A Second Chance of Life

Miracles do happen and it was a miracle when my sister survived a crisis that we had thought was her last days on earth. Yes, my elder sister was given only a month to live by one of her doctors in 1998 but she is very much alive today after twelve years and is happily teaching young kids.

Twelve years ago, my sister Adora got seriously ill which made us all very worried. It was one of the most trying times that touched our lives. We were all very worried about her because it wasn't just a simple illness. My sister's illness started from a simple lump in her neck, which multiplied in just a short span of time. The lumps grew more and bigger and the biggest lumps which was as big as an apple grew in her armpit which made her unable to hang her arms loosely at her sides. Her neck cannot be turned because of the lumps and she felt uncomfortable with frequent dizziness and a feeling of nausea. We didn't know the cause except that some said it was sometimes caused by too much anxiety and stress. Others said it was caused by cancerous cells. To be sure, my sister consulted the doctor.

My sister had her first screening with a doctor who suggested another opinion of another doctor. This resulted in three different doctors who checked her. They suspected that the lumps were cancerous so they advised my sister to have a biopsy. The result was a doctor telling my sister that she has to undergo a major surgery ASAP because her life is in danger. She was given only a month to live by the doctor who said my sister’s case is very serious and she needed a major operation immediately. Everything seemed to sway in front of me when I learned about it. We decided to have her operated on and we called our sister in Canada to produce the money needed for the operation. I stopped teaching to take care of her and manned instead my little store that I had been busy with for a few months so that I could be at her side anytime.

As the operation was being scheduled, one of my younger brothers heard about it and disagreed to have our sister operated. We did not argue because my brother was certain that our sister would get well with another option. He has so much faith in natural healing so he suggested that my sister will try a natural healing with a faith healer who is already tested with long years of experiences in making people get well with the touch of his hands. This brother of mine earlier tried how effective the faith healer was and has proven him to be really good. Because my brother did not want to be operated because of a kidney stone, he preferred instead to go to this faith healer. After eight complete sessions with the faith healer, my brother went back to his doctor who was amazed because the stone was nowhere to be found. My brother got well since then but had to choose his diet well.

We all agreed to the plan and both my sister and my brother went to the faith healer with all hope and prayers that my sister will get spared. I was still doubtful if we did the right decision because the doctor's suggestion for my sister to be operated was lingering in my mind. I was worried sick and didn't know what to do. What was tough was that we were deciding only among ourselves without our parents who were long gone.

The only thing that awakened me and kept me sane when my sister and brother finally came home from the faith healer was when I learned that the faith healer allowed medications from doctors to continue while undergoing the sessions with him. And the best advice I totally agreed with was the diet. The faith healer advises his patients to go on diet while undergoing the healing sessions with him. He strictly requires patients to exclude meat in their diets. The only allowed food are fish, vegetables and fruits, I love the advice that the faith healer gives his patient. In fact, I joined my sister's diet and it felt good.

My sister and I had a strict vegetarian diet while she was undergoing the healing sessions. We omitted all meat and went on a vegetarian and fruit diet only. After only a week of dieting, my sister informed us that the dizzy spells were totally gone and she felt better and more comfortable. I observed that she already had a smile as we talked about so many things that we used to do together. After the 8 sessions of healing with strict vegetarian diet, my sister announced that she felt really, really great. She cried as she thanked God for her second life.

For two straight years, my sister and I religiously followed a strict vegetarian diet. We used only vegetable oil and never ate bread which we knew have eggs and other dairy products included. We just loved the pure vegetable and fruit diet that we had for 2 years, It made both of us slim but fit and healthy.

My sister never complained of any uneasiness or any pain since we had our vegetarian diet. It was such a relief that my sister did not undergo an operation. After two years, my sister joined me in my tutorial job. Together, we taught kids and my sister thanked God for her new life.

My sister always says that perhaps she was given another chance to live because she has an unfulfilled mission with the kids that she is teaching now. She had always wanted to be a teacher when she was a little girl but my mother wanted her to become a midwife so she finished a course in Midwifery. She had helped countless mothers delivered their babies since she successfully passed the Midwifery Board Examination but she stopped when she got seriously ill. She prefers to be a private tutor to kids now rather than helping mothers deliver their babies.

When I think of how my sister survived the crisis, I couldn't think of another answer but perhaps it was a miracle and perhaps she wasn't really meant to be gone from us that time. My sister is doing fine now and enjoying her life as a teacher and a mother to two very healthy boys. One just graduated from high school and is going to college on November while the younger son is already in third year high school.

Whether it is the faith healer who made my sister got well or the diet that made her well is not an issue anymore. The fact that my sister has gotten well proves that even the most serious problem could have a solution with faith and determination. Many people do not believe in faith healers, that includes me but I am now greatly indebted to the faith healer who helped heal my sister which changed my beliefs and views about faith healing.

Sometimes it is your strong faith and determination that cures you.

Miracles do happen but even miracles need to be worked for. If you want to be healed and live longer then you have to do something about it.