At 86, Mdm Teo was miraculously healed of rheumatism and body aches
By
Christine Leow
, 25 July 2023
Mdm Teo Siew Noi discovered that it is never too late to get the peace of knowing where you'll go after your die. She passed on in 2010 at the age of 96. All photos courtesy of Charis Ong.
Mdm Teo Siew Noi was 15 when she married her husband who was 16.
She was in her 50s when she was pregnant with her 10th child. Her eldest son was then in his 30s.
She prayed to a deity that the baby would be a girl because she already had seven boys but only two girls.
When her daughter Charis Ong was born, Mdm Teo was so thankful that she dedicated her new baby to the deity.
No answer
Hokkien and Teochew-speaking, Mdm Teo came to Singapore from Shantou, China after World War I.
She helped her husband to tend to their family farm while raising their children.
Charis (front left, waving) celebrating her mother’s (centre) birthday with their family.
Charis, now 66, told Stories of Hope that the situation at home was challenging.
Whenever her father came home after drinking too much, he would quarrel with his sons. He would also throw the family’s statue of a deity to the ground.
Her mother would quietly piece the statue back together.
After one too many times, Charis’ mother gave up.
She got someone to write the word “god” on a piece of paper and placed that at the altar instead.
Recalled Charis: “I used to wonder to myself: ‘If this statue is a true god, why can’t he save himself?’
“I didn’t get an answer.”
A gentle woman
Charis’ parents, though non-Christian, sent her to a mission school. There, she became a Christian in Secondary 3.
Charis was a teenager when she became a Christian.
Her new faith gave her an inner peace that brought solace from the situation at home.
But afraid that her parents may object, or worse, disown her, she didn’t tell them about her new faith.
She needn’t have worried.
“When I finally told my mother, she didn’t scold me,” said Charis. “She was a gentle woman.”
Miraculous healing
After Charis got married and had children of her own, she felt God call her to go to Bible school. Subsequently, she started the Fruitful Vine Church.
She tried to tell her parents about the love and peace Jesus gave her. She tried to share with them the eternal life after death that Jesus promises those who believe in Him.
But her parents weren’t open to the message.
“Why don’t you try Jesus? No harm trying.”
After her father passed away, Charis continued to share her faith with her mum who would visit her regularly.
Mdm Teo had rheumatism and suffered from body aches.
“Every night, I would help massage her and help paste Tiger Balm plasters on her back,” said Charis.
“One day, I told my mum, ‘I pray for you.’”
Mdm Teo (left) with Charis (right) and two of Charis’ four children.
Her mother refused the prayers every single time.
After a few months, Charis tried again.
“I told her, ‘Why don’t you try Jesus? No harm trying.’”
To her surprise, her mother allowed Charis to pray for her.
That very instant, her mother was healed.
“No more pain,” said Charis in amazement.
Finding true peace
After that, Mdm Teo would tell everyone everywhere she went, “Jesus is very ling (powerful).”
Mdm Teo even asked Charis to pray for Charis’ sister-in-law, even while saying: “I pai pai (pray to other gods). I cannot follow Jesus.”
But Charis continued to tell her mum: “Jesus loves you.”
One day out of the blue, her mum told her: “Okay, I want Jesus in my life.”
Her mother was 86 at that time.
Mdm Teo was 86 when she said, “Okay, I want Jesus in my life,” revealed her youngest child, Charis (pictured). She passed away 10 years later in October 2010.
Charis led her to say a prayer inviting Jesus into her life.
Said Charis: “At the time, she was a little senile already. But she was so clear when she repeated the prayer after me.
“She believed in Jesus after her own encounter with God.”
Charis noticed a difference in her mother afterwards.
“My mum wasn’t one to worry but I saw that she became more at peace.”
10 more years
Charis’ mother gave up the practices of her previous faith. She also took off an amulet that she wore.
But that night, something spooky happened to her after surrendering the amulet to Charis.
“She came to me and said, ‘Give me back the pendant. Without it I cannot survive.’
“My mum wasn’t one to worry but I saw that she became more at peace after accepting Jesus into her life,” said Charis.
“Her eyes were very fierce. I knew an evil spirit was trying to take control of her.
“So I told her, ‘You are Jesus’ daughter. Jesus is your Lord.’
“I repeated it to her a few times. After that she calmed down.”
But her mother had insomnia for the next 10 days.
Charis prayed for her throughout the period. The oppressive spirit went away and never returned.
Mdm Teo (centre, front) with Charis (right, front), her husband George (left, standing) and their four children.
Mdm Teo lived for the next 10 years, attending the Hokkien service of a church.
When Mdm Teo passed away at the age of 96, Charis was comforted that her mother had gone to be with Jesus, and that they would one day be reunited.
Once, Charis didn’t think it was ever possible for her mother to become a Christian. But she did.
“It all happened in God’s time,” Charis said.
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