My name is Allena Anker I live in Redmond Oregon and I am not a stranger to Pastor Aaron, Pastor Kristy or Crossfire Ministry.  My husband Drew and I were youth directors for five years and would bring our youth group to Impact every summer and to BTI in the winter. A couple years had past before the last time that I had spoken with them.  In January I called Pastor Kristy to let her know that in September I was diagnosed with ALS or also known as Lou Gehrigs’s disease with a life expectancy of 3-5 years from time of the diagnosis.  This was tough news to take and a report that I didn’t want to hear or accept from the doctors being that I am 44 years of age, a mother of 2, and a wife of 22 years.   I have a loving Christian husband, a daughter that is 20years old, and a Son who is 19 years of age both of which are in college.  I have spent the last 20 years devoted to serving the Lord.  My heart has always been for the broken hearted people and winning the lost to Christ across America.  I have known that I have been a soul winner (evangelist) since the day I was born again.  There is no greater experience than bringing someone to the Lord.   I know that through Christ I have conquered the lion, the bear, and many giants, but this was one giant that I have never had to directly face (death).  Needless to say I was contacting all the believers I know to stand in the gap and intercede for my life.

In November the Lord had given me a word that it’s not a time for me to die.  That He was taking me in a new direction, new season, into new things.  He told me to write down my dreams, and to make them big, I wasn’t to limit Him or put Him in a box.  He told me that He called me to be a well spring of life to the nations.  He told me He has placed in me a healing anointing to crush the deeds of darkness, and to cancel and crush the enemy’s plans.  That I was to trust Him and He would unfold and reveal my greatest dreams.

While speaking to Pastor Kristy she was telling me that Crossfire was planning to go the Philippians in March why even her two year old son Maverick was coming along. I knew that this was an open door and the beginnings of what the Lord had spoken to me.  I had never been outside the U.S to do mission work before, but I just knew that I needed to go.  So, after Pastor Aaron put the seal of approval on it for me to go and join the team, I began believing God for the finances to be a part of this. In just a short time, through a variety of avenues, God brought the finances forth.

In spite of the opposition of my physical condition I wasn’t going to let this stop me. I have always been a fighter and I wasn’t going to let the enemy rob me of this opportunity.  On March 17th I was on a plane with Crossfire World Outreach Ministries team flying to the Philippians and landing on the Island of Negros to meet up with Crossfire’s Sister Churches, Lift Jesus Higher Churches.  We were welcomed with such love, kisses on the cheek, and endless hugs from brothers and sisters that I had never met before.  Little did I know that this was the beginnings of the Lord unfolding many of my dreams that the Lord told me to write down in November.  Throughout the 17 days of this journey I have never experienced or had seen so much hunger for God or had seen so much of Jesus’ love ooze from a people group.  We were no different than our brothers and sisters from the Philippians however, they treated us with such love and care.

Everyday was an opportunity for the Lord to be glorified as the Crossfire team and I went from church to church ministering the word and praying for the people to be set free. With God there is no age limit.  Two year old Maverick was a wonder to watch. He was just as much as part of the team and being used of God as we were.  We can’t ever limit God.  From children, to youth, to adults they all were being touched by Jesus. For some they received Jesus for the first time, others it was the fire of God, still others received physical healing, some received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, additionally others were set free from demonic strongholds, and many were merely hungry to have more of God in their life.   Everyday, God never ceased to amaze me.

We went to four squatter villages.  There were families, and orphaned children living in conditions that were unimaginable for most Westerners.  Sometimes the stench was hard to get passed without letting them know it was making me sick to my stomach as we passed through with smiles on our faces.  If these people could live in this, than I could certainly tough out staring down the daily challenge I face. When we would arrive the children would begin to follow us and throng us to see what we were up to.  As we drew closer to the village we would be greeted by hundreds of children.  We interacted with the children by playing games, giving toys away, singing songs, sharing the love of Jesus through puppet ministry, and for some giving them their first meal in days. I was amazed that a little plastic helicopter toy could bring so much excitement for them and they could play for endless hours with.   Their way of life was so simply for them and most had smiles on their faces and they seemed genuinely content with what little they had.  I guess in reality they know no different.

The Lord took me places of desolation not only with what I could see with my natural eye, but spiritual desolation as well. As our van drove up to the prison walls I began to see more of my dreams that I had written down unfold.  Days prior Pastor Aaron asked if I wanted to preach on the woman’s side of the prison.  I said of course I would love to.  As we got inside the gate things changed we were told we were only going to minister to the men.  Being that we weren’t visiting the woman’s side; I thought I wasn’t going to have the opportunity to preach and that was okay.  But Pastor Aaron asked me once again if I still wanted to preach.  I said “Absolutely.”  It’s amazing how God visits even those who are imprisoned.  We not only gave them spiritual food that day, we gave some hope for the first time, joy they haven’t felt in a long time, company, laughter, sodas and bread.  I think that day they truly felt loved by Jesus as did I.

Another fulfillment of the dreams that I wrote down was to go up into the mountains and minister to the people in the villages.  Our team rode up in a pick up, a jeep, and a 4×4 SUV.  There was rich beautiful scenery in which the hillsides were filled with mango trees, palm trees, bananas tress, and huts.  It was a rough and bumpy ride but, well worth it. We were so well received by the adults and the children at Pastor Papa’s church.  We spent 4-5 hours that day praying, and playing with the children.  I learned that day that a 75 year old woman walks 20 miles every Sunday through the mountain terrain just to hear the word of God.   Now, that is hunger and true dedication.  I will never forget that day as long as I live as we parted I rode in the back of a pick up truck with Pastor Kristy, Ariel, Hailey, and a live chicken in a card board box, a gift given to us for their gratitude.  We decided since the chicken was riding in the back of the pick up with us he needed a name, so we called him, Dinner. The four of us sat cramped in the back of the pick up giggling and laughing trying not to crush or hurt dinner.   All five of us made it back alive that day, even Dinner!

There aren’t enough words for me to describe of all that transpired in my heart those 17 days in the Philippians. One thing I do know is that I will never forget the Island or the people of Negros because what started from a word from heaven, God made it all possible.  Through this trip God has showed me and fulfilled some of my dreams that I wrote down that day and I received the hope and strength to continue to trust Him.   Through God’s word I am healed and I will continue to press on toward the goal, for the prize, and to fight the good fight of faith.  This is only the beginning and there are many more nations to come.

Thank you to all those who prayed for us, supported us, and especially to Pastor Aaron, Pastor Kristy, Jet, Lauren, Hailey, Maverick, and the Crossfire Family for allowing me to be a part and helping to unfold some of my greatest dreams!

I love you,

Allena Anker