26 Aug My Story: Encountering Jesus Christ
by Melissa de Lange
On the 30th of January 1986 I was born at 11:00 in the morning. My journey into this world wasn’t an easy one. When my mom went for her check up at the doctors she didn’t know that she was in labor. She never experienced any labor pains or feel any symptoms. The doctor then rushed her to the hospital and that’s where all hell broke loose. I was laying transverse which the doctors never picked up in any scans. They rushed her to the emergency room where she had an emergency C-section. When I finally came out I didn’t breath for 20 minutes. The doctors confirmed that I would be a vegetable (what a nasty way to describe disabled people!), and that I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed. My mom would have to feed me with a tube. I wouldn’t be able to walk, talk, run or play. (I guess they were wrong again! All Glory be to God!)
I was in the ICU incubator for 10 days and during this time my parents couldn’t hold me; they could only touch me through the holes in the cradle. On one occasion the paediatrician came to my mom to tell her she would have to put me in a home because I wouldn’t be able to have a normal life. That broke my mom and that’s when she decided to invite all of the pastors to come to the hospital to pray. The following day I nursed for the first time like any other baby.
You see, when my mother was still pregnant with me there was a nasty incident. My parents had a lady helping them around the house and one day mom had asked her to do something. She replied with a sarcastic “NO”. Mom then proceeded to ask her to leave and that’s when she returned with a bucket of white stuff which she threw all over mom’s tummy. Mom’s pregnancy was otherwise normal and there were no complications until she went into labor.
Longing for Acceptance
I was discharged after 10 days. Mom had my room all done up in pink (can only imagine!). My brother was the one to make me laugh loud for the first time. They were all so happy! I did everything a normal baby could do but I struggled at times. I was referred to The Brown’s School where I started with physio therapy. I joined the school after that and attended creche. I only started walking at the age of 4 years old.
Growing up was hard. Wherever we went people used to stare and laugh (that really hurt the most). No one asked why I was sitting in a pram. My gran told me that when I just started walking I used to walk with my legs wide apart for balance. Honestly being at a school for the disabled that was the only place I really felt accepted. My whole life I knew that I was different but I had this burn deep down inside that when I grew up that I would be “normal” and accepted.
Spiritual Sight
I was quite young when I started seeing things, probably around 4 years of age. The very first thing I really took notice of was a little boy who used to run around in our backyard. At first I didn’t say anything to anyone because it seemed nobody else saw him. One day he had asked me to follow him through the banana trees but my mom called me inside just then. I can’t recall seeing him again after that day but from then on, things spiralled out of control. We moved around a lot and in every house we lived in, I saw things.
Honestly sitting here looking back, it brings tears to my eyes to think of the things I could see – and no one believed me at first. It got so bad to a point where I started sleeping in my parents room until I was about 14 years old. I was so scared these things wouldn’t leave me alone.
An Unhappy Life
I could never explain why, but I always was just so nasty to everyone, even to my friends at school. I would just get angry for the slightest reason, it destroyed a lot of my friendships and relationships. This went back and forth for years. I started smoking at the age of 16 started drinking at the age of 18 and so on. But I could never take drugs. I remember being suicidal. All I wanted to do was die. That was my biggest wish in life. Oh, I tried to commit suicide twice before (not proud of it but its true).
I went to counsellors, psychologists, pastors even and nothing seemed to help or work. In 2018 our house caught alight, just like that, without any storm or any other reason. Thank the Lord again no one was hurt. After that, things seemed to get worse so we then got in contact with these pastors. They came and cleared our home. It seemed to have worked for everyone else but not for me. I was still seeing things but they were the most ugliest things I have ever seen in my life.
Things used to come flying out of my room, my name was being called at all times when no one was home. There’s just so much that happened during the course of my life. I recall a nun that used to stand outside of the window whilst I would be washing dishes and she would just suck the life right out of me. That was when I had enough and decided to take control.
A Change
I contacted those same pastors and explained what was going on. They took months to get back to me so I gave up. One day I received a call from the pastor inviting me to go to church that Sunday and I said, ‘yes, please!’ Church was amazing but something didn’t feel right. I felt like I didn’t belong but I fought the feeling, and they had invited me to go back the following Sunday.
The morning of the 5th of June 2022 I was so nervous and I had this overwhelming desire to run. I have no idea why because it was Church: what was there to be scared of, right? That day I would walk into church as melissa for the very last time. Sitting there in the front of the church I was so scared. Everything inside me started shaking. I remember the prophet saying, ‘If there is anyone here who needs to come up for prayers, now is the time.’ I couldn’t move but my aunty Elizabeth told me to stand up. I didn’t want to but I went. Standing in that line, waiting for Pastor Griffith to come to pray for me I then got an overwhelming desire to run but my feet didn’t want to cooperate with me. I saw him getting closer and closer; my heart leaped into my chest. I still can’t explain why I was feeling so scared. It’s the Lord, after all? When he came up to me he looked at me and started praying that’s the last thing I remember. I then woke up on the floor.
When I opened my eyes, I knew that I was in a church, and that I had been delivered because I had a feeling I have never felt in my life before. Let me try and explain it the best way I can then I will tell you who I saw. Laying there for a few minutes, I felt like I was in the best place ever. I felt like I was surrounded by peace – not just any peace, but peace straight from heaven. I opened my eyes and saw the prophet and all of the pastors. But standing just behind the prophet I saw Jesus Himself. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, Jesus was there and I SAW Him. (this brings tears to my eyes just recalling that day). There was a feeling of sheer relief in my body. It felt like something left – I felt it leaving – and I never looked back ever since.
I see things still but not like before. I get visions of Heaven I have proper conversations with Jesus Himself. He sits with me and mom every night at the kitchen table while I read the Bible and pray. We have conversations. He’s shared a lot of things with me. I’ve even met His angels and Saint Peter who stands at Heavens gates.
I will never look back. My life is for Jesus. I have never ever loved someone so much as much as I love Him. He’s taught me things, He’s told me things, He’s showed me things.
I was born Melissa de Lange in 1986 but that’s not me anymore. People ask me today who are you, my reply?
I am Melissa de Lange the daughter of The Living God. I have a best friend, a father, a teacher. His Name is Jesus Christ and He is real. He is here and He wants to save us.
I hope that one day I can inspire people to begin a journey with Jesus Christ. Honestly it’s the best thing I have ever done. A lot has changed. Ive lost friends and family but one thing remains and that’s my Lord Jesus Christ. I will never walk alone.
I’ve come a long way and still have a long way to go. But I would love to gather as many people as I can for Jesus cause without Him we are nothing.
I hope this inspires people.
God Bless you and keep you.
From time to time, Cup of Faith receives guest posts from people who would prefer to contribute to the blog once-off. These authors may choose to stay anonymous or may have their name featured in the post itself.
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