TRIBUTE

jOSE MARVEL

On May 9, 2021, my son, Jose, who was 11 years and 8 months old, was baptized as a sign of accepting the Lord Jesus as Savior in his life. About a week later, we went to Jakarta to file some paperwork. We returned to our home in Surabaya on May 24. On May 26, Jose was playing with some neighbors near his house. He was attacked- an adult man hit him in the head with a brick. We didn't understand what happened at first; while we were with him in the hospital, we realized that his cell phone was missing. Someone attacked an 11 year old boy just to steal his phone. Watching him suffer in his hospital bed was the worst thing in my life- I had raised Jose as a single mom since he was born. I was confused and devastated. Sadly, Jose fell into a coma after surgery and on June 2, 2021 he returned to Father's house in heaven.

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The Beautiful Garden

About Jose's Dream-
As a mother, I was heartbroken to see my baby in such a situation. I cried so much. I asked God, "Why now, when he is 12 years old, when he has so many plans and potential, after those hard years raising him alone? Why take him back now?" It's a pity if this is the way he dies. The one I want is the method of dying, indeed every human will surely die.

When Jose was in a coma, I continued to pray. I was joined by my family, my friends, members of the Mawar Sharon Church, and even Pastor Philip prayed for Jose. But slowly, God continued to talk to me. God reminded me that Jose he had an unusual dream several months before. In his dream, he was sitting in a beautiful garden and he was very happy. I remember this dream very well because at that time he was sleeping and I woke him up. He grumbled because it was a good dream and he wasn't finished yet. When Jose told the story of his dream, there was a strange feeling; it seemed like this is the dream of someone who is about to die. I don't know why in my heart I had that thought that. However, I forgot about it until Jose fell into a coma a coma. Then God reminded me, "Jose was in the garden with ME. Don't worry, I'm with Jose." I told Jose his mom was with him, and that I love him very much, but if he needs to follow God into the beautiful garden, it is ok. Then that night, after this prayer, it seems like Jose got approval to play forever in the Beautiful Garden- Jose's Oxygen started to drop and the next morning June 2, 2021 at 10:27 Jose passed away from this earth.

God continued to talk to me.

God didn't stop there. After Jose died, I prayed. Sometimes I would call out to my beloved son. Once, after I cried out, "I love you, Jose," I heard a soft voice reply, "I love Jose, too." My spirit felt that the person who spoke to me was humble, but authoritative. It was God letting me know God loves Jose so much that it was time for him to go to heaven.

The death of the Saints

A few weeks after Jose died, I met with some of my friends from church. One of them reminded me about the Apostles in the time of Jesus. They died as martyrs like Saint John the Baptist, who was beheaded and put on a tray in the Age of Herod, and Saint Andrew who was crucified, and Saint Matthew, who was beheaded in Persia. Saint Mark died after his body was dragged alive by horses and his body was crushed by sharp stones on the road. Even the Lord Jesus died on the cross. Jose's death was also violent and tragic.
Later, my friend sent me a video about the testimony of a COVID 19 patient who had fallen into a coma. Mr. Ronald was in a coma for 14 days. While unconscious, he remembers visiting a beautiful garden just like Jose's dream. Mr. Ronald met his Father in Heaven where God told him to testify and come back because he had a wife & children. When I heard about Mr. Ronald's experience, my spirit leapt within me. It was a validation of Jose's dream and evidence that God continues to talk to me to this day.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.

Around the middle of July 2021 after a zoom meeting with my church support group, I was alone in the room that I used to share with my son. Suddenly, I got a vision for about 2-3 seconds: I saw Jose and clearly heard his voice laughing very loudly with his friends. I couldn't see his friends' faces clearly but I know
Jose is not alone. I was shocked. I was talking to God in the room, asking, "God, is that Jose?? Thank you Jesus, thank you." I cried and was grateful that Jose had won the Faith test. Before Jose was attacked, he had given money to the perpetrators' children named Albiondi Putranda Morita and Denzel Sebastian Morita. Jose bought them both snacks at a shop near my house. I know this from a neighbor who has a shop and the neighbor's children. When the two poor children asked to borrow money from Jose, he just gave it to them. I can only say, "Thank God, my son is good." I never taught him to treat other children and give money to others. Jose was generous in spirit and lived as Jesus taught.

The police caught the murderer

Wahyu Buana Putra Morita

On June 11, 2021 The Surabaya police department held a press conference announcing the arrest of Wahyu Buana Putra Morita. I witnessed the perpetrator in front of the media and police. He had been shot in the leg and he hung his head in shame. The Holy Spirit gave me strength as I watched him from distance of about 3 meters. I just kept quiet and didn't say a word to him at that time. Praise God, the spirit that is within me is greater than this world. I did not berate him, did not shout; even the perpetrator and the media did not know that I was among them.

The Holy Bible

On June 14, 2021 I met Jose's murderer at the police station. Again, the holy spirit gave me strength. Before confronting the man who killed my son, Wahyu Buana Putra Morita, I was moved to buy a Bible and a book about Jesus. I gave them both to Wahyu Buana Putra Morita when I met him at the jail. I told him that I'm a Christian who believes in Jesus and I have to forgive. He prostrated to apologize. I told him to repent and apologize to God. If it wasn't for God, I wouldn't have been able to speak like that and stand up to this day and testify like this. The flesh actually insults that person, but I don't know that this mouth can be so sweet because the Holy Spirit is a sweet and gentle influence who is inside inside me controlled my soul to live through all my trials.

Forgiveness

Luke 23:34

O Father, have mercy on them, for they know not what they do.

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Baptism in Water

Jose went to Heaven not because of money, riches, or good deeds but because he accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior who died on the Cross. His generosity is a fruit the Spirit produces.

I pray that you believe and accept the Lord Jesus as Lord and Savior in your life and give yourself at Baptism like Jose.
Baptism is God's Great Commission in
Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Baptism is a sign of repentance and believing and accepting Jesus is Lord and Savior.

Garden of Paradise
Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. Luke 23:42

TAMAN FIRDAUS

Aku berkata kepadamu, sesungguhnya hari ini juga engkau akan ada bersama-sama dengan Aku di dalam Firdaus

Lukas 23 : 42

God restores what was taken.

Job in his time was the richest man and had many assets: 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 donkeys, 7 sons and 3 daughters. Then, all of that was stolen and his children died. Job lost them all. But because of his piety, God blessed Job in his next life more than his previous life. His new tally became 14,000 Sheep, 6000 camels, 1000 Cows, 1000 Donkeys, 7 Sons Job's sons and 3 daughters and Job's descendants were the best in all the land.

So let's continue to compete in the battle of faith and not get tired of doing good even though we don't know what the person is like, because God sees our hearts. Like Jose, at a young age he was very generous to the children around the house, even the perpetrator's children. Do we want to receive only good things from God? If God wants to use my life and Jose's story to glorify HIS name, I will say "I will follow God!" Because God knows what is right in this world; I accept God's sovereignty. And I believe God restores me like Job and returns everything double: joy, happiness, a hopeful future in HIM, because God has not finished writing HIS story for my life.

The Future is in God's Hands

Proverbs 23:18
For there is a future, and your hope will not be lost.

Praise the Lord, all glory to Him.

Written by Nelly, mother of Jose Marvel