Blessed Mother of Naju, thank you so much!

My name is Simon Ki Hwa Chun. I am a 53 year-old inmate in Chongju Prison (in Korea). I committed a crime because of my lack of judgment at one moment and have served nine years in this prison. I still have three more years to go. When I first came here, I did not want to live and took more than a fatal dose of poison. But I was taken to the emergency room in a hospital and woke up three days later. I recovered and did not even have any aftereffects. As I was continuing my prison life, I realized that it was God who made me live by his miraculous power, which I did not understand. I tried to live a good life. I prayed many decades of the rosary, more than 100 decades per day.

About two months ago, I discovered that a friend of mine in the prison, also a Catholic, had the book, The River of Grace and borrowed it from him. The book was a collection of testimonies about the graces received from the Blessed Mother of Naju. This occurred just a few days before Holy Thursday, a great feast day celebrating the establishment of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. I was freshly shocked by the contents of the book — especially the photographs of the Eucharistic miracles that had occurred to Mrs. Julia Youn, during which the Sacred Hosts had changed into visible Flesh and Blood of Our Lord. I was also impressed by the testimonies about miraculous healings that had occurred during Julia’s prayers.

Because I did not have any holy cards, I prayed the rosary in front of the Blessed Mother’s photograph on the front cover of the book: The River of Grace. In order to pray better, I prayed more slowly, reducing the number of decades from 100 to 50 per day. I prayed fervently for my health and also for an experience of the fragrance of roses. One day, when I was waking up, I smelled a strong fragrance of roses. I sniffed at the skin lotions used by the inmates, but the odor was different from the fragrance of roses. I offered a prayer of thanksgiving. A few days later, pains in my left hand disappeared.

The pains in my hand were caused by a wound that I received during the war in Vietnam in the 1970s. My left hand was hit by shrapnel from a hand grenade, which cut the nerves in my hand. I received surgery, but the wound did not heal. I was discharged from the army, but the sharp, intense pains continued. These 25 year-old pains disappeared!

So, I prayed to the Blessed Mother of Naju. "Thank you so much, Mother! You healed my hand. How about healing one more problem that I have?" I prayed that she would cure the wart under my right eye that had been there for many years. I had tried many things, but nothing worked. So, while praying the rosary, I touched the tear drop on the Blessed Mother’s chin in the photograph on the front cover of the book with my finger and, then, touched the wart with that finger. After a week of doing this, while I was praying the rosary, I felt itchy on the wart and scratched it. It came off easily. I was overwhelmed with joy and thanked the Blessed Mother. Without telling anyone about it, I asked the Blessed Mother for just one more cure. "Because it is too warm in here, it is difficult for me to read wearing these reading glasses. Please let me read without the glasses." Again, I touched the tear drop on the Blessed Mother’s chin in the photograph and pressed my eyes with the finger with which I touched the tear. I also lifted the book and pressed my both eyes with the Blessed Mother’s chin in the photograph, which had a tear drop, for several seconds at a time. A few days later, a miracle happened again. It has been ten days since then, but I have been reading the book and newspapers without glasses. I had been wearing the reading glasses for seven years.

I did not have any intention to test the Blessed Mother when I was asking for miracles. Before I found this book about two months ago, I had been in depression, even thinking about abandoning the faith. Then, I found this book and fervently asked the Blessed Mother for help. I asked her to give salvation to my heart by revealing the presence of Jesus and the Blessed Mother.

I have not met Mrs. Julia Youn, but have been praying for her every day and will continue to pray for her. If possible, please send us more photographs, books and rosaries. There is no way we can get them here. Yesterday, after Mass, a Sister asked me to speak about my experiences in front of an audience of more than 200 brothers and 20 sisters in the prison. I knew it was the Blessed Mother who arranged this and gave testimony to the graces I received from the Blessed Mother of Naju. People were deeply touched and applauded. I sincerely thank Jesus and the Blessed Mother for the graces I have received. I give praise and honor to Them.

Please send us monthly newsletters, if available. Now I live with great joy every day, making the Blessed Mother of Naju known to every one I run into. I pray for Julia, Julio and every volunteer worker in Naju.

Sincerely yours,

Simon Chun
Chongju
July 8, 1999