Jamaicans visit healing waters of Lourdes
published:
Friday | February 22, 2008
Marlon Vickerman, Features Writer
Chandiram
It is reported that in February of 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, a teenage girl, had a divine experience while she was gathering firewood at the grotto of Massabielle outside Lourdes, in France. She saw an apparition of what many believe was Mary, the mother of Jesus. Bernadette reportedly had the vision 18 times and on the ninth occasion, she was instructed by Mary to "drink from the spring that flowed under the rock and eat freely of the plants that grow there". It is said that although the area was bare and dry, Bernadette used her hands to dig into the ground, much to the skepticism of onlookers, who witnessed nothing happening after she did so. However, a day or so later, water, which is said to have healing properties, started to flow.
Currently, close to five million people, including Jamaicans, visit Lourdes every year, to drink of and wash themselves in the healing waters of the spring. Spearheading the Jamaican pilgrimage to Lourdes is the Handicapped Children's Pilgrimage Trust (HCPT) and its regional representative director, Pokar Chandiram. He and this group have been responsible for taking hundreds of Jamaicans, inclusive of handicapped and sick children, to Lourdes, since 1983.
"The Jamaican group has been going for 23 years and in fact, two of our children have been cured from terminal illness. There were many cures, but these two were the most notable. They were 12 and 14 years old, and were miraculously cured of Hodgkins disease. Both went on to graduate from university and are now living in Florida," he said.
Chandiram explained that the Jamaican group usually leaves on Good Friday and spends 10 days in Lourdes, journeying to the spring daily to drink of the healing waters and bathing in the bath. Chandiram said that the HCPT has never had problems procuring funding for the pilgrimage and that some 60 persons have so far been confirmed for the upcoming event.
