By Peter Barry

I was in hospital in Hong Kong following a hip operation. One evening a man in obvious pain was wheeled in. I thought, ‘poor guy I wonder what’s happened to him’. His complaints grew worse, it was clear that the injections were having little effect. It began to upset the whole ward.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of other things. Then a nurse’s voice in my ear said, “Mr. Peter I think you can help this man who is suffering. He is Western person, you can speak to him, help take his mind off his pain. The injections are no help to him”. I was still very weak myself and had only taken a few steps walking in a frame the day before. But with help I managed the distance to the bed where this big muscular Western man in “T” Shirt and shorts lay writhing in pain. He spoke in a broad London cockney accent. His pain was from his back, but the doctors hadn’t been able to diagnose what the problem was. I left him still in great pain and had to stagger back to bed as my hips were starting to hurt. As the evening wore on the noise slowly died down and the ward slept through the night peacefully.

Next evening at about the same time the man started moaning again. It went on and on. I had my eyes closed turning my mind to other things when I hear the nurse’s voice in my ear, “I think you can help this man, we can give him no relief from his pain.” The man was moving his head from side to side, “I can’t believe any pain can be like this” he said. As we had both lived in Hong Kong for many years we had lots to talk about and gradually his pain seemed to ease. In my own discomfort I said good night and went to bed.

Incredibly as it may seem, on the next evening the same thing happened. The Nurse’s voice, “ I think you can help” and this time I simply replied “OK, lets go.” Then for some unknown reason I noticed the small bottle of ‘Lourdes Water’ on the shelf above my bed, which my wife Ling had put there.

“Maybe” I thought and took the bottle in my hand. The man was in great pain when I got to his bed. His back was arched and his leg distorted with cramp, tears were streaming from his eyes. “I would like to put some ‘Lourdes Water’ on you, if you don’t mind.” He replied, Anything, I’ll try anything”. I’ve never administered anything to anyone except cough mixture to my children but I unscrewed the top and put a big blob on his chest and sprinkled some down his leg. The nurses were busy with him so I went round a corner and prayed, “Dear Lord, I don’t know this man, but, I know you do. I do not know whether or not you wish to take his great pain away, but if not for him, how about for me? Can you do it for me so that I may witness your wonderful healing power through your Mother. You did say, “ask and you shall receive”, well, I am asking now, please”.

I turned and went back to Mathew, his leg had gone back to normal, he was totally relaxed and all his pain had gone. He saw me over the people around him, he lifted up his head and with a total look of disbelief on his face he asked “What was in that water?” I could not answer and simply shuffled back to my bed saying, “Deo Gratias, Deo Gratias’ over and over again.

Next morning I saw him at the far end of the ward and he gave me an enthusiastic wave. I thought this was the end of the story, but four weeks later, a little twist occurred. I had to go back to the ward to see the surgeon who operated on me. The man was still in the same bed. His problem had been diagnosed and he had undergone a very tricky 6-hour spinal operation and was on the road to recovery. We talked a little and I thought he might have mentioned the incident of the ‘Lourdes Water’ but not a word; I even prompted him with a loaded question: “are you in any pain now?” But no, not a mention. I often wonder what an impact, if any, the incident had on him! It was obvious for me that the second half of my prayer had been answered…. It was all for my benefit! Deo Gratias!

Peter Barry lives in Hong Kong and sent this account of his illness through a friend in Preston, Mr Brian Latham