The protagonist in a common action film would have had gone through scores of hardships and near death episodes, but in the end, still savor the triumphant, if not the perfectly happy, ending.
The same is true with Bro. Eli Soriano.
Prior to Ang Dating Daan‘s first radio airing back in 1980, Bro. Eli started to preach from one village to another and the people of Pampanga who have witnessed him preach saw how the knee-weakening dangers did not hinder his eagerness to expose the biblical truths altered by religious leaders he profusely attacked.
In an article written by Sis. Luz Cruz, one of the people who was with Bro. Eli during their dangerous encounters back in the early 80’s, she vividly recounted each scenario and how they were able to survive them. Sis. Luz is one of the regular readers of the Bible during Thanksgiving and other Church services.
“There was an instance when we were caught up in the middle of the crossfire while on our way to Magalang, Pampanga. While we were passing through San Fernando intersection, we suddenly heard gunshots,” recalled Sis Luz in an article she wrote in one of the early editions of the Believer magazine. “Two groups were exchanging fires as we traversed the road. Bro. Eli told us to crouch down.”
Sometimes out of desperation religious enemies also used checkpoints to pin Bro. Eli down, and one story that is often recalled is how fate took form as a pile of foams in a trailer that covered the preacher as they pass. “Then again, thank God, nobody suspected that he was in the trailer,”, Sis Luz said.
In one separate event during an outdoor bible study in one of the barrios in Magalang, Pampanga, still in the early 80’s, Bro. Eli almost faced death. As he was fearlessly discussing the Lord Jesus Christ’s deity to debunk beliefs that Christ is only man, a group of opposing ministers attempted to finish off Bro. Eli with their bolos and rakes.
“The Chief of Police of Magalang, who is incidentally our brother in Christ, was there that time. He immediately rushed to Bro. Eli for protection. One of the ministers of the Iglesia ni Cristo shouted that he’s going to cut Bro. Eli’s tongue,” Sis Luz said. “Others were shouting to fury. All our male companions escorted Bro. Eli to a vehicle and went away.
She further added that the female brethren together with the children and the male driver were left behind. “We hurriedly boarded on the passenger jeepneys. Those men followed us. The person who shouted that he’s going to cut Bro. Eli’s tongue was rushing towards us.”
Bro. Eli together with all the members of his group were all safe, which is again, similar to how the lead character would survive an adversity the way a movie director would have planned it.
Despite all the perils, Bro. Eli remained brave and steadfast with biblical principles and beliefs. Armed with determinination, hard work, and resourcefulness, Bro. Eli is relentless in growing the propagation of God’s word to wider scale – from nightly preaching on villages’ open places to radio broadcast where the program, Ang Dating Daan originated. Then from television broadcast, the Internet is now also being used for the propagation.
While Bro. Eli’s vision for a global broadcast is now a reality, so are the death threats and risks that he continues to face. The dangers remain present everytime Bro Eli would preach as like some series of unfortunate events which always find its own triumphant and happy ending. In the case of Bro Eli, the victory comes in the form of more faithful souls being enlightened and being baptized in the Church of God.
The 32nd anniversary of Ang Dating Daan, which has gone global in recent years from a humble 30-minute show format in the early 1980s, will once again serve as a reminder of its phenomenal growth. Part of this celebration is to recall the continuing story of a faithful preacher from the Philippines who faces all odds but with God’s help survives to continue his work.
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