El Shaddai
DWXI Prayer Partners Fellowship International
INTRODUCTION
Today many people still wonder about the DWXI (El Shaddai) Prayer Partners Foundation International, Inc. They ask, “What is the DWXI (El Shaddai) PPFI all about?” “Why do hundreds of thousands, and even millions of people, flock to its fellowships, singing and dancing in praise of God for hours, despite the heavy rains or the scorching heat of the sun—whenever and wherever its Mass and Healing Rallies are held?” Observers call it a phenomenon, but the members and followers of the Foundation call it “God’s amazing grace at work” (John 5:17), for it is indeed a manifestation of God at work—performing miracles, particularly among the people who heed the Word of God, healing the sick, and transforming the lives of those who repent and turn away from their wicked ways! The Foundation has undoubtedly become a religious wonder and a “miracle of faith” in the Philippines, as well as in other parts of the world.
IDENTITY
The DWXI (El Shaddai) PPFI is a Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement. It envisions to bring about a revival of the true Christian spirit in the Catholic faith. It aims to raise up a community of faith-filled and generous believers of the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in Acts 2:42-47, which by Divine Guidance and Providence has now miraculously established these communities in many areas worldwide.
BRIEF HISTORY
Sometime in February 1978, at the age of 38, Mariano Zuniega Velarde, now popularly known as Bro. Mike Velarde, a geodetic engineer and real estate developer, was confined at the Philippine Heart Center for Asia Hospital due to heart enlargement and heart blocks. One evening, a nurse, whom Bro. Mike believes may have been an angel, brought to his room the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 10:13. Meditation on this verse miraculously healed him. After a thorough examination by his doctors, his operation was canceled and he was discharged from the hospital with a clean bill of health. His healing transformed him from a fisher of dollars and pesos to a fisher of men for Christ Jesus.
He sponsored the first Catholic Mass and Healing Rally at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Bro. Mike started to share with others his miraculous healing and the goodness of God over DWXI (1314 kHz) AM, which he owns. After a few months of airing his weekly Gospel broadcasts, miraculous healings and conversions were being reported by its listeners, and people from all walks of life started to troop to his office for prayer and counseling.
On August 20, 1984, Bro. Mike formally organized the El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International as an institution wherein he could channel his tithes and offerings derived from his real estate business and other companies to support the Gospel broadcasts of DWXI radio station and other activities of religious or charitable organizations. Bro. Mike also launched a weekly Mass and healing rally centered on the Eucharist and the Word of God. Today, in Manila alone, the weekly attendance has reached to half a million, more or less.
The Movement has now gained the support of the Catholic bishops and priests in other countries all over the world where the El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI Mission Centers are established. The Foundation has now taken root and has formed mission centers all over the Philippines from Luzon to Mindanao, and all over the world from Hong Kong to Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Brunei, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.