wong - The
Sent:
Subject: Fwd: Free At Last
----- Original Message ----- From: Luke Smith
To: Samuel Smith
Sent:
Subject: Re: Hello
Dear
Dad,
Sorry
that I have not been able to email you before this but, the internet
has not been working here. How was
experience. I wish you were able to make it here soon, but I understand
how busy you are.
I have been listening to all of the prayer warriors that went to the
Muslim camp and all the miracles that they experienced while there is amazing.
They were taken out to be shot numerous times, but the guns never fired
but worked fine when they shot them in the air. They were so close to the
bombings that sand would get in their face from the blast being so close,
but never were any of them injured. They ran out of water and had to
drink bat and frog urine to survive. They prayed for rain and it started
downpouring even though the sun was out and not a
cloud in the sky. There
are so many of them that are just amazing.
I hope that everything is going well there. Give me a call when you can.
We miss you and love you.
Luke
FREE AT LAST!
by Cara Baker)
October 2,
2000
Apostolic Filipino pastor
Wilde Almeda and his ministerial staff were rescued
Monday in
“It’s a testimony of worldwide prayer,” said Smith,
whose son is married to Almeda’s daughter. “I don’t
know when so many Apostolics have prayed worldwide so
single minded for a request.”
One of the
ministers with Almeda, Fernando Solon, escaped and
led the military by helicopter to the camp where the others were being held,
The Philippine Inquirer said. About 15 gunmen guarded the remaining
evangelists. After a brief assault, the Muslim rebels fled.
“They were in
harm’s way,” Smith says. “The fact he (Almeda)
survived initially is a miracle. The fact he was not beheaded was a another miracle. The fact he survived [the government’s
attack] and the [following] run in the jungle is another miracle.”
News reports Almeda suffered a stroke while in captivity. He was
photographed being carried and looking very weak. “He looks bad,” Smith said.
“[But] His family is overjoyed he’s alive.”
''This day the
great Lord has granted us victory,'' Almeda's wife,
Linda, told The Philippine Inquirer soon after her husband was released.
Five hostages
remain captive by the Muslim rebels: an American, three Malaysians and a
Filipino, The Philippine Inquirer reported.
Almeda and 12 of his ministerial
staff went to the rebel camp three months ago, against the wishes of the
government, to pray and fast for the release of the 21 hostages taken five
months ago at a resort hotel by the Muslim rebels.
Almeda pastors the
Evangelist Wilde
Almeda is the pastor of the
Five months ago,
Muslim rebels in the southern
Brother Almeda and twelve of his ministerial staff went to the
rebel camp, against the wishes of the government, to pray and fast for the safe
release of the hostages. Now that the hostages have been released, Brother Almeda and his group are being held, reportedly as human
shields against an attack the rebels fear the government will now mount against
them since the hostages have been released.
Philippine
television and newspapers reports have it that Almeda
is very weak from fasting, in fact they claim that he has suffered a stroke.
Worse yet, the news reports that two of the three rebel commanders want to
behead him because they consider that he has blasphemed Islam by coming into
their presence preaching Jesus Christ. They have boasted that "Allah is
greater that Almeda's God!"
Please join us
in praying for Brother Almeda's healing and
supernatural deliverance for him and his ministers from the cruel hands of
their oppressors.
UPDATE:
Since this
emergency prayer request was made, the Philippine government stormed the rebels encampment, with a powerful show of force. Intitial news accounts detailed great loss of life, and
even the execution by firing squad of Brother Almeda
and his ministers. During those first troubling hours, we had to arrive at the
point of accepting the possibility that these precious brethren had become
martyrs; while at the same we continued to pray for a miracle until there was
definite confirmation or proof of the reported executions. The latest breaking
news from all the major news outlets in the
UPDATE:
Latest news is
that Brother Almeda and his "Prayer
Warriors" are alive, but weak, and still in the hands of the Muslim
rebels.
UPDATE:
There is no
change in the Apostolic preachers' status. According
to the latest news, they are still being used as human shields while their
captors, the Muslim rebels continue to flee the Philippine armed forces, who are in hot pursuit of the rebels. Thus, Brother Almeda and his group are still in harm's way and need our
continued prayers for deliverance.
UPDATE:
Brother Almeda and his group have been rescued; read the related
stories!
Related News Story
( Ninteyandnine.com - 10/02/00 )
