Since God told me that He had already performed what He promised He would do, for me this meant that all of what was happening was unreal (it was in fact a playback to show us how a devil once had us under bondage). What was REAL was that our daughter was HEALED. Therefore, it was clear to me that in order for God to show His powers and to prove that the enemy was defeated, Hadassah had to go through surgery. So, I then became like the Shunamite woman. I kept my faith and said nothing about the surgery to anyone. I refused to listen to different voices that could influence our decision and bring down the faith I had in what we believed to be the way God was leading us.
Surgery took place in October, and was performed by the same physician (the doctor that we asked God to use as an instrument for His glory). That morning, when we arrived in the operation area, we were amongst many parents who came in with very young children, many of them little babies, for surgery. We sat there in the private waiting room feeling very calm. However, we saw many parents waiting for surgery in tears. I thought to myself, “Are we normal?” We had no fear and perhaps no true acknowledgment of what was taking place, because we had placed all our trust in God. So, I felt the burden to pray for these children and asked God to pour the anointing that was on Hadassah over them too.
Hadassah has an immense faith in God. In fact, her positive attitude contributed to strengthening our faith. We learned a lot about faith from her. Minutes before she went into the operation room, she asked me, “Mom, why am I here? Why do doctors think I’m sick? I am not sick.” (for this was firm in her mind from the onset: she was not sick). I told her, “You’re right, you’re not sick and you will go in that operation room and show them.” So, she did. When we got inside the operation room (I went in with her), Hadassah was calm and walked quietly towards the operation bed. This was unusual to the fits she’d have every time she had to be sedated for examinations. So, I watched this child faithfully walk into that room not knowing much of what would take place (because we only told her the doctors would be removing that “bobo” from her stomach). She quietly got up on the bed and layed down without crying or speaking and just looked at me, trusting. You can’t imagine what I felt. So, I leaned down and kissed her forehead. I made sure to place the prayer cloth next to her, and walked out of the room. Then, I could no longer feel my body, and my emotions suddenly turned into rage! We had a mission. We couldn’t sit there and just wait. We had to fight the enemy.
So my husband and I went inside the hospital’s chapel to PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens). By 3 PM, I sent a prayer request to brothers and sisters (VGR had received many from us), asking to pray now as Hadassah was still in the operation room. By 3:23 PM, the nurse called from the operation room to update us and told us that everything was going well, although there was still a while more to go. We praised God, waited and kept praying. At some point, I realized that many of the parents we had been with from the beginning had left. We witnessed their doctors give them favorable reports about their child’s successful surgery. Yet, we found ourselves to be the last parents there in the waiting room – the very last. I sobbingly thought, “Oh Lord, let our doctor come to us too and tell us that all is well.” Only, God then made me realize that the reason we were last was to witness that He also poured His anointing that he covered Hadassah with on these children too, just like we asked Him to.
After ten (10) hours of surgery, the doctor finally came out and confidently said, “It’s done, It’s all out!” He told us how content he and his staff were with the entire procedure and asked us if we wanted to see a photo of the tumor. When he showed us a mass which was about 15 cm long and wide, we were in shock to think that such a big mass had been inside of our daughter’s little body! We marveled at God’s work. We can’t say it enough: God is AMAZING! He guided these doctors through every step of the process. He opened a passage, enabling them to detach the mass from vital vessels without damaging any organs. Praise God!
We’ve been rejoicing and bubbling with joy over this victory. Only three days after surgery, Hadassah could sit up in bed and was already responsive and active. On the 5th day post-surgery she was able to walk with assistance. On the 7th day post-surgery, our little girl was determined and able to walk alone. Given her progress, she was discharged from the hospital and sent home in one week post-surgery.
Overcoming faith’s greatest enemy
Let me end by telling you that FEAR is EVIL. Don’t ever let it consume you. The moment you feel it coming over you, attack it! I thank God for giving my family and I perfect strength throughout this entire trial. As we reached the end of the course, a couple of days before Hadassah’s surgery, I was suddenly invaded with this spirit of fear. I’ll never forget the feeling of how tortured I felt inside of me with fear. Yet, I couldn’t let my family know, because I was afraid and I would transfer fear unto them. So, I fought that demon alone. I entered my room in prayer, took authority over it, knowing that I possess the gates of the enemy, and severely rebuked that evil spirit of fear out of me, telling him he had no authority over me. I knew that Victory Day was near, hence why the enemy was attacking me. But I resisted as the Word of God teaches to: Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Fear left me.
Being a wife and a mother, my focus was to keep my household stable and under a positive atmosphere. Without God’s strength, I truly believe that the course of my journey would have been different. Sometimes I felt inhumane because I just kept on living as normally as I could, and continuously claimed and believed that all was well. Deep down I knew that God had it all under His control. So much so that our family and friends could not really grasp what we were going through. Whatever emotion I needed to let out happened in a secret place, between God and me!
It’s special to speak to Him and hear Him answer back. I reached new heights and thank God for this trial and the living testimony He gave me, my husband, and my children, most specially, Hadassah.
Katalayi Family
Canada