TESTIMONY 10

TESTIMONY 10

Name: Mr. Showry 

Surname: Gode S/o Gode John 

Date of Birth: 01-03-1934 

Profession / Occupation: Retired Police Constable

Birth Place: Vatluru, Eluru, West Godavari District 

Address: Ameenapet, Near Police Maszid, Sanivarapupet Road, Eluru, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh State 

Relationship: Direct Witness; native of Vatluru village. He met Brother Joseph Thamby in Vatluru when he came to visit the village at the invitation of Fr. George Kudilingal, the parish priest.

I was 8 years old and was studying third standard at RCM School in Vatluru village. On that day, bell rang for an interval. I did not know when Brother Joseph Thamby came to our school, but he came to us as soon as we came out of our class rooms. He was speaking in a different slang. He wore all rags. His beard was long and shabby. He was little short in stature. He had a curly hair. I went to him and pulled his long shirt and mocked him calling ‘mad man, mad man’. Hearing the noise of the students, Nandigam Abraham, the head-master of the school came out and asked Brother Joseph Thamby, ‘Who are you? And why did you come here?’ He was angry upon Brother Joseph Thamby who was silent and did not say anything. The bell rang and all the students went back to their class rooms. Brother Joseph Thamby told the head-master that he had come from Peddavutapally and wanted to meet Fr. George, the parish priest of Vatluru. Head-master told that Fr. George went to Peddavutapally and you would have met him there. Brother Joseph Thamby went and sat at the door steps of the presbytery.

Fr. K. George, the parish priest of Vatluru and the other priest Fr. Andrade went to Peddavutapally to attend the feast of Our Lady. After the feast, they watched the stage-drama night and returned to Vatluru next day by train. When Fr. George saw Brother Joseph Thamby, he was so surprised to see him there and wondered how he could reach the place before him as there was no other train earlier than the train they came by. He enquired the head-master about when Brother Joseph Thamby reached the place. Head-master said that he had reached there an hour ago. Later we realized that he was Brother came from Peddavutapally. Our fear vanished and we were friendly with him. He gave us pea-nuts to eat. Actually, there were only a little amount of pea-nuts with him, but he was giving the same amount to all the children from his pocket. He taught us prayers. He told us that when we pray we should kneel down and pray. He used to warn the men in our village who were beating their wives. He also caught the people who were playing cards. Nobody had the courage to say anything against Brother Joseph Thamby. The women in the village began to have a very good opinion about Brother Joseph Thamby.­­

Next day, my father and his companions who were the members in a band-troop came back after their work in Eluru. In the village center, there was a street play. A group of people was telling the folklore story of Ramayana. I also went there to hear the story. Meanwhile a person called Gujjula Venkaiah alias Jwanesu drank alcohol and came there to see the play. Then Brother Joseph Thamby also came there. Seeing Brother Joseph Thamby, many people got up and went away from there. Gujjula Venkaiah remained there and was correcting them as they were uttering some mistakes. Brother Joseph Thamby asked him, “What is your name?” ‘My name is Gujjula Venkaiah’ replied the man. Brother immediately said, “No, your name is Gujjula Jwanesu.” He continued, “Being a Catholic, how can you correct the story?” He asked Jwanesu to open his mouth and show the tongue. When Jwanesu did it, Brother Joseph Thamby made the sign of the Cross on his tongue. Immediately, the man was not able to talk. He could make only some signs. He went home and could not speak anything to his wife.

Next morning, after the Holy Mass, the whole family of Gujjula Jwanesu came to Fr. George and told him all about what had happened last night. Brother Joseph Thamby seeing Jwanesu went inside the house. With signs, Jwanesu showed Brother Joseph Thamby. Fr. George called Brother Joseph Thamby who asked me to tell everything that had happened last night. I narrated everything that had happened last night. Jwanesu fell on the feet of Joseph Thamby and began to cry. Fr. George told Thamby that he knew the power he had, but should not curse anyone but forgive. Then Thamby made the sign of the Cross on his tongue again and he regained the power of speech. Later Jwanesu joined the band troop and was playing the clarinet.

I feel myself blessed to see these miracles directly. 

Gode Showry

Gode Showry