A remarkable testimony of faith, prayer, healing, family, forgiveness, and unexpected blessings
Sometimes, God enters a person's life through an unexpected door.
For Manesh Nair, a Hindu man from Karunagappally in Kollam district, that door was opened by a Muslim woman who lived next door.
At a time when he was struggling with serious health concerns, emotional pain, separation from his wife, and the loss of both his parents, this Muslim neighbour introduced him to the Kreupasanam Mother and gave him the Kreupasanam covenant material.
What followed, according to Manesh's testimony, became a remarkable journey of prayer, faith, inner transformation, family restoration, health-related blessings, and a renewed desire to help others.
“I want to sincerely thank my Kreupasanam Mother and Lord Jesus Christ for always supporting me and my family throughout this journey.”
Manesh came to Kreupasanam with his young son, Niranjanam Pillai, whom he affectionately calls Monu. Their story is not simply about a physical journey to a Marian shrine. It is also the story of a father and son discovering prayer together and finding a new meaning in life.
A Hindu Family Facing a Difficult Time
Manesh is 40 years old and comes from Karunagappally, Kollam district. He and his family belong to the Nair caste and follow the Hindu faith.
His wife is a nurse working in Ireland. Like any family, they had dreams for their future and hoped to build their life together.
But in January 2025, Manesh became seriously ill and had to undergo a major operation at Amrita Hospital. The Whipple surgery lasted approximately 12 hours.
After the surgery, he underwent six cycles of chemotherapy.
When the chemotherapy was completed, he continued regular medical check-ups. For a period, everything appeared to be progressing normally.
Then came April 2026.
During a routine check-up, a CT scan reportedly showed a small blockage in the liver. His doctors advised him to undergo a biopsy to determine what was happening.
For Manesh, the news was devastating.
He had already endured a major operation, months of recovery and chemotherapy. At 40, he felt that life was only beginning. His wife was working in Ireland, and the couple had many dreams for their future.
The possibility of another serious health problem filled him with anxiety.
He was given a date for the biopsy.
April 26, 2026.
He did not know what the future held.
The Muslim Neighbour Who Came With an Unexpected Gift
On the night before the biopsy, while Manesh was sitting at home distressed and worried, a Muslim woman who lived nearby came to visit him.
She spoke to him about Kreupasanam and handed him the Kreupasanam Paper.
She also asked him to read it carefully.
Manesh was surprised.
He stayed awake that night reading the whole material and going through the testimonies and information it contained.
He had not expected that a Muslim neighbour would introduce him to the devotion associated with the Kreupasanam Mother of Jesus Christ.
But that small act of kindness became a turning point in his life.
The next day, April 26, Manesh went to Amrita Hospital and underwent the biopsy.
On April 27, he came to Kreupasanam and signed the covenant.
He says that the decision was made in the midst of uncertainty, when he did not know what his medical reports would reveal.
The Biopsy Result
According to Manesh's testimony, the biopsy results that came approximately a week later were normal.
For him, this was a tremendous blessing.
He thanked God and began visiting Kreupasanam regularly.
The experience also changed his attitude toward prayer.
Previously, his mind had been occupied largely with appointments, medical reports, work, travel and family concerns. Gradually, he says, he began to understand prayer differently.
Instead of simply asking God for particular outcomes, he began asking for a closer relationship with God and for the grace to live a better life.
A Father and Son Begin Praying Together
With his wife working abroad as a nurse, Manesh and his son were often alone at home.
They cooked together, lived together and gradually began praying together.
Manesh describes how his daily routine changed.
He began waking early in the morning for prayer. He would pray, read the Bible for around half an hour and then prepare for his son's school.
He and his son also began praying in the evening, even when the boy returned late from tuition.
The prayers became a regular part of their family life.
For Manesh, this was itself a great blessing.
He says that the prayers were not forced upon them. They gradually became part of their daily life.
Finding a Fatherly Voice in the Teachings of Fr Joseph
One of the most touching parts of Manesh's testimony concerns his relationship with the teachings and meditations of Fr Joseph.
Manesh had lost his father at the age of 27 and his mother at the age of 38.
The loss of his parents left a deep emptiness in his life.
He explains that even when a person becomes 40, 50 or 60 years old, there is something special about being someone's child.
A person can become a husband, father, brother or professional—but the relationship between a parent and child is unique.
After losing both parents, Manesh found himself missing the simple things his mother used to ask:
“Have you eaten?”
Those ordinary questions, which once seemed insignificant, became precious memories.
His mother had lived only about a kilometre away. She would ask whether he had eaten properly, whether he had prepared fish curry or tapioca, and would often ask him to come over and eat.
After she died, no one asked those questions in quite the same way.
That absence became one of the deepest sorrows in his heart.
“I See Joseph Achan as a Father Figure”
Manesh says that he did not personally know Fr Joseph closely.
But he listened to his talks and meditations.
He compared his experience to the story of Ekalavya and Dronacharya from Hindu puranam—learning by observing a teacher from a distance.
Through the teachings, Manesh says, he began to feel that Fr Joseph was speaking directly to him.
He listened, reflected and tried to change himself.
The teachings encouraged him to bring his worries before God rather than carrying everything alone.
This became particularly important because Manesh says that after his illness he had developed a tendency to become angry quickly.
Gradually, he says, he learned to control his anger, forgive people who had hurt him and treat others more kindly.
From Fear and Anger to Forgiveness
Manesh describes this inner transformation as one of the greatest blessings of his journey.
He began asking forgiveness for his own mistakes.
He began trying to forgive others.
He says that instead of constantly worrying about medical appointments and future uncertainties, he started praying for God's will and for the grace to live closer to Him.
For him, prayer was becoming less about “Give me this” and more about “Bring me closer to You.”
That change in attitude became an important part of his testimony.
The Rainbow and Other Experiences
Manesh and his son also describe several experiences that they interpreted as blessings.
On one occasion, after his son woke up, they saw a rainbow outside their home.
According to Manesh, the rainbow remained visible only for a few minutes.
They also describe seeing images associated with the Sacred Heart, Holy Mary holding Baby Jesus, the Holy Rosary and the Kreupasanam Mother in the candle they lit.
For Manesh and his son, these experiences were deeply meaningful signs of God's closeness.
He understood them not as something to boast about, but as reasons to give thanks.
The Visa That Finally Came
Another important part of the family's story concerned their plans to move to Ireland.
For approximately six or seven months, they had been working through the process.
There were delays and uncertainties.
Manesh says that certain dates became particularly meaningful to him and his son—especially the 7th, 11th and 17th.
Then, on July 17, Manesh and his son received their visas.
For Manesh, the timing was deeply significant.
He immediately connected the event with his prayers and thanked God.
A Powerful Experience at Kreupasanam
Another deeply emotional moment came when Manesh visited Kreupasanam.
He says that he suddenly began crying uncontrollably.
He himself did not understand why he was crying.
Someone nearby asked him why he was in tears.
According to his testimony, another person later told him that the illness about which he had been worried had been healed.
Manesh says he was surprised because he had not shared his medical situation with those people.
He took the words as another sign of God's protection.
The Journey to the Hospital
One of the most dramatic incidents in his testimony occurred while travelling for another medical check-up.
Manesh, his son and their driver were travelling in a vehicle. They asked the driver to wake them at the Kreupasanam Shrine on their way and slept. The driver woke them at the Shrine. They went inside, prayed and spent some time there and continued their journey.
At one point after just 10 minutes, the driver became drowsy and apparently fell asleep momentarily while driving.
Manesh says he suddenly called out to him.
The driver woke up and applied the brakes.
According to Manesh, a truck was directly ahead.
He believes that, had the driver remained asleep for a few more moments, a serious accident could have occurred.
For Manesh, escaping that situation was another powerful experience of God's protection.
He repeatedly describes the incident as a blessing received through the prayers and intercession of the Holy Mother.
Another Medical Check-Up
Manesh later underwent another major medical evaluation, including a PET-CT scan.
The family waited anxiously for the results.
He says that he and his wife prayed intensely.
When the results came, according to his testimony, the doctor told them that there was no problem and that there was no medical obstacle to his plans to travel to Ireland, subject to the recommended follow-up and blood tests.
For Manesh, this was another moment of immense gratitude.
He says:
“By God's grace, the doctor said there was no problem.”
His Wife Makes Her Own Udambadi (Covenant)
An especially beautiful development in the story came when Manesh's wife also felt moved to make a covenant.
The family had come to Kreupasanam on the 11th, partly connected with their desire to give testimony.
Although circumstances prevented them from doing everything they initially intended that day, Manesh says his wife eventually felt strongly that she should make her own commitment.
She did so.
For the family, the covenant became something they wanted to live together—not merely something they had signed.
His wife subsequently returned to Ireland, carrying with her the prayerful connection to Kreupasanam.
A New Chapter in Ireland
The family's journey continued.
Manesh's wife was already in Ireland.
His son's admission to a school there was arranged, and the family also secured accommodation.
Manesh describes this as another unexpected blessing.
What had once seemed uncertain was gradually coming together.
He and his son also received their travel arrangements.
For Manesh, these developments were another reason to thank God.
An Unexpected Blessing in His Health
Manesh also speaks about a long-standing problem with sleep apnea.
He describes having suffered from excessive sleepiness and tiredness, particularly while travelling.
Doctors had diagnosed sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP machine.
According to his testimony, during a later medical review he was told that he no longer needed to use the machine.
Manesh considers this another blessing received during his spiritual journey.
This is his personal account; medical conditions and treatment decisions should, of course, continue to be assessed by qualified doctors.
“Even If My Mother Is Not Here, Holy Mary Is With Me”
Perhaps one of the most moving statements in Manesh's testimony concerns his understanding of motherhood.
Having lost his biological mother, he says he has gradually developed a deep devotion to Holy Mother Mary.
He describes Holy Mary as a motherly presence in his life.
His words reveal how the sorrow of losing his own mother became intertwined with his growing spiritual relationship with the Holy Mother.
For him, this does not erase the memory of his biological mother.
Rather, he feels that the emptiness left by her death has led him toward another experience of maternal love.
From Receiving Blessings to Helping Others
One of the most beautiful fruits of Manesh's journey is the change in the way he looks at other people.
He says that every month he sets aside part of his income to help families in need.
He purchases rice and other essential items for several families.
He does not want recognition for this.
According to his testimony, he does not even tell the recipients who he is.
If they ask where he lives or who he is, he tells them simply to consider the help as coming from God.
He also helps people he meets around Kreupasanam.
Some are poor.
Some live with disabilities.
Some ask for food.
Manesh says that instead of simply giving money, he often prefers to buy food for them.
He speaks to them, listens to their stories and treats them with affection.
The people who know him have come to recognize him.
For Manesh, these encounters bring joy.
Sharing Kreupasanam Newspapers
Manesh has also taken up another form of outreach.
He says that he purchases Kreupasanam newspapers and distributes them to people he meets—not necessarily inside churches, but also on the streets and in ordinary places.
He encourages people to read the testimonies and messages rather than simply throwing the newspaper away.
He even writes his name and phone number inside some copies so that people can contact him if they have questions.
In this way, the man who was once introduced to Kreupasanam by a Muslim neighbour now finds himself introducing others to what he has personally experienced.
What began with someone giving him a piece of paper has become, for him, a mission of sharing.
A Beautiful Interfaith Beginning
There is something particularly striking about the beginning of this testimony.
A Muslim woman introduced a Hindu man to the Kreupasanam Mother.
The man and his son subsequently began praying in a Christian devotional context while remaining rooted in their own journey of faith.
Their story demonstrates how an act of kindness can cross religious boundaries.
The neighbour did not ask about caste, community or religious identity before offering help.
She simply saw a man in distress and reached out.
That small gesture changed the direction of Manesh's life.
“The Desire to Live”
Reflecting on everything he had experienced, Manesh says that illness taught him something fundamental about life.
When a person is healthy, it is easy to become occupied with work, money, ambitions and plans.
But illness can make a person stop and ask deeper questions.
Who will actually be with me?
What really matters?
What kind of life do I want to live?
What is God's plan for me?
Manesh says that through his illness he discovered that life is ultimately about the desire to live—and the desire to be with the people one loves.
He also realized that the people who unexpectedly stand beside us during difficult moments can sometimes be different from the people we originally expected.
A Life Transformed by Prayer
Looking back on his journey, Manesh speaks about many blessings:
The biopsy that, according to his testimony, showed no further problem.
His continuing medical follow-ups.
The progress of his family's Ireland plans.
His son's education and future.
His wife's journey.
His experience of protection while travelling.
His reported improvement in his sleep-apnea condition.
The restoration of peace within himself.
Learning to control anger.
Learning to forgive.
Developing a daily prayer life with his son.
Discovering a deeper love for Holy Mary.
Finding comfort through the teachings and meditations of Fr Joseph.
Developing a desire to help poor and struggling people.
Sharing Kreupasanam material and newspapers with others.
But perhaps the greatest change was not any individual event.
It was the transformation of his way of living.
The man who once worried constantly about appointments and medical reports says that he no longer wants his life to revolve around fear.
He wants to pray.
He wants to forgive.
He wants to help.
He wants to live with his wife and son.
And he wants to give thanks.
“A Thousand Thanks to Amma Mathavu and Thirukkumaran”
At the conclusion of his testimony, Manesh offers heartfelt thanks to the Kreupasanam Mother and Lord Jesus Christ for the blessings he believes his family has received.
He expresses his desire to continue the covenant and to live according to what he has learned.
His story began with illness and uncertainty.
It continued through a Muslim neighbour's unexpected act of kindness.
It brought him to Kreupasanam with his son.
It introduced him to a new life of prayer.
And it ultimately inspired him to become a person who wants to help others.
His message is simple:
Pray. Trust God. Forgive. Help others. And never lose the desire to live.
As Manesh and his son prepare for their next chapter in Ireland, they carry with them the prayer life that began during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.
“A thousand thanks to Amma Mathavu and Thirukkumaran.”
Psalm 147:13–14
“For He strengthens the bars of your gates;
He blesses your children within you.
He makes peace in your borders;
He fills you with the finest of wheat.”
May the testimony of Manesh and his family inspire many people to approach God with faith, gratitude, humility and love—and to extend that love to others, regardless of their religion, background or circumstances.
Praise the Lord.
Glory to God for all the blessings and graces.
