Testimonial

I am Winnie Mira Reyes, born in Calumpang, Marikina City, married and with two children. I married a Tanayan, Carlos Reyes, and  I have been residing in Tanay since 1984. I was born a Catholic and I always go to mass, especially on Wednesdays to pray novena to our Mother of Perpetual Help.

I started praying novena to St. Ildefonso when my husband was applying for work abroad. I fervently asked St. Ildefonso to help my husband because we were really so hard up during those times. He was then working in Standard, a shop jn Tanay owned by Ka Peping.  Whenever he had extra money to pay for transportation, he went to Manila to submit biodata and other requirements to various agencies.  And by God’s graces, through the intercession of St. Ildefonso and the Virgin Mary, my husband was able to work abroad. 

One of the most difficult times in my life was when my youngest child contracted dengue fever. Her chances of survival was almost 50/50. Because my husband was not around, I painfully carried the burden alone. I went to church almost everyday to pray for the healing and safety of my daughter. Thankfully, God heard my prayers. She was healed. I was also thankful to St. Ildefonso and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

That was the time I decided to work in the Church and serve the Lord. I became an usherette. My two daughters were always with me when I was serving in Church. Eventually, my eldest daughter  got married and they were blessed with three kids. Our life was good.

But there will always be trials and challenges in life that one has to go through. In 2021, my eldest daughter suffered a stroke at the age of 35. I could not think of anything when it happened until I found myself inside the Church. There at the altar I prayed hard and begged St. Ildefonso to help me pray for my daughter. I even asked if I could take the place of my daughter as she was still young and with three young kids at that. I even became more desperate and cried a lot when the doctor said that there was bleeding in her brain as shown in the CT Scan. My eyes almost dried up in crying and as I was thinking where to get the money for the operation. While I was serving in  Church  I prayed to St. Ildefonso to intercede to the Lord for her healing.  I also did not want her  to undergo the operation because the doctor said it was not certain if her  condition would improve.  I earnestly begged St. Ildefonso that if my daughter was to live, she did not need to have the operation.

The following day, my son in law called me and informed me that my daughter would no longer be operated on as it could be cured by medicine. Upon hearing this, at that same hour at noontime, I immediately went to church to thank God. By that time, my daughter had been confined in the hospital for almost a month. We were also thankful to my daughter’s co-teachers who helped in a lot of ways especially financially. By God’s healing mercy, she was discharged from the hospital in better condition although not totally ambulatory.

My daughter had not been fully healed yet because she still could not move her right arm and she could not yet walk properly when another challenge came. Because of the two years of pandemic, I was not able to have the cyst in my breast checked. It was only in 2022 that I had it examined. When results of the  biopsy came out I was told my left breast had to be removed. I have Stage 3 CA and I would need chemotherapy and radiation. Even when I still could not move about due to the operation, I told my husband I wanted to go to mass. 

When I was at the altar I begged the Lord to cure me of my illness. I told St. Ildefonso and the Virgin Mary to ask the Lord for my healing. I believed that even without chemotherapy, I would be healed if the Lord would grant my plea for healing.

I am grateful that I reached my age at 70 years old, and it would be a bonus if I would be healed by the Lord. I knew and I believed that I have strong connection to St. Ildefonso and the Blessed Virgin Mary and they would intercede for me.

Now, it has been more than two years, I am still here and serving the Lord as collector and greeter of the St. Ildefonso de Toledo Parish Church. I also serve in our chapel in Mapunso as BEC of San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel.

I am truly thankful to St. Ildefonso because in all the times that I prayed and beg him about my requests, he is always there to listen to my plea that he intercedes for me to the Lord for my prayer requests.

Thank you Lord…Thank you St Ildefonso de Toledo… Thank you Blessed Virgin Mary…