Testimony

TESTIMONY OF BRO. RENE & SIS. LOURDES DEL SOL
Delivered during the Couples Fellowship – February 10, 2008
Grace Bible Church International, Scarborough, Ontario, CANADA

MY NAME is Rene Del Sol and my wife is Lourdes. I fondly call her Des. We were both second year high school students (1976) when we met in 1976. We were married on December 14, 1984 and the Lord blessed us with three (3) boys, Paul, Dennis and Noel. We had many good times, but we’ve seen that life is hard and tough but we always depend on God for everything, for we know that without God, we can do nothing.

In March 2003 I was rushed to the Chinese General Hospital in Quezon City, Philippines with a blood pressure of 230/160 and was diagnosed of ascending aortic aneurysm. I was advised for an immediate operation because it was life threatening.
We were told to prepare P800,000.00 to 1 Million Pesos. We frankly told the doctor that we cannot produce that huge amount even if we combine all the resources of all our relatives. We told him that God will protect me and my aorta will not burst. After 3 weeks, I was released with a prescription for lifetime medication. I was advised to control my emotions and avoid excitement.

On May 12, 2004, our family (my wife, our 3 boys and myself) had our medical examination as required for our migration to Canada.

On May 24 – 28, 2004 our home church, Capitol City Baptist Church, Quezon City, Philippines held a Youth Camp at Rizal Recreation Center in Laguna. Paul and Dennis joined that camp.

On May 25, 2004 (Tuesday) at 6:00 P.M., I was at the church for the men’s special number rehearsal scheduled for the Men’s Fellowship that coming Sunday. I was wondering why it was already 6:30 P.M. yet nobody was there for the practice. I decided to call Des, to inform her that I was already going home and I was no longer joining the rehearsal. She insisted that I should stay put in the church building and join the practice and that she was on the way to the church too. I wondered why she was in a car with Ate Carrie, one of the church elders, pastor Rene Atienza and pastor Gino Garcia instead of taking the public transport..

When they arrived, we all went to the Pastor’s Office. They were all looking at each other. I did not have any clue. Then my wife broke the silence, rubbed my shoulders, hugged me and said: “Dad, our son, Dennis went home with the LORD this afternoon. He drowned in the swimming pool.”

I cried like I had never cried before. After which, God gave me the strength to lead a prayer and claimed Romans 8: 28. Also as what is said in Philippians 4;7, the Lord gave me peace and understanding, and protected my heart, considering my heart condition.
Without my knowing it, Des requested our brethren to pray for me because of my heart ailment. Truly PRAYERS can move mountains. Many prayed for us during those trying times and we know it was GOD’s grace and mercy that enabled us to go through the great loss we had in our family.

Dennis’ death was used by God to reach out all our relatives and for them to listen to the good news of salvation. The 114 participants in the Youth Camp also realized that life is short and death is sure.

In January 2005 I was admitted at the Makati Medical Center. This time, I really had to undergo an aortal operation because the two inner walls of my aorta were dissected and the last remaining wall would burst anytime according to the doctors. They said I was a walking time bomb.

We praise God for our home church in the Philippines who made a project to raise funds for the dacron graft that replaced my aorta. They called the project “For Bro. Rene’s Aorta Funds.” This was initiated by our Bible Study group, the Purpose Driven Men (PDM).

God really works wonders, even small children sacrificed their “baon” (food allowance) and shared to my needs. We were deeply touched by the actuation of little children who at their early age practiced the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ..

The hands of God were really at work then. The medical team informed my wife that I would be needing 15 to 20 bags of type 0 blood for my blood transfusion during my surgery. I learned later that my co-employees at Shangrila Hotel, Makati went to the hospital and donated their blood.

(Sis. Lourdes’ narration:)

When the thoracic surgeon, cardio vascular surgeon and the cardiologist came out of the operating room. I was told that during the preparation of my husband’s operation, he said: “LORD JESUS, my life is in Your hands; Your will be done.” They said it was the first time they heard a patient say those words on the operating table. “How great his faith was!”, they told me.

We stayed at Makati Medical Center for three (3) weeks and our bill summed up to 1 Million Philippine Peso. Our bill was fully paid but we did not spend any centavo from our own pocket. Once again God showed His miracle, His love, His grace and mercy. He really answers prayers!

On April 27, 2005 we received our visa to migrate to Canada. It was a great blessing and as a family, we prayed and thanked God for making our dreams come true.

It is true that we had many good times together, but we also had very hard times in our lives together. But this we had learned that in whatever situation we are in, we should at all times seek God’s guidance, have faith in Him and ask for daily strength from the Him.
As husband and wife, and by God’s grace and mercy, we share a deep sense of commitment to each other, and we both feel content and secure in each other’s love .We are the best of friends and we do enjoy our relationship. With God as the head of our home, we feel that we have a blessed and great marriage made in heaven here on earth.

May you make the LORD JESUS the center of your marriage too!!