The sound of my ringtone gradually filled my ears, forcing my consciousness up as the volume increased. Dahan-dahan kong inimulat ang aking mga mata. Anong oras na kaya? Alas kwatro na akong naka-uwi kahapon, pero sigurado ako, hanggang ngayon mayroon paring mga nagiintercede doon sa hall hanggang ngayon.
Once more the phone rang, and with this, I released a long breath, searching for my phone among the sheets. Agad ko itong sinagot nang makita ang salitang 'lola' sa screen.
"Good morning, 'la,"
"Leah," Immediately I heard the urgency in her voice. Nangunot ang noo ko.
"Bakit po?"
"Turn your television on right now," I heard her say.
"Ho?"
"Just do it,"
Dali-dali akong bumangon mula sa kama at nagtungo sa sala. With a quick press on the remote, the TV came to life. The news was on, and the more I listened, the more my eyes widened. Nasa Taylor's Apartments Hall ang anchor, currently reporting what was happening behind her.
"Kitang-kita po natin ngayon na isang malaking 'spiritual awakening', ika nga, ang siyang nagaganap sa isang hall dito sa Barangay Pinegrove Baguio City. Dito ang sinasabi ng karamihan na lugar kung saan nagsimula ang tila ba isang alon ng pagkilos ng Panginoon. Kung makikita nga natin ..."
I could clearly see the people on the background, the echo of their cries and prayers heard even as the anchor spoke. My heart raced. The hall was fully packed, and I'm sure, even the outside was filled with people.
I took in a breath and changed the channel. At sa pagkalipat ko nito ay bumungad naman ang isa pang reporter, now standing before a place I soon came to recognize - Melvin Jones.
Naramdaman ko ang pagtulo ng luha mula sa aking mga mata, for behind the reporter was a crowd of people - A crowd of people in worship. The whole field was packed with people crying - even as the sun blazed, even as heat prepared to ravage the air, people stood and knelt on their places, all seeming hungry to be made right with God.
Ilang segundo akong tulala, trying my best to comprehend all that was happening. The Fear of God began to grip my being, one as I have experienced last night, and I felt my being moved to tears. Ini-angat kong muli ang telepono sa aking tainga.
"Lola?"
"Apo? Nakita mo ba? Hindi ba't yung lalakeng sinasabi leader ng nangyayari ngayon ay isa sa mga nagsimula ng occult activity sa school natin noon?"
I wiped the tears from my face, taking a breath before I spoke, "Lola, this is not about religion anymore," I breathed, "Not about any denomination. This does not concern doctrines. Lola, revival has broken out!"
"What do you mean 'revival', apo?" I heard her voice rise, "How can revival come through a group of occult? Can't you see? This is a countefiet! The leaders of that 'movement' haven't even gone to Bible School! A bunch of theologicaly ignorant kids which are your age!" I was taken aback as I heard her speak. Since when was education and age a requirement for being used by God?
"Haye, Lola," I respired in disbelief, "Are you really saying these things right now? Didn't the Bible speak of God using the weak to shame the strong? That He uses the lowly to shame the wise? Hindi po ba't ito ang nangyayari ngayon? The apostles were untrained with the law too when they began according to the priests and sadducees, but they turned the whole world upside down with Jesus' message!"
"Apo, those were different events. Don't be decieved!"
"Lola, how are they different?" I shut my eyes in surrender, "Lola, why are you saying all this?"
"Bishop Samokey went there a few days ago to confront this group, but those workers of counterfeit signs would not repent!"
"Haan, Lola!" I countered, "This is not a counterfiet! How can you call God's work a counterfeit?" I stood to my feet, "Lives are changed! A renewal for the call to holiness and repentance is sweeping through the land. Hunger for God is manifesting in the lives of the people!" For a moment I felt my heart's pace double, "When was the last time you heard of a crime take place in Baguio these days? Weren't the police stations void? Weren't the hospitals void of new patients?"
There was silence for a while, and then I heard her release a breath, "I don't want you getting near any of these activities, Leah. That is final."
"Lola, I love you and respect you," I felt another tear line my face, "But I already am part of this. If religion is what will hinder me from being part of this revival, then I want none of it."
Slowly I lowered the phone to my side, biting the inside of my lip as I thought of her words. Sorrow for her soul gripped my being. Panginoon, palambutin Mo po ang puso niya, kailangan Ka niya, O Diyos.
Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa TV, and immediately a smile adorned my face, for now on the screen was Gabriel speaking. He stood in the midst of the Melvin Jones stage, his voice echoing through the microphone as he addressed the people. They focused the camera on him for a few moments and then returned it to the anchor.
"Marami ang nagtatanong kung sino nga ba ang binatang ito na siyang ginagamit ng Panginoon upang mapalaganap ang kaganapang nakikita natin ngayon. Siya po ay si Gabriel Daw-as. Madalas din siyang sinasamahan ng isang taga-awit sa simbahan na nagngangalang Grace Ngatiyon."
I watched as the anchor began to walk whilst she spoke, "Little is known about these two's background, but none seems to suggest that they were in any ministerial positions. Ayon sa naka-usap namin kanina na kasamahan nila sa simbahan; ang dalawang ito ay mga miyembro lamang ng youth ministry ng kanilang church. Si Gabriel, bagaman nagagamit sa mga 'Missions', ay isang lamang associate preacher at hindi isang promal na ministro sa kanilang iglesia. Ang dalawang nabanggit ay kasalukuyang mga mag-aaral ng Pinegrove National Highschool na siyang incoming Grade 12 students sa darating na pasukan."
Music began to play as she spoke, the echo of Grace's voice ringing through the speakers. I shut my eyes, lifting my hands in worship as I heard her sing. My whole body trembled, engulfed by the Presence of God as I sang along.
"Holy, Holy, Holy are You Lord!
Holy, Holy, Holy are You Lord!
The elders and angels bow
The redeemed worship You now,
Holy, Holy, Holy are You Lord!"
Tears filled my eyes as I saw the people before me – innumerable. Ni minsan ay hindi ko inakala na makikita ko mismo ang isang kaganapan na tulad nito. At lalong hindi ko inasahang maging parte ng mga nagagamit upang ito'y maipalaganap. With every minute passing by, I repeatedly came recognize, this has nothing to do with my abilities - any human ability! This was all God, and maybe, maybe He chose vessels as lowly as us, so that the Glory would be His' alone, and that no man can take credit.
I shut my eyes, now worshipping in tongues as the worship progressed spontaneously. Fear of God cloaked the entire field, and with every passing moment, it increased. Hindi na marating ng mata ko ang kabuuan ng lugar kung saan ay mayroong tao. Even the roads beside the Melvin Jones' Field had been occupied, reaching over to Burnham Park even.
I took a step back, withdrawing from the microphone as I allowed the tears to flow incessantly. Immediately, a holy hush seemed to sweep through the place. The instruments came to a halt, voices came to a lowering, and with this, solemn, divine silence cloaked the air.
Peace felt so real ang tangible, yet an urging so strong to get right with God was equally evident. Pikit-mata man akong nagdarasal, I could sense the intensity of longing that emanated from the people. There was a longing for God, a longing for cleansing, a longing for eternity.
Hindi ko alam kung gaano kami katagal na ganon, hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto o oras bang tila mula sa hangin nagministro ang Banal na Spirito, pero ni isa'y walang natinag. All remained still in the silence and in the peace that flooded the place. It was here that I truly realized; In revivals, time is absent. It was as though eternity had been, for a while, downloaded into our midst, and nobody cared how long or short things took, all everybody thought of ... was God.
It was out of exhaustion that I took a seat, catching my breath as I gazed into the night sky. Anong oras na kaya? 5AM kaming nagsimula dito sa Melvin Jones kanina, pero parang angbilis ng oras at gabi na pala. Stars streaked the dark skies, but people were still present. I don't think this prayer meeting is going to end anytime soon.
My flesh felt exhausted, but my spirit wanted more. Oh God, that glorification may come. Sa mga araw na ito ko lalong napagtatanto ang kahinaan ng katawang pisikal. I lifted my head as I saw Gabriel approach.
Well, wow. He didn't look half as tired as I was. His face seemed to glow, an enthusiasm so manifest that one cannot deny. I felt my lips lift to a smile, "Parang walang kapaguran ang Revivalist ah," I teased. He smiled widely.
"All by God's enablement, Dear," He released a breath and sat beside me.
"Amen," I spoke in assent, taking a water bottle and handing it towards him, "Tubig, Dear,"
He gladly took the bottle and drank the whole of its content down. Naku, siguro nga hindi pagod, pero uhaw naman. Ilang oras ding siya ang tuloy-tuloy na nagminster ngayon. Sino bang hindi uuhawin? Ilang araw na rin na halos ikutin na namin ang buong Baguio dahil sa dami ng mga churches na nag iimbita sakaniya.
Narinig namin ang boses ni Pastor Melchour mula sa mga speakers, leading through the activity as he spoke. Mabuti nalang at may mga ilang pastor kaming kasama.
"Grace," I heard him speak. Inilipat ko ang tingin at tinitigan siya.
"Hmm?"
"Sabi ni Pastor Melchour kanina, churches all over Cordillera are experiencing the same revival that is going on here,"
A smile made its way to my face, "T-talaga!?"
"Mm-hmm," He nodded, "Sa Mountain Province, one by the name of Zarinna Awiyao is leading the Revival. Sa Kalinga naman, one named Eli Lumaweg is leading..."
"Wow!" I exclaimed, "Praise God!" I reached over and placed a hand on his arm, "Gabriel, grabe. Hindi ako nagduda sa vision mo noon about Revival in Cordillera, but how soon it had happened surprises me."
"God has His own timeline, it seems," He smiled, "We need only to go with it."
I nodded in assent, feeling the joy bubble from my heart, "Tama. Tama ka..."
"At alam mo ba Grace? May isang bagay akong nakikita sa buhay ng mga ginagamit ng Panginoon ngayon,"
My gaze narrowed, ears in anticipation for what he had to say, "Ano 'yon?"
"It somehow seems, that God has been selecting those that the world normaly would not." He took in a breath and gazed towards me intently, "Alam mo ba? Yung si Eli Lumaweg? Dati yong terorista."
"H-ha?" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko, "Terorista?"
"Oo, after being converted a few years ago, he began to devote his life to prayer and missionary work along with his wife. Yung si Zarinna naman, a highschool teacher, she had once been rejected by her home church for adulterous sins when she was younger." He resumed to speak, gazing afar as he did so, "Pero when she was restored, she began to have a craving for revival, for an outpouring in Cordillera." Huminga siya ng malalim,
"Grabe, Grace ... There were people all over these mountains that God was preparing for this Revival all along," I saw him lower his head, a tear escaping the confines of his eyes, "And now here I am, an equally broken man, being used for his Glory..."
Hindi ko na rin namalayan nang may tumulong luha mula sa aking mata, "Tama nga yung nabasa ko," I held on to his hand, "In revivals, God uses the nobodies. Those that the world, and even the church, would not expect to be used..."
His chest heaved, gripping my hand tighter as our gazes locked, "Indeed, my Dear, indeed..." He smiled and spoke again, "Nga pala, Grace. Brothers from Apayao are requesting na pumunta raw tayo doon. Kung sakaling papayag ang Diyos at pupunta ako, will you come with me?"
I lowered my gaze in thought before lifting it again with a smile, "Of course, Dear. As long as God wills it," I nodded, "I will go with you..."