twins were both in excellent shape and continued to develop normally throughout their first year.
inward. When Jacob began to try to walk late in the summer of 1995, Matthew also tried to stand up and walk, but his right leg would not support him. He kept falling down on his right side.
longer than the left, and suggested that he be taken to see the boys’ pediatrician. The doctor was very concerned at what he saw, saying that it appeared to be serious. He referred us to a pediatric orthopedist who in turn referred us to a specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
condition was an extremely rare disease for which there was neither a name nor a cure.
young man that we had met at Yale, Sean Robertson. He was able to be with Matthew during some of the more difficult tests. The end result was grim—confirmation that Matthew did indeed have a rare and incurable condition. His leg would continue to bend, and the little boy would be a cripple the rest of his life.
United States for the study of this particular disease. The doctor later asked our permission to hold a meeting with several doctors present, including a top pediatric specialist from the University of Iowa Medical School. The eight doctors examined Matthew together in a small lecture hall at the hospital. Neither Pilar nor I will ever forget that somewhat surreal setting of our little boy surrounded by famous doctors with great interest in, but no answer to the problem at hand.
missionaries overseas, as well as staff and students at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Manhattan where I was teaching mathematics.
Matthew better. On one particular day, Pilar and I were sitting in chairs outside a room where Matthew was being examined when a Jewish boy of about 11 or 12 walked into the hallway on crutches, dragging his curled and bent leg behind him. I sensed that this boy probably had the same condition as our own child. Fighting back tears as that boy and his father sat down in chairs next to us, I began to pray for the little Jewish boy as well as for Matthew. I silently pleaded with the Lord that Matthew would not have to spend the rest of his life on crutches, dragging his right leg behind him.
company before each bill would finally be paid. This had to be repeated for every bill that Matthew incurred, and the business office at Convent of the Sacred Heart did all that they could to intercede with the insurance company. After more than a half year of this torture, I wrote a strong letter to the insurance company, pointing out to them how cruel it was to treat a family so inconsiderately when they were already going through such deep suffering.
out) to all present—as an example of how a medical insurance policyholder can fight back effectively when an insurance company refuses to pay medical bills! Knowing the story of what was happening with our son, Matthew, our school business manager immediately recognized who the letter was from and told me about it later back at school. From that point on, the insurance company paid every bill quickly until Matthew’s medical care ended.
straighten out. He said that he had never seen this happen before and that he did not have an explanation for it. Matthew still could not walk normally like his twin brother, but he could move around more freely.
InterVarsity, Living Water, and other Christian groups on campus. Around one hundred undergrads were present as students spoke and gave testimonies, with Living Water singing. Other students were giving out Bibles and books at a table nearby. I had led Bible studies at Yale for over two decades so many students knew Matthew and his disability. Some had even babysat for our three boys.
always waddled, never walked, was now running down the green! Students all around were in tears, but soon there were joyful exclamations at the miracle God had just performed.
down a framed picture on the wall. He got hold of some of the broken glass, and somehow cut Matthew with a three-inch gash on the leg that had just been healed. Thank God that the cut was quite superficial, but Pilar was so afraid of being accused of neglect that she pleaded with her husband not to tell the doctor about the glass.
of him, he put his hands on his hips and said, “Hmm, they are all cut from the same bolt of cloth!” Pilar, not understanding the American idiom, exclaimed, “No, no, doctor, it was the glass!” The doctor turned to Pilar with utter incomprehension, not knowing what she was talking about. In fact, he never noticed the cut, but simply made the happy announcement that Matthew was indeed well and that we would not need his services any more.
competition, moving on to the state finals in Harrisburg. He also won a “President’s Outstanding Academic Excellence” award upon completing Middle School in June 2008. He has no remaining problems from ever having been sick, just dark and dim memories of a difficult time in his early childhood. Truly as the Scriptures declare, “For I am the Lord who heals you." (Exodus 15:26, New King James Version)
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| The Healing of a Little Boy at Yale |
| Cross Campus, Yale University |