Praise the Lord!

This is a testimony about the Faithfulness of our Living God and how God is truly present in our lives.

I suffered a massive heart attack in 2009, followed by another episode in 2012, which resulted in me getting an internal defibrillator implanted. I managed a fairly normal life with this until last October, when it started to go off very frequently, making it necessary for me to get hospitalised each time. I also could sense I was getting weaker. My Cardiologists started suggesting that they may have to look into the option of a Heart Transplant. When he broke the news to both me & Shamika, we surrendered it to God who has been with me throughout my life. We had complete Trust in Him that he will never leave us and will do the best for me and my family.

My main desire was to Serve Him and I kept on saying this to him. All my Family, my Friends, CRL family and my Church Community were praying a lot for me and my family, which helped in strengthening our faith. They all interceded for me during every step of the way.

In January this year after extensive investigations, my specialists decided that a heart transplant was the best option for me, but I was on the borderline to fulfill the required criteria for a transplant. While in Hospital early January, Lalith Thaththa, Mercia Amma & few CRL members prayed for my healing via zoom, which gave me a lot of affirmation, that Jesus is in control of my situation. I was ready to accept His will as the best for me and I kept telling Him of my burning desire to serve Him more.

One Friday afternoon my Specialist called me & confirmed that I was being added to those awaiting a heart transplant. When I enquired how many were there in the current list at the time, I was told that I will be the 27th, which meant it might take a few months or years. Again, we surrendered this to God and continued praying about it leaving everything at the feet of Jesus.

However, my wife Shamika said it’s better to keep a bag packed, as she felt that Jesus may be having a heart ready for me.

On Sunday afternoon I received a call from a “No Caller Id” saying she is calling from St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney and said “We might have a Heart for you, can you come to the hospital as early as possible? “I was so stunned and thought this might be someone playing a prank on me. But it was real. My family was also so surprised; they started Praising & Thanking God then & there.

Dr. Sunimalee and her whole family came over to pray with us, so did one of our friends who joined us. In the meantime, I was informed by hospital I didn’t have to rush, but to come after dinner as the surgery was scheduled for Monday morning. This was even strange news. We had a beautiful time of Prayer, I received the words from Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a New Heart and put a new Spirit in you”. We prayed for the Donor and his Family too. My Prayer was again, Lord my desire is to serve you more, if it’s your wish let it happen.

I felt very calm, I was able to call my Boss and handover all my work as well.

Just then as I was getting ready to go to hospital my Defibrillator started triggering nonstop. Shamika held me and started praying. She saw me collapsing and she screamed the name of “JESUS” and no sooner I heard this I had raised my head & then I too had started repeating the name of “JESUS”. Our Children who came running to the scene, also started calling on the name of “JESUS” , urging me to keep repeating Jesus’ Name. The whole house was echoing with the Holy & ever Powerful name “JESUS”. This was probably the most scary moment in my life, I felt as if it was a time between life & death. By this time paramedics had arrived and were attending to me.

Later I got to know how the Holy Spirit had been leading my family blessing them with his Peace during this eventful night.

Even the paramedics were so surprised that I was conscious and even greeted them, as they expected to see me lifeless, in the state of Ventricular Arrhythmia, known as VT. They tried their best to stabilise me and finally were able to transport me to St. Vincent’s Hospital via Ambulance.

Dr Sunimalee who witnessed all what was happening at home, later told us, “Wiranjan, Jesus had the heart ready just in time when your own heart was about to stop. He defeated death in your life on that day, and held your heart together, in the most miraculous way until you were taken to hospital.’

As Romans 10:13 says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” He saved me. Praise the Lord!!!

Even after I was taken to hospital the young members of our community had a time of intercession in the night via zoom. I felt so Blessed and Touched when I heard this.

God was so good He somehow got Shamika down to the hospital ICU after getting special approval around 1.30 am, to be with me before I left for the operation. I didn’t know about all this at the time, but I was thinking to myself if I could see her even for a little while before I go as I was undergoing a major surgery. God read my mind and I was so delighted to see her in the ICU near my bed. We prayed together as a family, children joining via a Facetime call.

Even the Doctors were amazed to find out that I was getting the transplant in less than 72 hours after been placed in the waiting list. One specialist exclaimed, “this is a record”!!
As Matthew 19:26 says “With God all things are Possible”.

God took complete control over everything, the surgery had gone on for 7-8hrs, it was a great Success, and everything fell into place at the right time according to God’s perfect timing. The hospital staff went beyond their call of duty to keep Shamika and children informed of my progress every few hours. This was so precious as they couldn’t visit me in hospital due to covid restrictions. The staff showed so much love and care towards all of us.

Everyday my family heard some amazing story about my recovery from the medical staff, who themselves were so impressed about my progress. While I was in hospital God gave me many chances to minister to people around me, both patients and staff, sharing God’s love with them.

One night while in hospital after I logged off from Wednesday intercessory prayers there was a patient next to my bed, who was very sick. He was shouting in pain and lots of doctors and medical staff were attending to him. I was led to pray for him. I just said the word “JESUS” and commanded “In the name of Jesus the pain to go away and him be healed completely”. Next morning I enquired about that patient thinking that they would have transferred him to ICU. The nurse said he fell sleep and wasn’t in much pain anymore and was doing a lot better. He was discharged couple of days after. Praise the Lord!”.

Day by day I started improving with God’s mercy & grace, of course the road to recovery has been somewhat bumpy but progressive. I am doing my part diligently as my desire is to get back to the passion in my heart, serving The Lord. God’s hand is seen in every step of my recovery, even Doctors are amazed.

We are ever so grateful to the Lord for placing us in this Community. He led us in this Journey for all these years teaching us many lessons through Lalith Thaththa & the Elders of CRL, preparing us to face this time of trial. We were given the opportunity to put them into practice and Holy Spirit led us in the right direction & Blessed Mother & St. Joseph were standing by us always.

This Community had been a great strength to me and my family, we experienced the oneness and the support in every way. Being there to lend a hand whenever we needed. Continuous prayers, words of Comfort and sending messages with God’s promises, checking up on us regularly and even going to pick our groceries as we were home bound for 3 months.

This is one of God’s promises I received from one of our community members soon after my surgery – Isaiah 43 :4 “Since you are Precious & honoured in my sight, and because I Love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I’m with you.”
… and here I am Testifying to God’s Glory. He is a Living & a Loving God. His promises are not just limited to the Bible but are more alive than we believe. If I can give you one thing from my experience it is that God has a plan for each one of us. It might not be the very plan we prefer, but always proves to be the best one for us. All we have to do is just place our complete trust in Him and have patience as he will fulfil his promises in his Perfect Time.

All Glory to God alone! Hallelujah!
May God Bless you and your families abundantly and keep you all safe in his loving care.
Praise the Lord!!!