My daughters told the doctor that they would pray and God will bring me through so I can experience a better quality of Life. For the next 2 days my daughters tried creating lasting memories and I prepared myself to meet my God. I was truly at peace.

On the morning, the 9th of May, we said our goodbyes and  I was pushed to the theatre.  Only much later I thought of how my daughters must have felt, not knowing if it was their last goodbye to their mommy.

I don’t know if it was while I was operated on or if it was during the next 4 days kept under sedation that the following happened.

In my mind I was struggling to get someone to help me decide if I should have the operation or not. I asked my daughters, my friends, the pastors and even the surgeons but no 2 people gave the same answer.

I accepted that no earthly being could give me the answer which I so desperately needed to help me make a final decision. Then a few verses from Scripture came to mind:

Jeremia 1: 4, 5-  before you were born I have called you….

Psalms 139:13,14  – You are the one who knitted me together in my mother’s womb … I  am wonderfully and fearfully made.

With this in mind I decided to go directly to God.  Only the One who knows every cell in my body would know what I should do.

I felt myself rising into a misty cloud. I was slowly gliding through the sky as if on the wings of an eagle, going higher and higher. Suddenly I felt God’s presence. In His mercy He kept me in the cloud, for if I had seen His face I might have died instantly.

Strangely I didn’t ask God if I must undergo the operation or not. No I remembered that Cecelia asked me to promise I will come back to them. So I asked: “God should I fall asleep and rest with my husband, Dennis, in death or should I Live”?

Remember it would have been easier to just close my eyes, not knowing or feeling anything. No need to go through the pain and months of recuperation that was lying ahead  God didn’t give me an answer but invited me to go with Him.  He wanted to show me something.

At first I saw a transparent  human body larger than life.  I watched and saw how each organ, nerve and muscle worked together  and how the blood flowed through the veins.  A woman was moving her fingers through what looked like tiny red tentacles inside the body. I could not understand why she was there and why she was doing what she did. She explained it was necessary to prevent them from  getting stuck together, for if it does, the person would die.

I was so fascinated by this that I wanted my daughter to take a photo so I could show my grandchildren how wonderfully they are made. Needless to say the photo was never taken😄.

• It was a few months later when I realized that the woman who were regulating the blood flow through that body could only have been an angel, who made sure that no blood clots would be formed within mÿ body. For that was one of the problems that could have caused my death. During such an operation all the blood is drained from the patient’s body and later pumped back. This vision could have been God’s way to ensure me He was with me during the operation.

Later God  led me to a huge building, larger than any Mall. Inside were skeletons and people who did everything vulgar that you can think of.  There were others who tried to get in by the huge wooden door but they were prevented by the strength of the door.  I saw more people standing at the windows, peering in. Some were laughing, others shook their heads, but didn’t go away. I felt someone bumping me and I saw a crowd of people passing me in the street. They were not even looking at the Mall, and made as if they haven’t noticed the  people banging at the door,  or those standing at the windows.  I wondered why God showed me all this?  Before I could ask He took a huge sheet and threw it over the whole building. He then said: “My child, I don’t want you to be concerned about those on the inside, for I will deal with them.” .

• In other words those outside of the building were my concern!

I think God gave me these 2 visions to guide me in making the ultimate choice

Only then I remembered that God did not answer my question. So I repeated it. I can still hear His tender voice: “My child,  I created you with the ability to make your own decisions”.. But then He added: “you can go to your final earthly rest with Dennis, but  if you decide to live you will be a living example and prove to an unbelieving world  that I  can and still do  perform miracles”.

Five days after my operation I opened my eyes. In front of me I saw  tears in the eyes of my smiling daughters. It was smiles of joy. The first thing I said was: “ I am going to live!,”

Cecelia reminded me: “Mommy you promised. And a promise is a promise,”

Mornay, my youngest knew what difficult time was lying ahead so she asked her eldest sister, Ammarentia, to make a card with these words on. It was placed at the end of my bed to encourage me daily to keep on fighting to live. 

This experience has not only let my faith grow, but thank God, also the faith of my daughters.

After my first heart operation In 2009 I was back in church within 2 weeks. This time it was uphill for 5 months. But God was at my side. I think it was impossible for God to  forget about me because so many prayers reached His throne daily. How could I have died if my loved ones, my friends, pastors and above all, if the whole Helderberg Primary school’s children prayed to God for my recovery when I went into the theatre that morning?!

It is now 3 and a half years later. I am God’s miracle. Yes He is a God of miracles and I know He can bring life back into a body that was technically dead.  Today I know God has given me new life with a purpose. Not only to tell my grandchildren how wonderfully they are made, but I must tell others that God wants them to come to Him, so He can perform a miracle in their lives by giving them a new heart filled with love first for Him, but also for others.

God’s love and care has not stopped after the operation. He gave me so much more! During these 3 and a half years God has blessed me with 2 beautiful and healthy great-grandchildren, a girl and a boy. So even if I die tomorrow, the years, the days, and the hours which God has granted me so far can still be considered a MIRACLE!

A week later, a friend of mine in Durban phoned me and asked that I should come to her as she has an important surprise for me. I travelled there and the surprise? more than a month’s supply of groceries! A week later, my sister sent another fifteen hundred rand. We could now start paying our bills. However, our medical funds payment of six thousand rand per month was not as yet paid [my chronic payment alone each month is six thousand rand, and after that, my husband’s payment in addition to that!] My husband travelled to the Pharmacy to fetch our medication for the month we hoped that we had as yet not been put on suspension to receive the medication. After awhile he phoned me, telling me that he was able to obtain everything, and that without paying the usual four hundred rand due by us.

Two days later we received a donation the amount? Eight thousand six hundred rand, with which we could pay our medical fund. Two days later, my sister sent another seventeen hundred rand! Each time these wonderful things happened to us, I sank down in tears upon my knees to thank my Redeemer! From January this year, my husband and I have been earnestly studying the Bible, and our relationship with Father God has grown so much! I am prepared to give everything to Him. My relationship I have with my earthly father, I now have with my Heavenly Father, too. Even though satan attacks me, I have no fear though, God is on my side. I know Who will win. I have peace,

Love Yolandi Marais.