CRASH'S VICTIMS MOURNED; ASHES TO BE TAKEN TO THE PHILIPPINES.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

At the end of a memorial service held to remember the seven parishioners who died in a church van crash, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy stepped down from the podium, praying with and hugging surviving family members as they cried in his arms.

Quiboloy told his flock the seven women died as ``heroes of faith and spiritual warriors,'' who gave their lives doing the Lord's work on an ill-fated trip to the Bay Area to set up another branch of the 3 million-member Philippines-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ church.

``For the children of God, death is only a transition to a new life,'' Quiboloy said. ``These seven workers for God are now in heaven, interceding on our behalf. We may cry today, but they are rejoicing in heaven.''

When the women's remains are ready, they will be taken to Prayer Mountain at the church's Millennial services site in the Philippines, Quiboloy said.

``We will spread their ashes on that hallowed mountain,'' he said.

The seven women who died and the seven church members who were injured in the crash late Thursday near Atascadero had tickets to go to the church's Millennial services scheduled for Dec. 29-31 at the church's Millennial site in the Philippines.

Many others in the Eagle Rock congregation also plan to attend the services.

``We have 30,000 people who have tickets to the Millennial Service from all over the world,'' said Quiboloy.

Churchgoers packed the small church Sunday at 4515 Eagle Rock Blvd. On the altar, seven bouquets of white and yellow flowers were displayed, with ribbons bearing the names of those who died in the crash.

The van carrying 14 members of the church crashed outside Atascadero late Thursday en route to an organizing meeting in the Bay Area. The crash occurred when driver Julieta Razon, 49, for an unknown reason lost control of the northbound van on Highway 101 and drove into the dirt center divider, across two lanes of southbound traffic and down an embankment, officials said.

Seven people died, and seven were injured, including Juanita Reyes, 55, of Canoga Park, and William Duque, 36, of North Hollywood. Both were listed in critical condition Sunday at Sierra Vista Hospital in San Luis Obispo.

``Reyes is out of danger,'' Quiboloy told his congregation. ``But Duque is still critical. His condition is fifty-fifty. Please pray for them.''

Four-year-old Aretha Fike of North Hollywood was upgraded Sunday from fair to good condition at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and North Hollywood resident Leu Leonardo Lozado, 66, was listed in stable condition at Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton.

Church worker Willie Almilla, 36, who escaped the crash with minor bruises, said just before the crash occurred, most of the women were sleeping, someone was cracking a joke, and suddenly the van swerved.

``I said, in Jesus' name, in Jesus' name!'' as Razon struggled to control the steering wheel and the van was crashing.

When the crash ended, Almilla saw Razon's husband lean over and hug his wife before she died. Almilla heard a little girl crying, so he crawled outside to help her.

``I went and got her and carried her to her mother,'' Almilla said, adding he then helped the rest who survived.

``It's a mystery to us why this accident occurred,'' he said.