We are a family - like normal Christian families - who say our night prayers and rosary and attend Sunday masses believing we are fulfilling our religious obligations. However, as time flew by, my husband started shirking his family responsibilities, and my two teenage sons taking a dislike to their studies and absenting themselves from school. The pressures at home and school had a great impact on everyone - my immediate family and those that came in contact with us. As a result, my husband began keeping away from home, and the children not wanting to come home and eventually failing their IX standard final examination and repeating the class. The home atmosphere became a nightmarish experience - no peace within or without; a place everybody wanted to avoid and no one wanted to come back to.

At the height of all these troubles I attended my first Retreat at DRC in May 1997. Here we were told to forgive everyone, even our worst enemies, which at that time, I found very difficult to do. This unforgiveness blocked the flow of God's love into my heart. A few months later, in October 1997, I attended my second retreat at DRC. This time I completely surrendered to my Lord Jesus, and he helped me to forgive all those who had hurt me. It was then that I found my Lord Jesus, and was filled by the Holy Spirit who began to work in my life.

In 1998, when my children failed Standard IX the second time, the Principal asked us to withdraw them and seek admission elsewhere. Fervent requests for a second chance fell on deaf ears. Here ended my peace of mind; and then started the sleepless nights worrying as to what would become of my teenage children. Questions such as: will they get admission to a good school? will they be labelled dropouts? had their studies come to an end? kept nagging me and I was devastated.

It was during this trying period that I started visiting my local parish church daily. One day, while praying in church, I felt the urge to talk and seek guidance from the parish priest. During one of the counselling sessions, the parish priest told me about a reputed hill station school, and advised me to write to the Principal for admission for my sons. I took his advice and wrote to the school and within a week, received a letter, the Principal asking me to bring the boys for an entrance test. In late April 1998, we drove up to the school with my sons, who had failed the Standard IX final examinations, passed the entrance tests for Standard X with flying colours. After the entrance test, the Principal told us that he didn't know why he had called the boys for the Standard X entrance test. He emphatically told us that he could not consider taking the boys, as it was against the rules of the school to take students in Standards X and XII where they were required to do their Board Examination. At this moment, I wanted to scream, shout and question the Principal as to why he had made us spend so much money to bring the boys for the entrance test when he had no intention of taking the boys.

But somewhere down inside me a voice kept telling me: "Humble yourself, don't talk back. I will bring you here again and your sons will be well taken care of." These soothing words, that entered my heart, restrained me from blowing a fuse, and with a dejected heart, I returned to Bangalore only to receive a letter from the Principal, a week later, instructing us to bring the boys to complete the enrollment formalities. We trekked back to that school with a jubilant heart praising and thanking the Lord Jesus for all HIS mercies and the miracle HE was performing in our lives. The Lord Jesus had opened the door and made a secure place for my sons. Till date, whenever we meet the Principal, he keeps expressing the fact that he does not know why he had enrolled the boys in the school. My boys have created history. In all of 88 years in the history of the school, no student has been admitted into Standard X.

My husband, who attended the retreats at DRC, has also repented. He has turned back to the family and has endeared himself to everyone, spending all his spare time with the family. He has become very caring and considerate and has started taking his family responsibilities seriously. My wonderful Lord Jesus worked yet another miracle in our lives by giving us a third son after a gap of nearly 15 years. A baby boy was born to us on December 17, 1998.

My Lord Jesus opened a door for my sons, brought back my husband, and has given me a wonderful baby boy to bring light and life back into the family. MY HEART REJOlCES IN THE LORD JESUS AND I PRAISE AND THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR SHOWERING YOUR MERCIES ON MY FAMILY.