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bend without pain for years. Gently, Jofio removed the man's shirt watched in disbelief as Joao touched the other ankle and the same and, taking a scalpel, made a small one-inch incision between his warmth engulfed it. It was like watching someone else's foot shoulder blades. Incredibly, there was no bleeding and the man turning. It was unbelievable! showed no sign of pain. "Lift your leg," said Joo. "Now bend "Now," commanded the healer, "stand up and walk!" over." Raul stared in disbelief as the man bent over and touched Raul froze. "I can't!" he said. his toes. "Now squat down," said the healer, and the man obliged "Yes you can!" replied Joao with firm compassion. "Stand up effortlessly. The tears of relief and gratitude streaming down his and put this foot forward," he said, pointing to the right foot. face did not escape Raul's observation as the man was led away to With all his will and strength, Raul lunged forward from the the recovery room at the end of the hall. Raul's expectations were chair. His legs held; shaking, but they held. Joao took his hand, rising: perhaps his dreams might yet be fulfilled. offering minimal support as he took his first steps in fifty years. Joao was already turning his attention to a woman with cancer _His heart was beating so fast he feared it would seize. The happi- of the stomach. He unbuttoned her blouse, slowly, as if in a ness and relief were too much for him. An uncontrollable flood trance, and lowered her waistband to expose her lower abdomen. of tears poured down his face. He was walking! From an stant's tray he selected a scalpel and slowly made a Assistants led him away slowly to the main operation room small incision three centimetres long. It did not bleed and the where he sat on a bench with another twenty or so patients. A woman seemed unperturbed. He cut more deeply and inserted kindly silver-haired man, dressed in white, talked to them of faith two fingers into the opening. Raul, from his front-row position, and love and how the healings were not the most important gift saw the healer withdraw his fingers here. A greater gift is the awaken- and, with them, a soft white growth ing, the realisation that there is a the size of a golf ball. The woman . . life after death and that this phys- remained motionless with no appar- They come In their thousands—the ical life is just an opportunity for ent discomfort. All of this. he sick, the lame, the incurable and the us ‘0 improve and elevate our noticed, was without anaesthetic or . . . souls. The healings are just a the stringent sterilisation of modern medically discarded: enduring long physical demonstration that we medical practices with which he international flights and gruelling can see and experience, but more was so familiar. The wound was importantly we must remember stitched with a single suture and the thirty-five-hour bus trips toa small that the miracles are performed woman led away to the recovery village high on the Goias plateau of by spirit entities who use the room. . . medium Joao Teixeira da Faria as Another paraplegic in a wheel- Brazil. Buses arrive all through a vessel to perform their work. chair was now pushed forward. the night Raul listened and realised his This would be indicative: if this man were healed, there would cer- active but more meaningful from tainly be hope for Raul. When Joao this day on. He had been healed told the helpers to wheel the man away to the Intensive Treatment by the entities and the man they call John of God. Room, Raul's fragile confidence sank to an all-time low. Perhaps life would not only be more it was too much to ask after all. THE HOUSE OF DOM INACIO No time to think now. Joao's voice jolted him back to reality. They come in their thousands—the sick, the lame, the incurable "How long have you been paralysed?" Joao inquired in a deep, and the medically discarded—enduring long international flights compassionate voice. and gruelling thirty-five-hour bus trips to a small village high on "I have not walked for fifty years," replied Raul in little more the Goids plateau of Brazil. Buses arrive all through the night. than a whisper. At 5.00 am it is still. A low mist blankets the small one-street "What would you do if God gave you back your legs?" asked town of Abadiania which has sprung up to cater for the multitudes the medium. who pilgrimage here. People sit outside the simple lodging hous- Raul was too stunned to answer. Short-term confidence fought es, talking softly. There are not enough rooms to cater for them with years of despair. His mind raced. Could it be possible? all, so they sleep in cars or buses or simply stand around waiting Why would he ask if it were not? Surely it would be a cruel joke for the dawn. The lodging houses provide free coffee for the if he were not serious. He looked at the healer; his eyes were weary travellers who spill from the newly arrived buses all steady and he wore a confident, almost boyish smile. Raul want- through the night. One hundred metres down the road, the cluster ed to speak but the words would not come. He knew his joints of low, white buildings is dark and silent. A kaleidoscope of stars were seized from years of inactivity; they were calcified and forms a heavenly canopy above this Mecca of last hope, the place immovable and his muscles atrophied. they call "the House of Dom Inacio". Dawn will bring new light "What would you do if God gave you back your legs?" asked and hope for a life without pain or illness for those who seek it. Joao again, interrupting his racing thoughts. The healing centre opens at 8.00 am. The sick congregate to Raul did not know what to say. He was still fighting with rea- collect their queuing numbers. Cameramen prepare their equip- son and logic. A kindly hand from behind touched his shoulder. ment for filming the day's activity. "Answer him! How would you feel if you could walk again?" Somewhere in an unmarked room, Joao rests and meditates prompted the assistant. alone in preparation for a day of healing. He will work until the All he could do was stutter, "I'd...be...so very happy.” last patient is attended to, sometimes far into the night. He lies on The healer bent down and briefly took hold of Raul's left ankle. a simple couch in the semi-darkened room. Above his head hang As he did so, a warm surge of life swept through the leg. "Now _ pictures of some of the entities, including Dom Inacio, as well as rotate it!" he said. Raul obliged. It had been seized for as long as Christ and the Madonna. On the adjacent wall hang a dozen or he could remember and now he was turning and twisting it! He more certificates of appreciation, orders of government and hon- the night. THE HOUSE OF DOM INACIO They come in their thousands—the sick, the lame, the incurable and the medically discarded—enduring long international flights and gruelling thirty-five-hour bus trips to a small village high on the Goids plateau of Brazil. Buses arrive all through the night. At 5.00 am it is still. A low mist blankets the small one-street town of Abadiania which has sprung up to cater for the multitudes who pilgrimage here. People sit outside the simple lodging hous- es, talking softly. There are not enough rooms to cater for them all, so they sleep in cars or buses or simply stand around waiting for the dawn. The lodging houses provide free coffee for the weary travellers who spill from the newly arrived buses all through the night. One hundred metres down the road, the cluster of low, white buildings is dark and silent. A kaleidoscope of stars forms a heavenly canopy above this Mecca of last hope, the place they call "the House of Dom Inacio". Dawn will bring new light and hope for a life without pain or illness for those who seek it. The healing centre opens at 8.00 am. The sick congregate to collect their queuing numbers. Cameramen prepare their equip- ment for filming the day's activity. Somewhere in an unmarked room, Jodo rests and meditates alone in preparation for a day of healing. He will work until the last patient is attended to, sometimes far into the night. He lies on a simple couch in the semi-darkened room. Above his head hang pictures of some of the entities, including Dom Inacio, as well as Christ and the Madonna. On the adjacent wall hang a dozen or more certificates of appreciation, orders of government and hon- 16 = NEXUS FEBRUARY - MARCH 1998