Zeugnisse aus Kerala
Forsaken by the medical world, Fostered by the gracious Lord
Here is an incredible story of Power. The power of God.
Incredible because it has all the feautures of a miracle. Yes it has the unmistakable earthly flavour, for, it is a happening in real life, admidst all of us.
It is the story of Ahalya. A graceful girl, 10 years of age, a frail and tender human being with all the innocence of the world to the brim.
It is the story of Ahalya who vanquished the all-destructive death with the God blessed power she was anointed with, at the crescendo of praise and prayer at Divine Retreat Centre.
Ahalya's nightmare began when she detected a heavy sweling on the eye-lids. The swelling stretched its tendons slowly downwards to her neck. Before she could realise the calamity that struck her, the swelling had spread all over her body.
By a detailed medical check-up at Trivandrum Medical College, an horrifying truth emerged beyond doubt, that Ahalya's one kidney is seriously damaged. It was the midsummer of 1993.
Medical treatments proved futile and Ahaya's whole body was swollen like an inflated balloon. She had to discontinue her classes in 3rd standard. As her condition deteriorated to alarming proportions she was subjected to another scanning. It revealed to the shock of all concerned that Ahalya's other kidney also has gone malfunctioning. Medical Science dismissed her as a helpless case and then her journey towards death started gaining momentum.
After myriad rituals and offerings to God, what their not-so-good financial resources allowed, her father, a Catholic, made a pilgrimage to Sabarimala with the daughter.
Sadly, it was of no avail.
It was by the instigation of some relatives that Ahalya was brought to Divine by her father along with her mother, a Hindu by birth and faith. Strange it was, that from the begining at Divine she was more attracted to food items that were forbidden for her by doctors. On Thursday, amidst the prayer for internal healing, Fr. George Panackal announced on the stage-" A child by name Ahalya is being healed by God".
From that very instant a marked change started visibly working in the child. She started vomitting. Her face which was until then aswollen mass, started slowly regaining its normal shape and contours.
The next morning it was apparent that she was fast returning to her former self physically. A week after the Divine retreat, the swelling in her body subsided completely.
Once again she was taken to Trivandrum Medical College hospital for tests and check-up. The same doctor who had detected her fatal ailment only a few weeks ago subjected her to various tests.
It was a pleasant surprise for the doctor to find that there remains not even a trace of that malignancy in Ahalya for which medical science had written her off as a hopeless case. She never experienced any symptoms of relapse either, ever afterwards.
Ahalya is in 6th standard now. Healthy and hearty like a new blossom. Ahalya was here at Divine with her parents last week to testify the magnanimity of God who bent dowm and heard hr cry.
"Has anyone hoped in the Lord and been disappointed? has any one persevered in his fear and been forsaken?" (Sirach 2:10)
Ahalya (10)
Ahalya Mandiram,
Chathannoor,
Quilon, Kerala.
JESUS NEVER FAILS
Ever since the birth of my first child seven years back, I began to suffer from asthma. It became severe and frequent after I joined my husband in the Gulf.
I had heard and read a lot about Divine Retreat Centre and had a great inner urge to be there. My sister-in-law was healed after she had made her retreat in Muringoor. This gave me a stronger desire to go there. In the first week of June 1996 I went to the Centre with my husband and my mother-in-law. I did not go there to pray or to be healed of my illness (about which I had completely forgotten). But I went there asking God to give me peace of mind.
On the 7th of June, my name was annouced with the message that God was touching me. I really did not know it was me and in what way God was touching me. After the retreat, we were going back and had nearly reached Goa when I had a very severe asthamatic attack. I had never suffered so much before. As I was struggling for my breath, something inside me kept telling me that I am healed of this illness and also of the allergy that I used to suffer from. Praise be to God. That was the last attack I ever had. Now I am hale and hearty.
My mother-in-law was also healed of Arthritis after twenty five long years. I have now learnt ot thank my God all the time for the wonderful things He is doing for me. I have surrendered myself and my family into his hands. For Jesus never fails. We only need to have faith and trust in Him.
Grace Braganza
Sushila Apartments,
Alto - Betim, Goa.
THE LORD IS OUR HELP
My wife and I had been to the Divine Retreat Centre twice. The first time we were there during November'94. We went there with an intention basically to pray for ourselves since we were not blessed with a child after four long years of anxious waiting inspite of all the best medical treatment. After the retreat, we were rather disappointed since almost a year had gone by and nothing had worked out for us. We were heart - broken. But deep in our hearts we were sure of our Lord's mercy and grace knowning that one day he would shower his blessings upon us. So once again we decided to go to the Divine Retreat Centre and somewhere around October 1995 we made our second retreat.
The priest who blessed and prayed for us told us, "Do not be disappointed. God knows what is best for us and gives it to us when the time is right. Pray not only for your personal needs but also for others having similar problems." It struck us then-how selfish we had been. From that very moment my wife and I decided to surrender our-selves totally to Jesus and accept the plan of God even if we were not going to have a child. We just praised and thanked God for it. As we offered ourselves to Jesus we also prayed for others who were having worse problems than ours.
Our Lord knew our hearts' desire. He heard our prayers immediately. My wife conceived and on New Year's Day 1997, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. She was the most precious gift we could ever receive in our life time. Our joy knew no bonds and we praised and thanked the Almighty Lord. He works wonders in the lives of everyone who calls upon Him with a sincere heart. Our parents, friends and relatives rejoiced with us in this revelation of God's glory.
When we look back and think of it we thank God for making us wait so long because it has brought us even closer to Jesus. How wonderfully he proves his love for us. We will always thank our Lord and never stop praising Him for what he has done for us.
"With us is the Lord our God,to help us." (2 Chronicles 32:8)
Rohan Parish
Shangrila Village,
Gharipatna,
Pokhara, Nepal.