Brayden is a rambunctious 3-year-old that lives with his older brother Brian and parents Brian and Selena in South Orange County, California. Brayden has the reputation of being the tough kid around his cousins and friends. He has no idea of his strength, and already has the hands and body of a linebacker. At family functions, children come running and crying to their parents, the first word that comes out of their mouth is Brayden’s name. Brayden by all means is a normal loving little guy.
In December Brayden’s upper lip became infected. The journey of his healing as told to me by his mother Selena:
This infection has been referred to as staph by some doctors but to others it’s a bad case of eczema. Brayden was seeing an allergist when his lip started to get infected. From there Selena was referred to a pediatric dermatologist, the doctor put him on antitbiotics and took a culture. In frustration this doctor recommended that Brayden be taken to the ER at CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County). The doctor also recommended Brayden to be put on an I.V. because he was resistant to antibiotics prescribed to persons his age.
At CHOC the doctors disagreed with the treatment. The CHOC doctors took two Q-tip swipes from Brayden’s upper lip to test for herpes. Two weeks and $2,000 later, no herpes and no treatment.
My friend Helen ( Brayden’s grandmother) shared this ongoing condition and concern for little Brayden.
As Helen was sharing the story, I remembered that I had purchased some anointing oil from The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. This church houses the tomb of Jesus. Within the church is a tiny shop that sells holy souvenirs and also has the smallest inventory. Though the crowd was thick with pilgrims, the small shop that is normally closed was opened. As my friends and I walked in, we were greeted by Armenian priest. I picked up a bottle of oil and asked where the oil was from, and he stated that it was from the oils off the lanterns in Jesus’s tomb. We purchased several bottles and left.
After Helen showed me a picture of Brayden’s infected lip, I got a handkerchief and saturated it with the oil, placed in a baggie, and gave to Helen to give to Selena.
Selena once again went to a new pediatrician; the doctor did not know how to treat Brayden and referred him to a new pediatric dematologist. This doctor told Selena to use topical steroid cream. Selena started the treatment but added the anointing oil on to Brayden’s forehead. Selena also asked the venerable Father Solanus Casey’s intervention. Father Casey was beatified by Pope Francis on May 4, 2017. One of his miracles was the healing of a woman with an incurable skin disease.
Within five days, 90% of little Brayden’s face was cleared! Selena attributes this healing to both the topical steroid and the anointing oil.
The prayers of a desperate mother make all the difference and after eight doctors she finally got results. We give God the Glory for Brayden’s miracle, as our greatest physician is our Lord Jesus Christ.
