Tongue-Tied Officer

During the Cultural Revolution, in Henan, there was a police officer who severely persecuted the believers. He spoke vile and threatening words against God’s people and was always busy making plans for more arrests.

One day this man stuck his tongue out and was unable to put it back into his mouth! He visited many doctors but nobody knew how to help him. One doctor told him he should seek a Christian for prayer. He visited the home of one of the Christian leaders he had persecuted. The family was afraid to see him.

When the Christians saw his tongue was sticking out and he was unable to say anything intelligible, their fear of this man was changed to pity. The believers realized this man wanted them to pray for him, but they knew if he was healed he would go straight back to persecuting them. Therefore they told him, “There is no way we will pray for your physical healing unless you give your heart to Jesus Christ and believe in Him! And after you receive Christ, you need to agree that you will come to our meetings regularly, and learn to love and serve God with all your heart.”

The officer was commanded to kneel down and repent. Immediately God healed his tongue. This man became a believer and stopped persecuting the believers.

This incident was the start of a great revival in that village, when many families came to know Jesus. This man is still a Christian today.

Healed in Jail Cell

In 1993 Philip, a house church leader in China, was thrown in prison after he and a number of believers were arrested. His ‘welcome’ to prison was a savage beating from the guards. They kicked him viciously with their steel-capped boots, beat him with batons, and tortured him with electric cattle-prods, designed to shock his body with high voltage.

Philip was left unconscious with a broken collarbone, arm, and ribs. The prison authorities then threw his bloody and bruised body into a small cell that already contained 28 prisoners. The cell had just one bed and a bucket, used by all the prisoners as a toilet. The cell leader was a rough man who had already formed a gang inside the prison. No one was allowed to sit on or touch his bed. When Brother Philip’s lifeless body was thrown inside the cell, however, even this hardened criminal had compassion on Philip and lay him down on his bed.

At around 2 a.m., according to the testimony of the other prisoners, a supernatural light or glow appeared over Philip’s body. It shone on him for several hours. The other prisoners were absolutely terrified and backed up against the corner of the cell. They cried for the guards to come and let them out. The guards also saw the supernatural light and were terrified, but they refused to let the prisoners out.

By sunrise, Brother Philip was much better and had regained consciousness. At no time did he actually see the light, but all the other prisoners did. Surprisingly for the serious injuries he had received the previous night, he was feeling much better and his broken collarbone and ribs seemed to be healed. Not surprisingly, the first question the prisoners asked him was “Who are you?” He replied, “It doesn’t matter who I am, but let me tell you about Jesus Christ.” He led all 28 of the prisoners to faith in Christ!

Today Brother Philip continues his ministry and is responsible for hundreds of house churches across China. He is a godly, humble and committed Christian who is willing to die for the Gospel. He receives no income and often goes hungry. Believers sometimes give him love gifts, but most rural Christians in China are so poor that their sacrificial gifts are barely enough for Philip to buy a train or bus ticket to the next town. There are thousands of Gospel-warriors like Philip in China and in the surrounding nations of Asia.

The Titanic's Last Hero

John Harper was born to a pair of solid Christian parents on May 29th, 1872. It was on the last Sunday of March 1886, when he was 13 years old, that he received Jesus as the Lord of his life. He began to preach about four years later at the ripe old age of 17 years old by going down to the streets of his village and pouring out his soul for men to be reconciled to God.

As John Harper's life unfolded, one thing was apparentÑhe was consumed by the word of God. When asked by various ministers what his doctrine consisted of, he was known to reply, "The Word of God!" Soon, John Harper started his own church in September of 1896. (Now known as the Harper Memorial Church.) This church started with just 25 members, but had grown to over 500 members when he left 13 years later.

Ironically, John Harper almost drowned several times during his life. When he was two and a half years of age, he almost drowned when he fell into a well but was resuscitated by his mother. At the age of 26, he was swept out to sea by a reverse current and barely survived, and at thirty-two he faced death on a leaking ship in the Mediterranean. Perhaps God used these experiences to prepare this servant for what he faced next....

It was the night of April 14, 1912. The RMS Titanic sailed swiftly on the bitterly cold ocean waters heading unknowingly into the pages of history. On board this luxurious ocean liner were many rich and famous people. At the time of the ship's launch, it was the world's largest man-made moveable object. At 11:40 p.m. on that fateful night, an iceberg scraped the ship's starboard side, showering the decks with ice and ripping open six watertight compartments. The sea poured in. On board the ship was John Harper and his much-beloved six-year-old daughter, Nana. According to documented reports, as soon as it was apparent that the ship was going to sink, Harper immediately took his daughter to a lifeboat. It is reasonable to assume that this widowed preacher could have easily gotten on board this boat to safety; however, it never seems to have crossed his mind. He bent down and kissed his precious little girl; looking into her eyes he told her that she would see him again someday.

The flares going off in the dark sky above reflected the tears on his face as he turned and headed toward the crowd of desperate humanity on the sinking ocean liner. As the rear of the huge ship began to lurch upwards, it was reported that Harper was seen making his way up the deck yelling, "Women, children and unsaved into the lifeboats!"

It was only minutes later that the Titanic began to rumble deep within. Most people thought it was an explosion; actually the ship was literally breaking in half. At this point, many people jumped off the decks and into the icy, dark waters below. John Harper was one of these people.
That night 1528 people went into the frigid waters. John Harper was seen swimming frantically to people in the water leading them to Jesus before the hypothermia became fatal.

Mr. Harper swam up to one young man who had climbed up on a piece of debris. Harper asked him between breaths, "Are you saved?" The young man replied that he was not. Harper then tried to lead him to Christ only to have the young man who was near shock, reply no. John Harper then took off his life jacket and threw it to the man and said "Here then, you need this more than I do..." and swam away to other people.

A few minutes later Harper swam back to the young man and succeeded in leading him to salvation. Of the 1528 people that went into the water that night, six were rescued by the lifeboats. One of them was this young man on the debris.

Four years later, at a survivors meeting, this young man stood up and in tears recounted how that after John Harper had led him to Christ, Harper had tried to swim back to help other people, yet because of the intense cold, had grown too weak to swim. His last words before going under in the frigid waters were, "Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."

This servant of God did what he had to do. While other people were trying to buy their way onto the lifeboats and selfishly trying to save their own lives, John Harper gave up his life so that others could be saved.

Laura Vicuna Foundation Video

A video of an outreach of the Laura Vicuna Foundation (Salesian Sisters)to victims of Ondoy Typhoon in Marikina Metro Manila last week. See their website at : http://www.lauravicuna.com/

The Promise

A song by Paul Lisney called 'the promise' and some film clips of a movie about Abraham and some from Jesus of Nazareth series

A Suprise

In the beginning of May 2010, an Italian family from Naples arrived at Medjugorje in a state of profound distress: on a spiritual level they had no peace, on a physical level they were carrying a heavy cross: not only was their 5 year old almost completely deaf since birth, but their 8 year old son, Antonio, suffered from epilepsy. His seizures multiplied day by day and occurred more and more frequently. His parents couldn’t bear to see him suffer like this anymore! One evening, they were able to go with the other pilgrims to pray on Apparition Hill with Ivan, and they recited the Rosary under the stars as they awaited the coming of Our Lady. There, they placed everything into Her motherly hands. They hoped for a powerful, heavenly assistance during this pilgrimage.

The next day, the father went to share with the responsible of their group the painful situation of his family, hoping for a comforting word from her part. But she simply said to him, "Go to confession!" Surprised by this seemingly harsh word, the man made a solid examination of conscience. Actually, he was living in sin and had not been to confession in years! Seeing within that word an invitation to make his peace with God, he decided to make a good confession and he sincerely renounced his sins.

To everyone's amazement, his son Antonio (ignorant of this confession) had no longer any seizures since then! As for the little 5 year old girl, upon returning from the pilgrimage, she began to speak, pronouncing intelligible words for the first time...

The father concludes his beautiful testimony in this way: "I am changed! My wife and I see life with different eyes. It is a great comfort for me to have found peace again, and to rediscover the optimism of my wife. Since that confession at Medjugorje, I can touch with my own hands the benefits of a life lived in the light of God."

Yes, the Blessed Mother knows why she asks for monthly Confession.

"When there is sin”, she says, “there is no peace". "Monthly Confession shall be a remedy for the Church of the West". (1982) “I desire to lead all of you to my Son, your Savior. You are not aware that without Him you do not have joy and peace, nor a future or eternal life. Therefore, little children, make good use of this time of joyful prayer and surrender.” (07/25/2010) “I ask of you to sincerely look into your hearts and to see how much you love Him (the Father). Is He the last to be loved? Surrounded by material goods, how many times have you betrayed, denied and forgotten Him? My children, do not deceive yourselves with worldly goods. Think of your soul because it is more important than the body: cleanse it. Invoke the Father, He is waiting for you.” (11/2/2009)

Weapons of Love Video

The Best Cure for Depression

Last Spring I suffered a major clinical depression. At the time it was at it's worse, the Holy Father, Pope John Paul was passing away. I watched with him and I cried and prayed for him. Now that would not be unusual except that I am not a Catholic and barely knew of him or his works, except that he was goodness itself. I have , however been a Christian since birth. When I saw St. Peter's Square overflowing with the faithful praying the Rosary, I said to my husband, a rough fisherman "I need one of those. Please go get me a Rosary. As we had no idea where to get one, I bought one online and taught myself to say the Rosary.Within 3 months I was vastly better, my medicine, daily Rosary recitation! I knew that I had an invitation from the late Holy Father and Our Blessed Mother to join The Catholic Church. I wrote to a priest and am now in RCIA and my son is in Sacraments Class and will make his first communion also. God has never left me alone when I was in need and I thank Jesus for sharing his own mother with me! God Bless You, Jill

Why am I Here ?

A French-speaking priest who had come to Medjugorje for the first time, told me how a man happened upon his Confessional. This man was a little confused as he explained to the priest that while in France, without any reason, he sensed a strong desire to go to Medjugorje. He barely knew where Medjugorje was and he was even less certain of why he should go there! Not able to resist this interior push to go, he got into his car and proceeded to drive, and drive and drive without a break. He made the trip non-stop. That is, more than an entire day's travel to get to Medjugorje. There, he saw the Confessional and, still being led by this interior push, he entered, not knowing why he was entering. After hearing this, the priest then suggested to him, "Well, you're here. Why not make your Confession?" He accepted. He had not been to Confession since his childhood! The priest added that the gentleman made a long and good confession, marveling at what had transpired!Such interior promptings are not rare in Medjugorje. May those who arrive in Medjugorje, not knowing why they are there, become reassured. As for the Gospa, She knows why!(extract from the Children of Medjugorje Newsletter)