Sunday, October 14, 2001 5:18 PM
A Welsh testimony
This testimony has just been received from Diana Morgan.
I was born in 1944 and had a traumatic childhood. Run over by a lorry and dragged along by its wheels at the age of 3, I received head injuries and subsequent paralysis for five months. I recovered but soon developed whooping cough and gastro-enteritis simultaneously – a combination that nearly killed me. I faced substantial bereavement and, unsurprisingly, because a sad, shy child and adolescent. I trained to be a teacher but, whilst at college, had several breakdowns which necessitated hospitalisation. Childhood trauma had played a large part in this but I was diagnosed with a depressive illness and a type of epilepsy (probably dating from the accident).
I had also developed severe asthma and allergic conditions so the fact that I emerged from all this married – and had a healthy baby – was miraculous. Following our daughter’s birth, I faced a few minor gynaecological operations and my asthma was extremely bad, necessitating treatment with steroids. In l976, I discovered that I was pregnant
again. I felt intuitively that I was further on in the pregnancy than
the dates suggested – and I was right. I was already in mid-term. I
saw a Consultant who felt that there was little option open to me. I
went into hospital and, because of my fragility, had to wait three weeks before I was strong enough to undergo a Caesarian section. Simultaneously, I was sterilised to ensure that no more pregnancies occurred. I was completely devastated and it took a long time for me to heal physically – and much longer emotionally.
When I was stronger, I hoped that life would be more settled. In 1979 – just days before Christmas – I was knocked over by a drunken driver. As I crossed the road at a pelican crossing with the ‘green man’ light on.
He was driving so fast that I was thrown in the air before landing on
the ground. A few people thought I was dead. Not quite! But I had
four fractures in my right leg, a double fracture of my jaw, lacerations
needing minor facial surgery, a dislocated elbow and generalised severe
bruising. It was nearly a year before I could walk again. In the
years following that, I contracted dysentery and needed a hysterectomy.
More recently, I have been diagnosed with an under-active thyroid gland and high blood pressure.
What has all this to do with religion and Vassula?
My grandparents were Welsh Non-Conformists. My mother became an Anglican – but I never settled in any church.
In the mid-eighties, I did find a church (High Anglican) that suited me and my faith became important. I started a little prayer group in my home with two friends. Sometimes, we would have a ‘word’ or a ‘picture’ and felt that these were given to encourage us. Then I stumbled across the story of Medjugorje and the True Life In God Messages. With bated breath, we saw how the ‘words’ and ‘pictures’ were in keeping with what had been given to Vassula – though ours were on a very small scale.
Naïvely, we wrote to Vassula and asked if she could visit us. We received no answer.
Three years later, a young man working for Ewa Allan rang me out-of-the-blue and asked if I would like to organise a visit to Wales
when Vassula was in the U.K. My immediate response from the heart was
‘Yes’. I told the two friends and we began the work. Predictably, it
was fraught with problems. Anthony Jeremy and his family became
involved too – and Vassula arrived on September 20th, 1997.
How have the Messages affected me? In so many ways! It is
extraordinary how this Love Hymn grows. Its simplicity appeals. When
Vassula is reminded so often – You, Me, Us – I almost by-passed it
initially because of its child-like nature. Yet that very simple
invitation so often sustains me. When I’m low or ill or lost – or
happy! I’m not alone. I carry on my journey – Him with me, me with
Him, Us together.
And such excerpts as the one given on 18.5.1987: « I love you daughter. Yes, in spite of your wretchedness remember, talk to Me. »
Meeting Vassula affected me greatly. She was so serene, gentle, unassuming – yet totally single-minded. She spoke for over an hour in Cardiff without a break and had the complete attention of everyone. [this talk can be listened to on the web site at: /soundmediap.html ]
She spoke with authority yet gentleness. Whenever I hear her answering questions, I feel ‘Jesus would reply like that’. I can understand people’s caution. Through the Messages, Vassula herself warns about false prophets, but anyone who hears her speak and present the Messages must surely recognise Truth?
After Vassula’s visit, we were exhausted because of all the difficulties we had encountered. One member of our little group moved away to live. In due course, the two of us who were left began a True Life In God Prayer Group in Cardiff which meets every six weeks. It was a real act of faith to begin it but it has been wonderful to see people coming and gaining more and more from the Messages.
When Vassula requested witnesses and organisers this year, my friend and I forwarded our names – as did Anthony Jeremy. As I write this, we are preparing to welcome Mary Harrison and, God willing, to welcome Patrick Douglas next year.
Dear True Life In God family, please pray for me and my family. Our marriage has survived for thirty years through all the ill health and accidents. Our daughter, now married, is expecting her first child at the end of January 2002. Thank you and God bless you all.
