Our Testimony

I am Deborah. My husband, Christopher, and I are parents to Tim, 22, and James, 15.

Our boys were both diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when they were young.

TIM

At 11, Tim was a sweet, funny, tall and good looking boy. The image of his father, and the joy of our lives.

He also had various diagnoses: Asperger Syndrome, Dysexecutive Syndrome, communication disorders (including selective mutism), an anxiety disorder, and mental/emotional difficulties which suggested bipolar, and for which he was due to be assessed with a view to stabilising with medication. On top of this he had various physical issues. Leaky gut syndrome (and a resulting suggested ban on dairy and gluten), constant and recurring fungal infections possibly due to overgrowth of candida in his gut. He had hyperextending joints, which were unstable and easily injured. Joint pains, sleeping disorders, hypersensitivity to pain. Various sensory issues, some of which were quite severe, and made leaving the confines of the home a huge challenge. Then he had learning difficulties which resulted in him “losing” information, as though he had never been taught it, especially with numbers.

Add to that a normal IQ and a sweet natured, eager to please child, who was desperate to socialise, and we have a situation that results in severe and ongoing distress, both to Tim and us. The loneliness, meltdowns, mental and emotional distress, resulted in his specialists desiring to get him on to “stabilising” medication as soon as possible, as he was displaying serious suicidal tendencies. Our beautiful boy had become this hollow eyed, anxiety ridden, miserable and desperate prisoner of these malevolent conditions. Prognosis: Irreversible brain disorders. Incurable. We were heart broken.

JAMES

At three, James was our long awaited and eagerly prayed for, second son. Seven years younger than Tim, he was a little blond haired, blue eyed, chuckling cherub of a toddler.

But somewhere between 18 and 24 months, our little fellow changed. He seemed diminished, no longer laughing and engaging, but withdrawing slowly into a world of his own. His few words silenced, and instead of welcoming smiles, strangers were met with a hiding of the face, hands over ears, and shaking of the head, “no, no, no…”

Before his 3rd birthday he was diagnosed with autism. Eating and sleeping issues, uncooperative and at times aggressive behaviour, developmental delays, communication problems (non verbal) etc. As long as nothing was changed, too loud, too bright, too tasty, or too smelly, he was happy, playing with his trains, trains, trains, in his own little world. Incurable.

In 2007, In a place of despair, I cried out to God, and received a promise that our boys would be healed. I discovered that healing had been provided for us in the atonement of Jesus Christ. That was where my hope was ignited, and our journey of healing began. Through various ministries like Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Joyce Meyer, and Creflo Dollar, I began to learn about the true Gospel, where healing was a real and genuine right of a believer.

This new found understanding of the Word, coupled with the testimony of Desmond Oomen (who had been healed of autism, and whose testimony I’d read in the Believer’s Voice of Victory magazine) I became absolutely and irrevocably determined that we would see our precious sons set free and perfectly healed. Through His Word, my Father God was to become my hope, my peace, my healer, teacher, strength. As I learned to trust Him, to trust His Word and His Blessing, I began to see His will unfold in our lives, healing hearts, bodies and minds.

In 2009 we saw a Gospel Truth programme of Andrew Wommack ministries, who documented the testimony of a little girl, Hannah Terradez, who was healed of an incurable condition. We were deeply moved by this family’s story, and eager to meet Andrew Wommack and have him pray for our boys.

A few weeks and one very short prayer later, we were driving home, with Andrew’s parting words still in our ears, “You are now the parents of normal, healthy children”. Tim was 13, and James 5. The difference in James was dramatic. Socialising, eating solid food, and sleeping peacefully through the night for the first time in his life!

Both boys continued to improve, and in 2011, when he was 15, Tim’s diagnosis was removed and he was pronounced “neuro-typical”. A year later, James too had the diagnosis of autism removed from his records. Healed! Praise God.