CATHERINE AND BRUNO TESTIMONY: God still works miracles!

Catherine and Bruno have been converted for many years. They got married on November 27^th 1999, right about a year after they first met. Their testimony, which is an example of faith and perseverance in prayer, will strengthen more than one couple who hopes for a baby.

Dokimos: “Hi Catherine and Bruno! Tell us about what God has done for you.”

Bruno: “We had been married for about a year and a half when we thought we were ready to have a baby.”

Catherine: “I was longing for a child so much that I had everything thoroughly planned out and organized. I had stopped being on the pill and made arrangements to welcome a baby. But the baby wouldn’t come.”

Bruno: “We decided to go and see doctors to take a bunch of
examinations in order to figure out what the problem was.”

D: “What was the diagnosis?”

B: “I was diagnosed with male infertility.”

C: “As for me, they detected fibroids.”

D: “This diagnosis shattered our hopes of having children.”

B: “Absolutely, doctors were explicit, they also introduced to us the “in vitro fertilization” procedure (IVF).”

D: “What was your reaction when hearing the news?”
C: “At first, I could hardly hold back my tears, I asked God: why me?”
B: “As for me, I trusted in God's sovereignty. Besides I embraced the idea of adopting a child, I even wondered if God had not allowed this situation so that we chose adoption.”

D: “What decision did you make?”
B: “What was certain was that it was out of question we chose IVF. We didn’t remotely want to do anything unnatural.”
C: “Therefore, we decided to put our faith into action and not dwelling on men words.”

D: “What about adopting?”
C: “Personally, I’d never considered it, I was waiting on the will of the Lord.”
B: “Finally we were quickly convinced that we had to rise in prayer to have a child naturally.

D: “Was the family aware of the hardships you were going through?”
C: “Not at all, relationships with the rest of the family are rather difficult. They do
not comprehend our faith”.
B: “It's true to say that our faith is deeply disputed. We didn’t say anything because we didn’t
want to give them a chance to criticize God.”
TD: “What was your state of mind during this time of prayer?”
B: “We were ready to accept the will of God.”
C: “But the Lord began to speak to us in various ways and showed us we were on the right path.”

B: “Indeed, not only was God giving us signs, prophecies, but also was speaking through his word. And the message was clear: he was going to give us the child we hoped for and this in a natural ways. So we did like Hannah (1 Samuel Chapter 1). We promised God to dedicate the child he would give us.”

D: And eventually God answered your prayers ...
C: “I remember on a Saturday morning, God had promised me he would answer our prayers. I was so happy that I spent all morning worshiping the Lord. Immediately after the prayer, I felt a pain in the stomach. Going to the toilets, I realized that I had my period. A great sadness invaded me, I felt discouraged. But soon I realized that I shouldn’t accept this sadness, I rose in prayer and I cast out the spirit of despondency. A month later, I noticed I had period delay. We hastily bought a pregnancy test. And to our delight the test was positive.”
B: “It seemed too good to be true, so we went to the doctor who treated our fertility problems.”
C: “The doctor confirmed I was pregnant. I remember the term he used and which was entirely appropriate. He told me that I had a precious pregnancy.

D: “How did the delivery go on?”
C: “I had a Ceasarean section. Bruno was allowed to come with me into the operating room. We were so glad that we kept on laughing despite cesarean section.”
B: That's how after two years of perseverance in prayer, Timothy was born in February 2004.

D: “Did you take away a lesson at all from this trial?”
C: As far as I am concerned, this event was the opportunity of undergoing brokenness. I was that kind of person who loved mapping everything out, I found myself having to rely only on God. I’ve learned to let the Lord direct my life.

D: Do you have any advice for couples who hope for a child?
B: We must trust in the sovereignty of God. We must keep in mind that God doesn’t have to give us children, and if he doesn’t: he must have valid reasons. For example if the couple is called to serve God through many missionary journeys, it is not compatible with having a child. Surely, God is sovereign and almighty!
C: Always accept the will of God despite the moments of doubt or discouragement.
B: Romans 8: 28 reads this: "We know, however, that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."

D: Do you intend to have any other children?
C: We're still in the same state of mind. If God blesses us with another child, it will be a great delight; we wait on the Lord ...
B: Otherwise, we will remain just the three of us, and it will be just fine. May the will of God be done.