Page 5 - Good News October 2005 paper

Sandra Annamalai
(018) 296 0835
s a little girl of 4 years I was
with my parents and other
Aworkers in the fields just
outside Durban when a certain
Pastor Rowlands and a few
friends of the Full Gospel Church
of God played and sang Christian
choruses within hearing distance.
To me that sounded so beautiful.
[In later years my brothers,
sisters and I sometimes sneaked
out of the house to go to their
Church in Alpine Road, where my Sandra Annamalai (42) with baby Joshua
brother was the first one of the willing to see me and said that a gastroscopy should
family that eventually got saved]. be performed. He removed some tissues for testing
In the meantime I had a dream at the laboratory in Johannesburg.
about the Red Sea and the exodus On my wedding anniversary, 4 Sept. 1993, I had an
of people being saved by passing urgent call from the hospital telling me to come and
through the Sea. (At that time I see the doctor again. I must admit that I was a bit
had never heard the story as worried, but while standing and talking to the
related in Exodus 14 and 15). sisters, a calmness and peace descended on me
Then one day when I had been to from on high.
the Church the congregation The doctor looked sad and informed me that the
sang the following chorus: results of my tests had come back and that they
"How great is our God found that my oesophagus was malignant and that
How great is His Name there were two other malignant tumours. He
He's the only One immediately referred me to the General Hospital in
Who's ever the same Johannesburg. I was then scheduled for an
st
He rolled back the waters operation for the 21 of September. During the 5 hour
Of the mighty Red Sea operation, the surgeon performed a total
And said, 'I'll lead you gastrectomy and removed 5 cm of my oesophagus.
Put your trust in me.'" A few months after my operation I fell pregnant.
After enquiring, I got a Bible and Being 42 years of age and not very healthy at that
read the history of the Israelites stage, they wanted to abort the foetus. I trusted God
being led by Moses and Aaron. I that the pregnancy would go well and a little boy was
then accepted the Lord Jesus born! A miracle! We named him Joshua. He will turn
Christ as my personal Saviour. 11 in November. Praise God!
(Incidentally, the above chorus In 1996 I had a total hysterectomy and in June of the
has remained my favourite same year I had cancer spread to
chorus through all the years)! my lung. The doctors removed
During 1993 I suffered from half of my left lung. I also had my
heartburn a lot. I did not really gall bladder taken out.
worry about it because I was quite Through all of my trials and
healthy, a loving wife and mother tribulations, God listened to my
to four kids, and very busy with prayers. He never rejected me or
house chores and cooking for my withheld His love from me. He
family and friends. But the sustains me every day of my life.
heartburn persisted and I went to Prayer is not a crutch that helps
see one doctor after the other. me to stand. It is the very legs on
They all said there was nothing which I stand! I praise God
wrong with me. continually for His love and
I had no medical aid but while dr unfailing support!
Naude was performing his duties "Wherein ye greatly rejoice,
at the Provincial Hospital he was though now for a season, if need
be, ye are in heaviness
through manifold temp-
tations: That the trial of
your faith, being much
more precious than of
gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto
praise and honour and
glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ.”
(1 Peter 1:6-7 KJV).
Sandra Annamalai is
available to testify of
God’s sustaining grace
and may be contacted at
Joshua and Sandra (018) 296 0835.