MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!! JUST BELIEVE!!

Please know there are miracles here in this world! God said “you will do these things and more” and it is true. We just don’t have enough Faith according to what the Monsignor said yesterday. The fight of Good over evil has already been won…we just have to have the Faith to live this truth.

The power of God through men of Faith has also been an experience of mine over these last months. The following is one of many experiences but again, was so palpable and awe inspiring that I can still feel it as I think about it. Father Raymond is known as a healer. Many people come weekly to get a blessing from him. He sees up to 350 people a day on busy days.

Fr Raymond

Anyhow, we were having a party for him for his birthday at the boy’s home in Busega. He was busy as a bee as always, never sits and never eats and was serving lunch to the many volunteers who always help him out. The matrons had called me to minster to a child who suddenly became ill. I remember thinking that Fred was aweful hot when I arrived but he greeted me with his same big smile and bone crunching hug to my legs that he always does. Fred has spastic CP affecting all 4 limbs and mouth (kinda like the "My left foot" guy) He can’t speak save for a yes or no. 

Gives blessings at offertory as well

I found Fred lying still on the tile floor in the midst of the crowd. The Matrons told me he has an ear infection. I picked him up and carried him to a bunk in the dorm. There were no kids there (highly unusual) as they were out eating the feast lunch that had been prepared. Fred was grimacing and holding his R ear with his fisted hand. I went to get Brother Sonny to ask him to open the clinic to get some ear drops and pain meds. Then I went back to Fred to do some cranial work to try and open up his ear to allow it to drain. I held and rocked him but he remained hot and still.

I cradled his head in my hands and felt the bed sheets soaked. I looked and realized the bed was wet from Fred’s tears. He was in agony and it broke my heart. I found out that we had no medicine that would help in the dispensary I looked up feeling helpless until I remembered that Fr Raymond was a “healer”.

"OK"…I said to myself, "He is going to have to heal his boy". I got up and found Father in the dining room serving the volunteers. I stood next to him (he sort of has a presence that makes it hard to approach him..I always feel nervous about bothering him as he is constantly busy) He didn’t look up as he worked but said “Yes, Carol” I replied, “One of your boys is sick and you need to do a healing right now on him” He continued to work and said “I will be there in 3 minutes” He passed out a few more plates as I stood there without moving and my arms crossed. I wasn’t going to leave until he followed me. He sensed this and looked up and smiled, “OK, I am coming now, take me to him”.

Fred and his usual smile

We walked into the dorm, where it remained empty save for Fred on the bunk. I walked up to Fred saying, “Fred, Father Raymond is here, it will be OK now”. Father asked, “What is his name?” I told him, “Fred”. He knelt down next to the bunk so I followed suit and then he was silent for a moment. Father’s presence changed and I felt a sense of serene power, which became palpable. The light from the windows was streaming in showing the dust in the air and the loud celebratory noises outside became a quiet din in the background.

He then said “Our help is in the Lord” and I replied, “Who made heaven and earth”. Father then began to say a prayer of Praise and Thanks to God for giving him the gift of healing and for always being there for us. He then placed his hands on the boy’s head and basically commanded him to be well. He said that Fred will be relieved of all symptoms immediately and that he will be fully healed by the time the clock strikes midnight. I had tears streaming from my eyes as he spoke. I felt such a flow of pure love from Father Raymond come over Fred as I held Fred’s little arms. It was powerful and I was overcome.

He then sat back on his heels and his presence returned to the Father Raymond I knew. He mentioned, “Yes, I see the swollen lymph nodes in his neck”.  He then patted Fred on the shoulder and smiled warmly, got up and left. I sat there stunned and sitting on the bed with tears still streaming down my cheeks. I was in awe of what love I felt and the Faith in which Father Raymond worked. I couldn’t stop staring out the window still feeling God’s healing power in the air.

Fred in his usual state of constant motion
most pictures of him are blurry for this reason!

That is, until Fred began to tap on my arm. It took me a moment to even realize it was him, as he had been soo still moments before. I looked down to see Fred smiling his HUGE smile. I commented “Don’t tell me you’re better already?!” He nodded a big yes and then mouthed, “I am hungry”. Now, Fred had not eaten since the day before, as he had not been feeling well. I felt his head and neck. His temperature was back to NORMAL! OK…I would not have believed it for a moment had I not felt him burning up with fever moments before.

I got up and retrieved some food from the party and fed Fred who ate like there was no tomorrow. He guzzled down the orange soda and even asked for more. I asked if he was in any pain, he shook his head “No”.

Though I was not sure Fred even knew what was happening when Father did the healing, I thought it could be placebo (how little faith I had despite experiencing first hand the presence of God) though I had hoped it was not. I knew that without treatment, an ear infection would not suddenly get better and was curious to see if Fred was still feeling well the next AM. I had my proof when I walked into the dorm in the morning…Fred was scooting around on his butt (his normal mode of transport) playing with the other kids. I asked if he was feeling OK and he said with a big smile “FINE!”.

OK…I am convinced of the direct presence of God with us, walking along side of us in the disguise of our own Brothers and Sisters, in the Poor, in the Sick and the Lame. God is truly with us…it is true when He said, “I will never leave you…” Father Raymond smiled and shrugged when I told him Fred was back to normal….Faith is a powerful thing and we should expect miracles like Father does…with a shrug and smile saying “Of course you got better…of course nothing bad happened to you, of course it all worked out….” Oh ye men of little Faith!

I know you too will even experience miracles yourselves if you haven't already. God shows us directly that as we give our hearts to Him, He will work miracles through us! Miracles of saying just the right thing to the right person at the right time…miracles of supporting your family and friends at just the right time when they need it…miracles of creating systems, poetry, music, art that will inspire someone to do something good for someone who needs it…miracles of healing when you hold someone who is ill or who is sad or who is on the brink of despair…you will see the healing immediately as I did with Father Raymond.

The kids always follow Fr Raymond around 

Have Faith that it is as easy as belief…it takes a moment to transform…that it is ALREADY HERE! It is a matter of looking at life a slightly different way…it is moving through life with JOY because Faith is there and there is no reason with that Faith to worry anymore, be anxious anymore! God needs you to have ALL your energy to give…not waste it on needless worry…He has taken care of all troubles for you so all you have to do is serve with Joy. It is as simple as that….you just need to ask yourself, Do you have the Faith to believe it?