God is really very good (Sr. Nicole Dabalus, SPC)

I thank God for the spirit-filled days we had during the blessing of the Padre Pio ICU Unit of St. Paul Hospital Tuguegarao.

I left Tuguegarao for Cebu last Sept. 6 to continue the 2nd regimen of my CA treatment. Because of the number of infected nodes that they got, (32 out of 39), my doctors have employed an aggressive treatment. However, I know that beyond all the powers of medicine, the power of God surpasses all human interventions. In all of these, St. Padre Pio had been so active.

I have related to you what happened in St. Paul Hospital Tuguegarao last August 26, 2008. That was really a spiritual experience which I will remember all my life. Let me relate it once more to you.

It was August 26, 2008 in the evening. I was watching teleserye and at the same time embracing the relics of Padre Pio close to my heart. I could feel the special bonding that was happening. At 11:00pm, I decided to rest. Placing the relics on the bed side table close to my head part, I wiped off finger marks on the frame. I noticed some strange tracing over the gloves. It was not yet very clear then. Thinking that it was my own reflection, I wiped it off many times, even changing position to see if it was my self reflection. Whatever I did, whatever position I took, the strange tracing was still there even becoming clearer and recognizable: it was the picture of St. Padre Pio reflected on the lower part of the gloves with stigmata so clear. Wanting another eyes, I called for my caregiver. Without telling her what I saw, I allowed her to approach the relics. To my surprise she immediately told me that there is a picture on the gloves. Once more we put off the lights, wiped the frame and did many other things to try to erase the image, but still it persisted. Fully believing now that it was a spiritual manifestation, we prayed. At that moment my upper arm (the operated site) started to shake, yet my forearm was not moving. The shaking was made more apparent because my sleeve was moving uncontrollably. When I sat on my bed, I felt I was so wet from the head to the waist. It was not perspiration since the room was cold. Afraid of catching cold or pneumonia, we did our best to dry me up. The more we wiped myself, the more I became wet. The towel we used was soaked, yet to our surprise my sleeping garment that was touching my body was dry.  Saying my prayers and bidding the image goodnight I slept. I was able to take a picture on my cell. At 5:30 the next morning I peeped at the frame – the image was not there anymore.

St. Padre Pio continued his “water therapy” on me. It was last September 9, 2008 Tuesday when he bathe me again. I was confined in room 320 of Perpetual Soccour Hospital, Cebu. That morning I was supposed to have chemo treatment and ultrasound of all my organs. At 2:00am I woke up wet from head to the waist. The aircon was blowing on me and my caregiver was chilling due to the cool temperature. Once more it took us some time to dry myself up. The result of the ultrasound was very favorable.

Once more, last September 16, Tuesday, he did the bathing again. I was in room 301 of PSH, Cebu and had scheduled chemo treatment and Doppler Venous Examination of Lower Extremities to see if the chemo drugs have affected me adversely since I am already suffering from venous insufficiency for the past 10 years. At 2:30am I woke up again, wet from head to waist. My caregiver and my niece Kristin could not believe that it was perspiration since the room was very cool. I had to change sleeping garments because I was very wet. The result of the Doppler was favorable, although I still have the venous insufficiency.

God is really very good. He could not refuse the prayers of his servant St. Padre Pio. What gladdens my heart is that St. Padre Pio could not refuse the prayers of his humble devotee, Sr. Nicole, and all the prayers of his faithful devotees who pray in my behalf. During my chemo treatment, I let my caregiver Cyrene and my niece Kristin to go and interact with all the other CA patients at the Cancer Institute of PSH. They give the blessed oil, rosary and the novena-relic you gave me, sharing with them our personal healing experience through the intercession of St. Padre Pio. I see the strength and hope in the face of the patients for having found an intercessor to lean on.

I keep you all in my prayer. Last September 8, the life-size statue of St. Padre Pio was enthroned in the University. Now he is there, watching all the Paulinians and visitors who enter St. Paul University Philippines. We feel safe with him around.

I hope to see you all again sometime. Let us continue praying for one another.

(Reprinted: September 20, 2008)