TESTIMONY 26

TESTIMONY 26

Name: Mr. Melchior 

Surname: Madanu, S/o Madanu Showry (Vanta Showry) 

Date of Birth: 26 January 1950 

Profession / Occupation: Retired Teacher 

Address: Avutapally, Unguturu Mandal, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh 

Relationship: Native of Avutapally village, son of Madanu Showry the cook of Fr. J. B. Calderaro, the parish priest of Avutapally. He heard about Brother Joseph Thamby from his father who had direct contact with the Servant of God.

1. Brother Joseph Thamby cured the leg pain of the grandmother of Boyapati Claramma by making the Sign of the Cross. 

2. As told by Nancharamma, the wife of Gogineni Paramdhamayya in Manikonda: their elder daughter, named, Shasheela was cured of paralysis after seeking the prayers of Brother Joseph Thamby. A case against Paramdhamayya was filed out of jealousy by the Lorry Association blaming him that he had taken the money. He has told Brother Joseph Thamby that it was not true and he was innocent. Brother Joseph Thamby, knowing well what is true, appeared to the judge in a dream, and thus proved that Paramdhamayya was innocent. 

3. A person from Dawajigudem suffering from a 4 inch deep wound on his leg came to Brother Joseph Thamby. He licked the wound with his tongue and tied the wound with some kind of leaves and asked him to come after 3 days. After 3 days, when he came, Brother Joseph Thamby was not there and so my father [Madanu Showry] and Fr. Calderaro untied the bandage and found that the wound was completely healed. Fr. Calderaro who had not so much trust in Thamby began to believe him from that day onwards. 

4. During the day time, he never revealed about his spiritual gifts to the people. He always tried not to show in public. But during nights, Brother Joseph Thamby used to pray hours and hours. He seemed to be talking with someone in prayer. He received Stigmata on his body. 

5. According to the witness of Gudise Raja Rao, Thundiguntapadu: once Brother Joseph Thamby was bitten by a snake and the foam was coming from his mouth; he went to the Church praying and he fainted. Everyone there thought he would die, but after some time he got up and he was well. 

6. Brother Joseph Thamby used to feed the people who were coming to the dispensary run by Fr. J. B. Calderaro at Avutapalli parish. He used to feed the teachers who come there for their monthly meetings. Once Brother Joseph Thamby told that there are many guests coming and asked Gottemukkala Anand to prepare food for them. There was no enough rice to cook but still asked him to prepare. After cooking that little rice, Brother Joseph Thamby gave a mat so that rice could be spread on that. For his surprise, there was so much rice enough for all the guests who had come. 

The same person called Anand was a T.B. patient. Once Brother Thamby gave him some leaves to eat so that he will be well. But Anand did not care for it and he threw the leaves away. Thamby observed this and told that you have thrown the leaves and your sickness will not cure. Later, Anand died with the same sickness. 

7. Once Brother Joseph Thamby was cutting a branch of a fruit tree near the house. My father, Mr. Madanu Showry got angry and pulled him down the tree and he fell down on the ground. He told my father that there are worms inside that particular branch and the whole tree can spoil that is why he was cutting down the branch. Indeed, when he had split the branch and there were worms found inside. My father was wondered how he would know that exactly. 

8. Brother Joseph Thamby foretold about his death 3 months before itself. He had told this to so many people. One day my mother, namely Showramma was going to her mother’s house for vacation. Thamby told her not to go and if she goes she would not see his death. She did not listen to him and she went away. When she returned, she found the tomb of Brother Thamby. 

9. On 6 January 1945, while he was evangelizing the Word of God in Manikonda, he was bet with sticks to the bleeding and he returned to Avutapalli and he was bedridden. He died on 15 January 1945. 

10. Teachers went to Telaprolu for a feast. While returning from the feast, Brother Thamby had asked Kanathula Joji Master to take him to Avutapalli by cycle. Joji refused to take him and without telling him he started to go. He was pulling the cycle because there was no air in the cycle tyre. As he was going, suddenly there appeared Brother Joseph Thamby and told him to go riding the cycle. Thinking why he is telling to ride the cycle, since there is no air and to his surprise, when he saw, there was air in the tyre. 

11. One day while Fr. J. B. Calderaro was praying in the Church, Brother Joseph Thamby was disturbing by opening and closing the windows. The priest was angry and bet him with stick and threw the stick out side. Then, the stick turned to a snake. The priest got frightened and was shouting but Brother Joseph Thamby went near him and said do not be afraid, it is only a stick. The priest could not understand how he could see a snake. 

12. Once Kakumanu Balayya was fooling Brother Joseph Thamby about his Stigmata. Thamby asked Balayya to put his fingers in the wounds and see. Balayya found that it was true and asked pardon. 

13. Brother Joseph Thamby had the gift of bi-location. I have heard Boyapati Francis telling about this gift. If he wanted to go somewhere, an invisible hand lifts him up and leaves in the place. This happened in Vatluru and Manikonda villages. 

Madanu Melchior

Madanu Melchior