I was admitted to Island Hospital for a week with a Urinary Tract Infection. During my stay in hospital I met a family (mother and son) from Indonesia who were across the room from mine. The son, Hendrick was very sick and every day from 4pm his temperature spiked and he would shiver uncontrollably while complaining of pain all over. Samples taken from his spinal cord showed that his white cell count was very high and his mother was told that one of his organs was swollen.

Hendrick’s mother kept asking around for a Catholic. A nun had prayed over him at the airport in Indonesia when he had difficulty sitting up and told them that he would be well after being prayed over in Penang.

I was not yet a Catholic as I was still attending RCIA. When my husband came to see me we read the bible and prayed. During that time, we were encouraged to read the gospel of Mark, reflect and share our experience.

When my husband saw Hendrick’s mother outside my room looking inside, he asked me about her. I told him about her very sick son and that she was looking for a Catholic to pray over him. It then dawned on me that my husband was a Catholic, newly baptised just 8 months ago.

My husband asked the woman whether she wanted someone to pray over her son and she immediately responded ‘yes’. He asked her to start praying in his room while he tried to contact his Alpha prayer group friends. All of them were unavailable.

My husband was disappointed to go back on his promise. I offered to help him out, so with a faithful and determined heart, he went over and prayed over Hendrick. He just asked God to use his hands as His instrument to heal this youth and that the doctors will be able to diagnose his illness. We concluded our prayer with Our Lord’s prayer, Hail Mary and Glory Be.

We then went back to our room and continued to pray very hard, begging for God’s mercy. About 15 to 20 minute later, Hendrick’s mother rushed to our room asking for my husband’s name card. When we asked why, she said that her son was healed! We were dumbfounded and asked her, “How do you know?”

She said, “His fever and pain is gone and his sweat is trickling out of his body.” My husband went over to Hendrick’s room and saw a smiling youth sitting on his bed and happily wiping his sweat. It was the same person who was unable to sit up on his bed! Still in a state of shock he returned to my room and asked if I believed in all that had happened and I responded, “Yes, I believe.”

I was discharged on 19/12/11 and Hendrick on the 26/12/11 after he was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. On Christmas Eve, we brought him, wearing pyjamas with a needle still in his hand to OLS for mass. He was very excited as it was his first time attending mass and his mother was happy that he could sit for hours without pain. (They are Taoist)

I believe the Lord is telling me that ‘He can do anything if I believe in Him’. I also believe that it is through his mother’s love and faith that he was healed.

Place: Island Hospital (Penang)