After receiving the sacrament of marriage, the Catholic couple Priscila and Gustavo experienced illness, suffering and many challenges. But their faith gave them strength and today they testify that it is worth waiting and trusting in God’s plans.
In a moving video summarizing part of her story, Priscila says: “Never could I have imagined that 24 hours after the fulfillment of our greatest dream, after ten years together and our definitive union in (this) sacrament, I would be lying at the feet of Christ crying out for his life.”
Gustavo suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and required emergency head surgery that changed her life forever.
“I never imagined that my husband, who was so active and independent, would now have to relearn how to walk, support himself and perform basic human movements,” she said.
“We never stopped believing in his healing,” stressed Priscila. “We were perseverant, strong and found our support in God,” she explains in an excerpt from the video in which the couple seem to have become extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist.
“We experience countless blessings every day. The certainty of facing each new challenge without knowing that the greatest blessing is yet to come,” says Priscila, referring to the fact that they are becoming parents for the first time.
Watch the video:
Difficulties after saying “I do”
“I often say that our story is the stuff of a book (…). Some people don’t even believe that we went through all this, others are still looking for answers to everything we experienced, and here we are, in the middle of this storm,” said Priscila.
“The last years before receiving the sacrament were years of decision, of dedication and of establishing our foundation in Jesus (…). Like the wise man, we decided to build our family on solid rock. The winds came, the storm came fiercely, those endless days and only twenty-four hours after our yes, I returned to my parents’ house with the same suitcase with which I had come to live in our house.”
“On the worst night of my life,” said Priscila, “I cried out to God with inconsolable tears, asking Him to give us the chance to live our family, to live our marriage, because after twenty-four hours we could not even enjoy our home.”
“I whispered in your ear every day,” she told Gustavo, “Come back to me. Come back to our home. We will have our children, our trips, the world we can dream of. I need you.” And you came back.”
“God heard us and when you opened your eyes, I knew that time would be our best friend. We would have everything we dreamed of and planned. We would have a new life. We prepared ourselves to be here. Our love has strong and solid roots.”
“The end of 2022 was a year of learning, of rediscovering life and oneself. With a lot of effort, results and also frustrations, (…) 2023 was the year in which we established ourselves; countless falls, it was often difficult, but also many victories and growth. We are both a fortress. We owe everything to God, who has carried us in his arms until now and who always takes good care of us.”
God’s Promise
On Christmas 2023, Priscila and Gustavo discovered they were pregnant and felt called to give new meaning to their lives and begin a new era.
“It is time to remove these turbulent nights from the main page of our lives. It is time to make room for another person. And she has arrived (…), another heart that beats with the strength to continue with faith and hope,” said Priscila.
“This small and strong baby came to change everything and change us forever. What I always whispered to God and to you in the intensive care unit has come true: you will be the most incredible father in the world (…), you will be their pride and joy and they will learn from a young age to thank God for our lives and for your lives.”
“A new year, a new life. We will never be prepared, but the certainty that we are stronger together is what drives us (…) and now with an even greater goal.”
Priscila and Gustavo were happy about little Anna, who was born on July 17, 2024.
“Our lives have changed completely and I never imagined there would be such a strong love,” Priscila said on social media.
Nice testimony!
