Friday, September 6, 2013
On Friday 23
rd August, three days before the TLiG pilgrimage to the Holy Land began, and a few hours after my last blog entitled ?Three days to go!? I fell on some builder?s rubble in our garden and badly sprained my ankle. Whilst on the ground in a state of shock and severe pain, I was begging God that no bones would be broken and He immediately answered my prayer. I was taken to the hospital and was told that I?d torn some ligaments in my foot and ankle. I was given crutches and told not to put any weight on it. I was told to elevate it to control the swelling and that it would take many weeks to heal. This was going to be difficult on pilgrimage but we borrowed a wheelchair from our local church and with faith in God?s providence, off we went to the airport!!
On the pilgrimage, which was filled with intensive activity involving meetings, talks, liturgies and visiting Holy Places, I spent day one in the wheelchair, a very humbling experience, day two and three on two crutches learning how painful that is on the hands and remarkably, from day 4 onwards, only used one crutch. Our beloved Jesus gave me sufficient healing to help me to walk with relative ease to His Holy places. An old friend visited yesterday and told me she has experienced this type of injury herself and she?s convinced that God performed a miracle making it possible for me to do so much walking with such little pain so soon after the accident and only with the aid of one crutch. I truly praise and thank God for this personal miracle.
On the coach my daughter spotted the make of the crutches. Would you believe, the company logo is 'TRULIFE' !!!!!! God has a sense of humour!
During the talks a priest was talking about unity and saying that it is Satan who divides, who pulls down, who destroys, separates and tears apart ??.. suddenly the word ?tears? made me think of my accident. It was the evil one who caused me to tear the ligaments in my foot and who didn?t want me to come on the pilgrimage. But Jesus and Mary didn?t allow it to stop me coming!
I glorify, praise and thank God from the core of my heart for so many things: for all the things He taught me during this pilgrimage, for all the kind people who helped me, for His generous healing which allowed me to really take part, AND ALL THE GRACE HE LAVISHLY POURED OUT ON ALL OF US!! I pray that these graces will continue to be poured out on all the people of the Middle East and bring them the Peace of Christ through our Mama?s constant intercession. Thank You, thank You Jesus and Mama Mary for a unique and WONDERFUL pilgrimage.