My name is Angelinah Peters, I am married to Dr Peters. God has blessed our marriage with peace, harmony and wonderful children; there have been storms along the way but God has always been faithful. We are members of RCCG the Fountain church. This testimony is about my third pregnancy, about how God delivered me from the complications of pregnancy, about how God healed my daughter against all the odds from Down’s syndrome and how Jesus Christ turned all negative predictions into positive. Allow me to sing the following songs before I begin, please join me if you can.
SONGS:
- Olo-ore mi, Olo-re mi o,
kini mafi San fun e, o,
Olo-ore mi (repeat 3times – YORUBA LANGUAGE) - What shall I render, what shall I render,
what shall I render to You Oh LORD,
I will praise Your name, and shout Hallelujah,
what shall I render to you Oh LORD! (Repeat 3times)
I had been pregnant before. My second pregnancy ended with a caesarean section, consequently, It was against medical advice for me to become pregnant again until after two years. This was to allow complete healing to take place. I however did not consider it necessary to employ any contraceptive methods as my husband was away. Shortly after he returned, and before I had time to start any contraception, I became pregnant.
This pregnancy was a surprise to me and a shock to my GP who immediately recommended that I terminate the pregnancy. As a child of God, this was not an option for me. My belief was that God was aware of my situation, if He allowed it; He would see me through it in JESUS’s name.
My GP was not satisfied with my decision, he booked me for several counselling sessions to change my mind but to no avail. At my twenty weeks routine scan the alert level rose to an all new high when the scan revealed that the baby was definitely positive for downs- syndrome! Now it was not just that my life would be at risk if I continued with the pregnancy but that the child will be genetically defective and that my entire family will be thrown into difficulties for the rest of my life as we struggled to care for the baby. It was a bad day, it was very bad news, it was frightening, and it was confusing. I was referred to see a specialist Consultant. The consultant echoed the advice of my GP. After many seriously negative predictions, I was once again offered an abortion as the only plausible and reasonable way out. They were astounded by my response; I told her I rejected them all in the name of JESUS.
I was taken through series of painful tests, on each occasion, they drew fluids from the baby in my womb without using any pain killer because they said the pain killers could affect the baby. I did not let my husband know about this result of Down’s syndrome, for the fear that he might join them to convince me to abort, since he was a Paediatrician as at that time.
On my last appointment the letter came again through the door, this time my husband received the letter from the post man. When he read it, he was shocked and proceeded to persuade me to abort the pregnancy. This was what I feared most, my husband “joining them” and the bad news I dreaded kept pouring out like a volcanic eruption in my ears; again I refused all the options. On a daily basis I laid my hands on my tummy and started confessing the Word of God again and again, and each time I received courage and peace from the LORD. But my husband was seriously afraid because of what he knew, as a doctor, regarding the result. King Solomon said “in much knowledge is much grief” and “the more knowledge the more pain” (Eccl. 1:18 kjv – Cev) because of his pain and grief he will come to me at various times of the day; very early in the morning, in the middle of the night – at any given moment to discuss the situation, but I was adamant. Sometimes it is good to be ignorant – I was not a doctor and I did not have the extensive knowledge he had.
They said the baby might be so damaged and be in a vegetative state for the rest of her life, and that I would have to cater for her, it will be too late to do anything then. A day came that I became very tired of all that I was hearing, I thank God it was Sunday morning, so on my way to church, I prayed that God should please confirm to me that all is well with me and the decision I have made; for I needed this confirmation to carry on. God in His faithfulness and mercy, interrupted the man of God and he said;
“I don’t know who this is for, but the LORD said I should tell you that all things will work together for your good in that decision”
I knew instantly that the Word was for me that day. Without this confirmation I do not know if I could have continued. Also from that day my husband started supporting my decision, he too will wake up in the middle of the night lay his hand on my tummy and pray, we asked the LORD to change the negative prophesy / report to our testimony.
On the day of delivery, which has been pre-booked as usual because it was another Caesarean Section, many Doctors assembled themselves in the theatre to witness the birth of the child, they took the baby out and told me; “she is a girl!” They took her out of the room for series of tests and examinations for hours; they eventually brought her back to us after so many hours and confirmed that they have checked everything thoroughly and now confirmed that the baby is a hundred percent normal.
Jesus Christ answered our prayers He changed everything for our good.
My Consultant then said to me “Woman your God is good!” She was surprised because up to the last test I did, the result was downs- syndrome positive. That was the reason we named her JOYCE! She indeed brought Joy into our family. To God alone be all the glory in JESUS Mighty name; Joyce is sixteen years old this month of September 2012.
Brethren, the Word of God says, I and the children the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders (Isa.8:18) The LORD can change any report to favour His children, all He want us to do is to have Faith in Him and believe that He can do it; He will definitely do it to the glory of His Holy name.
Today, our Joyce is sixteen years old! Glory be to God Almighty!
Joyce, we cover you with the BLOOD of JESUS! In JESUS Mighty name.
ADMONITION:
My Brothers and Sisters, I want you to believe, ” For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37). God will show up for you in that situation in JESUS Mighty name Amen.
Shalom.