TESTIMONY 58

TESTIMONY 58

Name: Mr. Bala Swamy 

Surname: Dasari 

Date & Place of Birth: 23-02-1929, Allapuram 

Address: Calderaro Nagar, Peddavutapally Village, Unguturu Mandal, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh State 

Relationship: Direct Witness 

Date of Written Witness: 2006

My name is Dasari Balaswamy and from Allapuram. I went for my college studies of Intermediate at Andhra University in Vizag and B.A. in the Madras University. It was in 1943 that I got acquainted with the Servant of God, Brother Joseph Thamby for the first time. He wore a lungi and kurta (Lalchi) which the Tamil people wear. He had the beard too. About his style of life, I can truly bear witness that he was a fervent missionary. He practiced voluntary poverty and went for coolie work in the field with other workers till his last days. He used to visit everyone possible and talk to them about Jesus the Savior. He always mingled with people and taught about Jesus with his limited knowledge of Telugu. The people had a great reverence for him. Because he used to serve the poor people and used to heal the ailments of sick people with some unknown medicine. 

In the region of Avutapalli, there was no Christianity and all were Hindus. Christianity was looked down as the religion of Malas and Madigas. After Brother Joseph Thamby came to Avutapalli, faith in Jesus Christ began to spread. All considered him a Sage and everyone approached him with great reverence. People gave him the freedom to enter their houses. Since I belong to this Church and community, I used to visit the priests there either on Sundays or Fridays. When I came for Mass I saw him several times. 

He was very charitable and sacrificed himself for the suffering people. The servant of God had some special spiritual gift like stigmata. People told me that on Fridays, Brother Joseph Thamby would get five wounds on palms, feet and side. As an educated person, I desired to see his wounds not with love or faith but to verify it. When I came he was sitting in a corner of the room. Some cloths were tied to the hands, feet and side. From the five places blood was oozing out. 

He had also the gift of healing. When he prayed over the sick they were cured and I am witness to an incident of healing. Once I was sitting in the corner of the Church. A certain man came to Brother Joseph Thamby to get cured of a wound on his thigh. It was full of pus and was very dirty to see. I had no special love for him but with a sceptical attitude I watched him. I saw him taking the sick man to the corner of the room and started licking the wound. I spoke to him in English and rebuked him for doing that. He just smiled but said nothing. After two days the man with the wound came to meet Brother Joseph Thamby. The wound was completely healed, I saw it. 

It was known to all that Brother Joseph Thamby prayed and Claramma obtained a male child who is Boyapati Balaswamy. 

Mr. Balaswamy Dasari 

2006