I now pray the Rosary

by: Steven Acebo of Couples for Christ

My wife and I have visited Tierra de Maria a couple of times before to bring friends who visit from abroad. This time we went there to ask for a petition and intercession from Jesus and Mary. I am a Catholic Charismatic and as such, am more inclined to go directly to the Father and ask thru His Son for anything I need. I believe in the Rosary but not as fervent as some people do. When we entered the Chapel on that fateful day, we almost suffocated by the overwhelming smell of roses just as we were entering the door. We thought that was normal, but it was so amazing because we did not see any fresh bouquet of roses inside. No big deal I said. Maybe they sprayed the place with rose scented spray. We sat momentarily on one of the benches and then proceeded towards the statue of Mary and the little Child. We read the instructions, but I hesitated to follow. It said to close your eyes as we pray but I did not. I can vividly remember how we prayed. My wife held on to Mama Mary’s hand and then I put my hand over my wife’s hand. Before she closed her eyes to pray, she reminded me to close mine too, which I obediently did. A few seconds later, as I was praying, I noticed that my arm was dropping, sort of moving downwards and so I would move my arm back up together with the arm of my wife and Mama Mary’s. Then the hand I am holding to, will move sideways, and again I would put the hand back to where it was before. My prayer was interrupted by this movements. I was literally upset at the management particularly the people maintaining the place for not fixing the broken arm of nonetheless a statue of Mary. I was so convinced that the arm was broke and needs some fixing. When my wife was finished praying, we left the chapel and went to the gift shop.

We met Bro. Jiggers, the owner of the place. He prayed over us and after that praying over we casually talked and that’s when he mentioned about the miracles that happen in that sacred place. He mentioned about the statues arm moving, the chest area of Jesus moving up and down like He was breathing… etc, I did not share my experience with my wife and Bro. Jiggers. My intention was to go back the next day to inspect the “broken arm”, because it was closing time. When we got home, I told my wife about what I felt while we were praying and I asked her if she felt the arm move, and she said no, there was no arm movement. The next day we were there again. As we entered the chapel, I noticed that the overwhelming smell of roses was not present. I hastily went over to Mama Mary’s statue and promptly reached for the arm and moved the arm up and down and left and right. The arm was not moving at all. The hand moved from the wrist only. And the movement was very limited, not like the one I was holding indirectly the day before. That was when I realized that Mary performed a miracle on me to make me a believer in the power of the Rosary. That through Her intercession, my prayers can reach the ears of Her Son faster and with more urgency. Now my wife and I pray the Rosary everyday, and when I pray the Rosary it is now from the heart. I am now convinced that Mama Mary loves me and wants me and my wife to go back to Her for intercessory prayers. Thank you Jesus for using your mother, my mother to be closer to Her and most of all to You.