Miracles in our midst

First published in Daily Tribune under Anthony Vivero's Vibes and Vision dated September 21, 2009.






I have personally heard a number of people of different religious beliefs say that it was only during the time of Christ that miracles really happened. On the other hand, there are those who firmly believe that miracles still happen in our time. I think it’s a bad idea to dismiss pure and simple "hope" that things could get better. I have stories here of miracles in our midst.



FLORENCE: Cured of cancer


She is a woman in her early 40s, with three young children — two young boys and one little princess. She led a typical life like most women in our country, ordinary as can be, until a medical problem arose.


She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer that needed immediate operation as her doctors advised — and to undergo chemotherapy or radiation after the operation. She called me and gave me the sad news. Calls came pouring in from other family members, sympathizing with my sister Florence’s delicate condition.


She asked for my advice as her kuya (elder brother) and as a healer. My advice was to defer the scheduled operation. I told her that I would do everything for a healing miracle. I do not know if she believed me at the time.


Knowing her, she became so bothered and believed more the advice of the doctors. I gave her another advice: Get a second medical opinion, and even a third, from different hospitals. This she followed, and the results and advice were all the same, for her to undergo the same procedures and therapy.


She went back to me once more for advice, and again I told her to wait for the miracle to work first. The truth is, healing people that are closest to me — people who are dear and loved most — are the hardest in my experience. Emotional attachment runs high and the thought of failure at my hand creates the greatest fear in my life. I felt uncertainty for the fate of my sister even though I prayed really hard — a sign of fragmented faith, but I still believe that God knows my heart.


I requested my dear friends and prayer-volunteers to help me ask for a miracle focused toward my sister’s illness. As the date of operation neared and she had to decide but felt bad about it, she made several calls to me, changing her mind with each call made. The last call I received was the night before the operation. I told her that if others got healed and experienced the miracle of healing, there’s no way she would not be healed and experience the same. I advised her to take last pre-operation test first before finally deciding what she should do.


That night, I surrendered her to God. "If she will not get well, please God, don’t let her suffer. I love my sister that much and if possible, please let her ailment be mine." I knew that was impossible, but I left my prayer room with one thought in mind: "My sister is now in God’s hands, no matter what happens."


The day of operation came. I was holding a meeting with my staff when my phone rang. It was Florence, so excited at the other end of the line, telling me that the cancer tumor was nowhere to be found! Even the doctors who examined and tested her before were puzzled!


I said only one thing: Go to Church and thank God for the miracle she received. I put the phone down and cried so much with happiness for this miracle that I experienced in my lifetime, at exactly the time when we needed it most, and exactly what we needed at that moment.


Thank you very much, my Lord!


KENO: Survived an electrocution and a fall


He received his miracle on the day of his birthday. His story may seem unbelievable, but again, miracles do happen in our time!


Keno is a young man in his 20s. He is a lively youth yet contemplative most of the time. He simply smiles at any given moment or during conversations. I thought it is because he is a bit shy and respectful to me and the others, being an employee. He works for me in one of my construction projects.


In this project, I noticed a technical/electrical problem, to which I called the attention of both the subdivision developer and electric company of the area for proper and immediate resolution. An electric post had been erroneously placed where all the wires crossed the area of the residential lots. Both the local electric company and the developer blamed each other for this very clear technical fault. I made it a point to stress that it was definitely not the lot owner’s fault, and it would be unfair that the homeowner to suffer the consequences of this error, which by the way had to be fixed as soon as possible.


It seems money was more important than life to these companies because our complaint fell on deaf ears. To make matters worse, the design of the house we were building had to be adjusted and re-adjusted several times so that the wires and cables from their defective post- or lot-plotting would not get entangled with the house’s roofing. The worst scenario would be if any of my workers got entangled with the wires and cables!


Our greatest fear did happen. Keno got electrocuted while he was working on the roofing of the house. His head touched the high-tension wire that exploded upon contact with his head. He was thrown several feet away from the site of contact, but luckily did not fall on the top floor of the house.


He suffered 38 percent body burns and a deep cut on his head, exposing part of his skull. To the amazement of all, he was alive and his mental faculties were in 100 percent functioning condition! It was a miracle indeed that he survived.


When Keno got electrocuted, I was in Manila. I was shocked and feared for his life. The question that ran through my head was, "Is he dead?" My other employees and workers assured me that he was still alive.


I went inside my prayer room and prayed to God to heal Keno. I also requested my friends and prayer-volunteers to pray for him, like we had done before. I believe that things do happen for a reason and everything has a purpose, including this sad accident. Immediately, I left for the project, and went straight to see him in the hospital to attend to his needs. When I saw him, he was conscious, but in critical condition.


The whole time that night, I asked fervently for a miracle for this young man. After a week, he was cleared of any major injury except the wounds from the burns. Time will heal these wounds.


These are two true stories of miracles I have witnessed. I am happy that I experienced them first-hand. I had the opportunity to feel God and see how His hand works on situations that seem impossible to man.


Again, a miracle is for those who believe — those who have faith in the power of God and hope when there seems to be no hope, when everything seems lost, over and done with. They feel nothing but only unwavering belief in God’s miracle.


Comments and suggestions may be forwarded to anthonyvivero@yahoo.com and anthonyvivero@hotmail.com.