Jesus said in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20) We are privileged many times to see this beatitude fulfilled in the lives of the poor that we serve. The people we work with may be lacking in the material necessities of life, but they are often rich in faith – faith that moves mountains.
This was the case with Crescencia Tapia. Crescencia was going blind as a result of a stroke she had suffered. Not being able to afford the operation she was advised to get, she turned with childlike faith to God. She shared the following testimony with me:
Two years ago I had a bad stroke. I was losing my eyesight. Day by day my eyesight got worse, to the point where I wasn’t able to see much at all. The doctors told me that I had a lot of blood in my brain from the stroke which was damaging my vision. The eye doctor told me, “The only way to remove that blood from your brain is for you to have an operation.”
I left feeling very sad and discouraged. There was no way that I could afford an operation. But then I remembered my faith in my Savior Jesus. “Lord God,” I prayed, “You know that I can’t afford an operation. Will you please operate on me instead?” After I prayed, I felt that operation! I felt something going on in my head. God heard my prayer and operated on me.
For that reason now I can see – because the Lord operated on me. My sight is restored, and I can see fine!
I went back to the eye doctor, and he told me with disbelief, “I don’t understand it, but the blood is gone. There is nothing wrong with your vision now.” I don’t think he believed me when I told him Jesus had operated on me, but it doesn’t matter. Because I am healed and now I can see. Thank you to my beautiful Lord, Doctor Jesus!
[I’m sorry that I forgot to take Crescencia’s picture for this newsletter.]