"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases." Psalm 103:3
In 1988, it was just a few months after I came with our little girl, Purnima, to the Khulna Adventist School on the bank of the Rupsha River in Khulna District with my husband.
One day, within two hours' time, a tidal wave flooded our house with two feet of water. It was nothing to the Khulna city-people, but it was a very new experience for us. Within 45 minutes the water began to go down, and we were busy cleaning and drying inside and outside the house. After finishing all the cleaning and drying, I took a bath and was mending some leftover things. I realized that my left toe was itching. I started scratching it with my right heel. I was feeling good! Soon I recognized my toe was burning so I looked down. There was no skin at all and my toe was bleeding. At once I ran and cleaned my foot with warm salt water and put ointment there and went to see a doctor. I didn't get good results.
The treatments continued one after another—allopathic, ayurveddic, hornio—nothing was left. In 1991, with a three-month-old baby boy, our second child, we went to Bangladesh Adventist Seminary and College (BASC) so my husband could complete his college education as a married student. It was a great blessing from God for which we had been longing for for many years.
At BASC, I decided to get medical treatment from a special doctor at Kanta Homeo Hall in Kaliakoir. But the infection grew bigger and bigger.
When my husband finished college, he was transferred to a village mission school named Bisherkandi SDA School in Barish al District. The water was very poisonous for my foot. Within seven days, my two legs were very uncouth, loathsome to look at. I couldn't believe those were my legs! My feet were now ulcerated.
Prayers, crying, and treatment continued, but there was no cure. The ulcer spread to my hands. The sore became worse. I can't explain how dreadful it was. Often I used to roll myself on the floor and look at the picture "Jesus on the Cross." I found His stretching hands willing to help me. His sympathetic eyes were upon me. I found a touch of comfort. I stared at fearful and doubtful Peter who was drowning in the water, whom Christ held up and saved from drowning. At once I felt that if Peter was saved, why not me! Yes, He never wants me to be lost. So I told my Savior that just as Peter was drowning, I'm also drowning in the abyss of sin and staggering faith, and that's why I'm not getting cured. But You didn't let Peter be lost forever.I know You would never let me be lost in the abyss of my sin. I saw myself in the place of the woman who had the issue of blood for 12 years. Certainly I would be cured by my Lord Jesus.
It was Saturday. We had just gotten home from church when our children turned on the television. I reminded them that it was Sabbath. They replied, "Yes, Mother, but there is a Jesus film on TV now, from His birth to His death." All of our family joined the children. I watched every scene very attentively. Each scene touched my heart, especially the one where Jesus walked with the heavy cross on His back on the way to Golgotha. I was strongly moved by the story of the lepers who were out of society until they were cleansed from sin and had no sores or ulcers on their bodies. My heart was broken and tears came down my cheeks. Lord, I'm a sinner, and for me, You are on the cross. It's me for whom You shed every drop of Your blood on the cross. I know You will make me whole because I'm Your prodigal daughter.
Two days later, Mr. D. Samadder, father of a student named Santo, came to my husband and said that my husband should talk with Santo's mother. My husband forgot the matter. Then Santo's mother came to me in the classroom where I was checking student's CT notebooks and talking with guardians. Mrs. Nomita told me that her child Santo always requested her to pray for his teacher so Jesus would cure her painful legs. If she forgot to say Madam's name in prayer, Santo would whisper in her ear, "Mother, please pray for my teacher."
Also, Santo requested that she should take his teacher to the hospital and talk to her doctors. And so I talked to my husband and set dates to go to the hospital where Santo's mother worked. First, she took me to her ward-doctor in charge, Dr. Sagir. He was a nice man. Though I was a nurse and a teacher, still I didn't hesitate to say that I really had lost my faith in doctors and medicine during the ten years of experience. The doctor was very hospitable and respectful. He did not show any displeasure with me. But he was very humble and asked me to take his treatment for one week, if that failed, he would refer me to a skin specialist. After one week, I was referred to Dr. Nazrul Islam. Sister Nomita explained everything beforehand to Dr. Nazrld, that I was very irritable with doctors and medicine. She mentioned that I was the teacher of her husband and at present was her child's class teacher.
Dr. Nazrul was very sympathetic and agreed to take a biopsy before he gave me any medical treatment. Three times he did the biopsy test to be very sure that he was right. After the final test, he told me that he could give me a treatment. He gave me a tablet and an ointment to use for one month. The doctor was very patient with me. You can't imagine God's kindness and boundless love and mercy. Miraculously, my ulcerated feet dried and cleared up. I was full of gratitude for my loving God. And it's my gratitude saying for the Lord:
When I remember you
In all my distress and sorrow,
You just stretch out your hands;
I stay at peace in your soft lap.
When I was without food,
You gave me all I needed—
Endless love forever,
Always found everywhere.
Though it's ten years of time
Stricken with dislike, shame, a squalid life
Never hurt, never refused
The only race I ever found.
Now as it's my turn out
I'm to leap and shout It's me that
His touch made me healed.