Approximately 34 years ago, when I was seven months pregnant, I found myself praying to achieve my first physical healing. It was summer, and as I was going into a swimming pool, I slipped. In order to avoid falling flat, belly pressed to the ground and risk hurting the baby, I leaned on my arm. I heard a noise as if my bone was cracking, and I was in pain. The next day, my arm started swelling and I no longer could move it.
At that time, I had been studying Christian Science for about six months by reading the Portuguese edition of The Herald of Christian Science. Then I bought the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. As I did not know any Christian Science practitioner or any other Christian Scientists in Portugal, I resorted to reading the book.
Because of the pain, I decided to remain at home and have a quiet moment to pray. I leaned on “the scientific statement of being,” which begins this way: “There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter” (Science and Health, p. 468). I sought not to limit myself to just reading that passage repeatedly, but to earnestly understand it and to live each word.
