I am Mrs Shoba Rao, residing along with my family at Punaroor village, Dakshina Kannada District. We are four in the family, my husband, Srinivas Udaya Rao, and my two children Shreyas and Shravan. We belong to a poor Brahmin family and only my husband earns for daily bread, being a driver; yet we are a happy family.
I was suffering from `stomach cancer` from October, 2013 and was under medication, going through all types of tests as per the advice of my doctors. Yet, a few months ago, my pain in the stomach was unbearable. Hence my husband brought me to the nearest hospital - `Concetta Hospital, Kinnigoly` and met Dr Sr Jeevitha. After seeing me she advised me to be admitted for a few days in the hospital. I was in the female general ward. Here the doctors and nurses were very kind and loving and they made me happy by their encouraging words and compassion. Besides these, Sr Noreen an elderly sister, who visits the patients daily, used to come to me and made me comfortable by her loving words and assurance of prayer.
One day my pain was unbearable, I asked one of the nurses to pray over me and to apply any of the holy oils on my stomach. At once she sent word to Sr. Noreen who came with the holy oil, lovingly applied on my stomach and made a special prayer for me. She also read the prayer through their Bethany Founder, The Servant of God –R.F.C. Mascarenhas, which they recite everyday for the cause of his Beatification and made me to kiss his holy picture. I really liked the spontaneous prayer which Sr Noreen made with such devotion and trust in God. I felt so happy that I believed surely I will be completely healed from this sickness. So I asked her to give me that prayer and I started saying the same prayer everyday with faith in God. Now, I say this prayer by heart.
Within a few days, I came to Concetta Hospital again along with my husband to meet Sr Noreen and to tell her that I am surely healed through her prayer and specially the prayer to Founder. I say everyday in faith. Sr Noreen and some other sisters of Maryvale Convent, Kinnigoly too were praying for my speedy recovery everyday. From 2014 May onwards I do not take any medicine. My doctor has told that I am fully healed.
I thank my God whole heartedly for curing me through Bethany Founder, The Servant of God, R.F.C. Mascarenhas. Today I came here to give my written statement to be published in the half yearly magazine `The Compassionate Pastor`. I will continue to pray the same prayer everyday that the Servant of God R.F.C. Mascarenhas, may be raised to the sainthood. May God be praised.
Shoba Rao, Punaroor
