by Arline T. Kendrick
During the winter of 94’, I read a book, entitled, "Wake Up America! Take My Heart, Take My Hand", written by Ann Marie Hancock. It was absolutely fascinating!
As I began reading about this little place in Georgia, where the Blessed Mother was appearing to a visionary, Nancy Fowler, I could not put the book down, and I knew that I had to go there.
I called my son, Don, who lives in Florida, and shared with him what I had read about Conyers, and even though I was skeptical, I definitely knew I would make the trip. He immediately said he wanted to meet me in Georgia. The very next month, on March 12th, he drove from Florida, and I flew to Atlanta from Maryland. Early the next morning, on the 13th, we set out for the Farm.
I must now mention that I had suffered back problems ever since the birth of my first son approximately 35 years before. And it worsened through the years, to the point of not being able to walk any distance, ride in a car for any length of time, and even standing became more and more difficult.
On March 13, 1994, Don parked his car where he was directed on one of the adjacent fields opposite the Farm in Conyers. We stepped out of the car, and immediately, my back began to ache, which was not unusual. I didn’t want to let on to my son that I was hurting, for fear of ruining his day, but looking at this gnarled region, I anticipated a very rough trip. I held onto him as we walked those fields, and he sensed I was in discomfort. I tried to make light of it. Then we crossed the road, and stepped upon Holy Ground. The terrain was so uneven, a bit hilly and rocky. In total astonishment and utter delight, I became instantly aware that the pain in my back had ceased! I called out to my son. A gentleman walking beside us, turned in my direction, pointed his finger at me and stated, that I had been touched by the Holy Spirit! I looked at him dumbfounded! Me? Healed? Why I hadn’t even asked for a healing, never even gave it a thought!
We kept on walking, and much to my amazement, I found myself stepping over rocks, climbing hills, and walking that asymmetrical property minus any pain! Yet, I still could not fully believe that I had received a healing from God and His Blessed Mother! I thought to myself, maybe God will allow us to enjoy this wonderful day, at the Farm, but once I crossed over the road again, my pain would return. I felt so grateful for this gift. However, my pain has NEVER returned! I was completely healed! Thanks and praise to our Triune God!
All during the day, my son kept telling me of an aroma of perfume in the air. I did not smell the roses that March. Yet, I did notice his occasional tears.
I took some pictures in the Apparition Room and around the Farm area with my 35mm camera, just snapping away, not at anything in particular. I also had a rosary inside my purse, which I never removed from its plastic case because I had brought it along as an extra; in the event my son didn’t have one. He did.
After returning home, I had my film developed, and I discovered in one of the photos, a small, dark miraculous image of Jesus hanging on the Cross, on the wall of the Apparition Room, between His picture and the statue of Our Loving Mother. I also removed the silvertone rosary from my purse, and saw that it had turned from silver tone to a golden tone. Since then, two other pairs have turned golden along with my silver-plated rosary bracelet! Praise Jesus! He and His Blessed Mother are ALIVE in Georgia!
We returned to the Farm in May of 94’. I wanted to give thanks and praise and just be there once more. And I knew it was Mary’s month. I brought some relatives with me, a few of them had conversions. I again received another miraculous picture, in the Apparition room. It’s a silhouette of the most Holy Virgin holding the Baby Jesus. I cried when I saw it!
My husband, Dick, and I went to the Farm, in August of 94’. In October of 95’, my sister, Dee, along with my son, Don, and his wife, Laurie, joined me in Conyers. Again, in October of 96’, Don, Dee, and I returned.
As the three of us walked towards Holy Hill, I noticed the corpus of Jesus on the crucifix had been refurbished. But I also noticed that His Hair was moving. It seemed to be blowing about in the gentle breezes. I thought to myself, Oh my, it looks as though someone put a wig on Him, I wonder why! His Hair looked that REAL! Quite surprised at what I was seeing, I chose not to say anything, at first. But then, I couldn’t keep quiet, and so I made a remark to my sister and my son. They agreed with me. Dee said out loud, "what else could it be but a wig?" Don became very upset, and said, "How could they do that to Him?" Another pilgrim passing by overheard our comments, and proceeded to tell us not everyone was seeing that! This awesome miracle, which had been given to the three of us, did not truly impact our minds at that very moment. It was not until we got closer to Jesus on the Cross that we realized the reddish-brown hair was not blowing anymore, and indeed, had been repainted a dark brown, laying flat on His Head. I felt so humbled, so blessed, I couldn’t speak, I could only ponder!
On that same trip, I was graced with another miraculous photo. I had taken a picture of a statue of Our Blessed Mother in the grotto near Nancy’s house. After it was developed, a golden crown appeared above the statue’s head, where in actuality, there is NO CROWN. Then I noticed, the crown seemed to be missing a connecting piece. My eyes followed the "break" and right above it, in black and white although the photo is in color, sits the Madonna upon a throne, holding the Christ Child, with a tiny white Dove perched on a tree branch in front of one of Her cheeks. Behind Her stood Padre Pio. Everyone who looks at this photo can see the crown above Our Lady’s Head; not everyone is graced to see The Madonna.
In October of 97’, some gals that I worked with accompanied me to Conyers, and we met up with two of my cousins, Chris and Ken. That’s the year we all witnessed the Miracle of the Sun.
It was October 12th, and after obtaining our Holy Water, and walking away from Holy Hill, a pilgrim in the crowd pointed to the sun. We all looked up. I had never witnessed such a wondrous sight! The sun began pulsating and dancing slightly. We removed our sunglasses without any consequences. The sky behind the sun turned from soft blue to pale pink, then to a bright rose, then to a glorious purple. The sun itself was pure white, and extending across the top of it in a semi-circle was a mystical--even whiter--semi-halo. Then the sun turned from bright white to gold then back again to its original color. We could look no longer without our sunglasses. The whole experience lasted several minutes. And we prayed aloud all together.
It was shortly before that timeframe, that I took notice of a plastic crucifix I have in my home. It began to give off a mystical light and its own image seemed to flash and move about on the wall. My husband witnessed this along with some others, though not everyone is able to see this. Then, little by little, the corpus of Jesus began to turn golden. And to date, it is still turning golden, still giving off mystical light, and still flashing and moving!
I also have a picture of Our Lady, which suddenly began to look as though She had been crying, leaving tear-streaks on Her Cheeks. A Dove appears in Her Forehead. Not everyone can see this either, but to those who were able, I have given a copy bringing the total to over 35 photos given away.
In October of 98’, my cousins, my sister, her daughter, Kathy, and I all met in Conyers for the last apparition of Our Loving Mother. We spent 3 days and nights there, and this time we joined in the Candle Light Vigil on Holy Hill. I brought along my Polaroid camera and while we were all singing, "Come Holy Spirit"; I stood up and snapped two photos of the sitting crowd holding their lighted candles in the dark.
When we returned to our hotel, we looked at both photos. One photo looked exactly like the scene at the Farm, but looking at the 2nd photo we could not believe our eyes! No one could explain what we were seeing, because we did not know. We all took a guess at the images in that photo, thinking, perhaps they were lighted rosaries hanging from some of the pilgrim’s shoulders. It was not until after I had left Conyers, and was looking through a booklet purchased at St. Michael’s religious store, that I saw the exact same image hanging in a tree, and underneath that image, it was referred to as The Holy Spirit! Quickly, I called my relatives and told them to look at the photo on page 23. I was aware that we all had purchased that same booklet entitled, Heavenly Pictures: An Extraordinary Collection of Pictures Taken in Conyers, GA.
I was also graced with miraculous photos taken on the 13th of October. One photo shows Our Lady suspended above the crowd of pilgrims and surrounded in a heart-shaped light. She looks to be holding The Infant. Two others that I received I took to be Our Lady in the sky, approaching the Farm, in the shape of a diamond. And in two more photos, there appears to be a huge Host in the sky. There is also a photo with a diamond-shape light and within the center of it, a cross. When I had the film from my 35mm camera developed, I was graced with a picture of an outline of the face of Jesus, partially obscured behind some clouds in the heavens! I have received much, praise God, and feel so very loved, so very blessed!
I had been a fallen away Catholic for many years, but before I journeyed to Conyers, I went to Confession and Holy Communion. I wanted to go to the Farm with a clean heart, just in case it was true and Our Lady really was appearing there. Little did I know at that time what graces I would receive and come away with! Other miraculous events have happened to me, and are still happening. I cannot thank Our Lord and Our Lady enough!
Our Loving Mother calls us back to Her Son, Jesus. She implores our love, prayers, sacrifices, and fasting. My whole life has been changed since going to that little farm in Conyers, and happily I am alive again!