True life story of Suwimon Panyangarm

A living testimony

by Vachiravan Vanlaeiad

Suwimon (nicknamed Keng) was born in 1945 in Bangkok’s Chinatown, Thailand. Her father, Dr. So, was a medical doctor and her mother, Hong-yu, a midwife. They had migrated from China to Thailand long before her birth. She had 2 older brothers, 3 elder sisters, and 2 younger brothers (unfortunately one of her little brothers was dead when he was small). Her ancestors were devout Christians. Her grandfather was one of the first veteran Christians of Maitrichit Church, which is the world’s first Overseas Chinese Baptist Church (established in 1837) located in Chinatown. Her parents were highly competent and hard-working, resulting in owning a gigantic mansion in the nation’s largest Chinese community. They had divided their residence into two parts: a clinic with full facilities and living quarters. They were highly loved and respected both in their community and at church. Her father was a highly-effective and extremely-active member of Maitrichit Church, thus having been elected, on various occasions, the church’s deacon chairman.



Suwimon had perfectly copied her father, not only features and characteristics, but also his fervency and zealousness in God’s services. She was the only daughter whom Dr. So had always taken to church with him, especially during weekly prayer sessions on Thursday evenings. As a result, all of her young adult life had only revolved around her church, schools, and residence.



She was not beautiful. Yet her always cheerful temper plus genial disposition and leadership personality, had made her an attractive girl. She had served God since her young age, from interpreting for Chinese missionaries and visiting speakers to leading the church’s youth group. Her love for God has been her first and foremost for all of her life.



However, when she was a young teen (approx. 15-16 years old), her father, only 53, had died of gullet cancer. She was extremely distressed since her loss had deprived her not only of her most beloved dad, but her education. She had to finish school to render help in the family’s clinic. However, never once she blamed God, because for her God has never, ever done anything wrong.

During her youth, Suwimon had been plagued by various kinds of sicknesses and diseases. For example: her whole body was so red and swollen (urticated), causing an ugly sight. Anyhow, this could not prevent her from going to church and participating in prayer meetings. She has always believed that when you pray for God’s healing, you have to entrust everything to Him and go on serving or doing your normal activities. This also includes receiving modern medicine’s treatments. After many months had passed, God finally healed her. Then, shortly after being healed of urticaria, she had experienced with rheumatic fevers. She practiced her same old system: incessant prayers for healing (this time took long years), receiving modern treatments, and leaving the results to her Almighty Physician (Jesus Christ). Thank God that she was again completely healed of rheumatism without any lasting effects or damages.



After assisting in her family’s clinic for a few years, Suwimon, with the help and encouragement of a son of one of Maitrichit Church’s ministers, had furthered her study in a school of commerce. After graduation, her knowledge plus proficiency in English had equipped her with competency to work with various US Embassy agencies in Bangkok. Her workplaces ranged firstly from the Consular Section (in 1971) to USOM (United States Overseas Mission), US Trade Center (Information Section), Commercial Section, respectively, and finally back to the Consular Section.



After working for one of the US agencies, she had married (in 1972) with A pastor’s son who had encouraged and supported her to further her study. Even though her marriage was first rejected by most of her brothers and sisters including her church friends, her firm belief that this man was the right one (sent from God) had broken through all the obstacles. She and her one and only boyfriend (named Vichien) had been going steady for nearly 9 years. During those years, many rich guys had tried to make advances at her, but Suwimon had her eyes set on Vichien only. Being the firstborn son of the church’s poor pastor, Vichien was his dad’s most dedicated assistant, always accompanying and assisting his father in various ministries. He had also excelled in academic abilities, being granted an AFS (American Field Service) scholarship to further his study for one year in a high school in the US, and later graduating in Laws from one of Thailand’s outstanding universities. These were enough to convince Suwimon to choose him as her life partner.



Following her marriage, Suwimon had 5 children (the first son was stillborn): Ann, Candy, Emmie, and First. As usual, she never reproved God for the death of her first son because, for her, God has never done anything wrong (if there’s something wrong, it must be hers.) Losing her firstborn son was a tragedy, especially for the Chinese who had placed high value on sons.



While working with the US Trade Center, she had also plagued by mumps, causing extremely pains on her both cheeks. She had been praying for healing and being treated medically by many experts both at the Embassy’s and other hospitals. This time she had followed her usual formula: praying, receiving full treatment, and leaving the results to God. Praise the Lord that she again was permanently healed.



However, when her children was very small: Ann (6 years old), Candy (4), Emmie (3), and First (only 13 months), she had rapidly developed cancer symptoms! During working for the Consular Section (for the second and last time), she had suffered various kinds of sicknesses for almost a year, especially being inflicted with anguish pains all over her body, which so extreme that she could not walk or do anything except lying and groaning incessantly. Because of her clinical history of rheumatism, various doctors and experts had unanimously diagnosed that she had Polymyositis. This was probably, back in 1980, due to lack of technology advancement in detecting any malignant lumps (ex: mammography, etc.). Anyhow, she had finally been diagnosed with bosom cancer since a lump of 5-centimeter diameter was found on her left bosom; and following immediate biopsy, the lump was confirmed malignant: bosom cancer at the end of 3rd stage! Mastectomy was then urgently made (by one of the nation’s most outstanding bosom surgeons of the time: Dr. Prapan Kitisin of Chulalongkorn University, thank Jesus!) on her left bosom in November 1981. After the operation all her pains and sufferings had also immediately and miraculously gone. Nevertheless, she had to confront further with another new series of sufferings and pains for a long period of time: Chemotherapy (12 times) and Radiotherapy (25 times with Dr. Lakana Pote-nukul of Ramathibodi Hospital).



This sickness had rendered acute pains to her much more than all anguish resulting from her previous five deliveries combined. Because not only extreme pains were inflicted on her body, but in her heart and mind also. While lying in torments at her family’s clinic, she had to endure the sight of her four little kids, especially Ann and Candy, who were constantly crying and worrying about their mother’s predicament. This was the hardest test and trial she has ever experienced in her whole life. Still, she held tightly to her practices: pray unceasingly, being medically treated with the fullest extent, and leaving the rest to God. She had never been afraid of death or dying, but she was worried over her kids since they were very young. Who would take care of them if she was dead? Who would love them as much as she did after she died?



She told God that His will was ultimate, whether she was dead or alive. However, if He was willing, could He please spare her life for the sake of her small children. And if it was God’s will, would he please grant her another 25 years of living in order for her to be able to see her youngest son graduate from a university and have a steady job. Not her will, but His will be done. Amen.



During her convalescence, one day there was a call from the US Embassy (at that time she had resigned from the embassy after her sick leave entitlements were used up, and after her long leave without pay was due). The caller was one of her colleagues. She had asked Suwimon how she was and then immediately informed her about how fortunate she was that the US Government in Washington D. C., had granted her not only a lump sum, but also pensions: $US200 monthly for the rest of her life. And if she was dead (of this cancer), a lump sum would also be granted to her children and the US government would take care of the kids’ education until their university graduation. Suwimon was also informed by the caller that this was a very rare case since she had worked with the embassy for only 10 years.



After her colleague hung up, Suwimon was stunned for a whole minute. Then she began tearfully praising God for His mercy and abundant provisions.



While being treated with modern medicines and recuperating at her family’s clinic, she was, all the time, thinking about going to church. After receiving chemotherapy for a while, she started to feel better and wanted to attend church. However, since that first attendance, she had never once missed the church. She remembered one Sunday morning, that she had to climb nearly 20 flights of stairs (with the help of her assistant, pushing Suwimon’s back and bottom up the staircases) in order to enter the Lord’s congregation. Once inside the church, she was too tired to sing, only sitting still while praising God silently from her heart. She had known that God was spirit, so He knew everything.



During her recuperation, her father-in-law, Rev. Dr. Chao Panyangarm, had sent her name and predicament to the “Silence Unity” which was then a 24-hour prayer meetings based in the US. Not only she was prayed for by Thai Christians throughout the country, but Christians from all over the world had also interceded with God for her healing.



As days went by, she felt stronger. One day, she felt that her strength was fully restored. She could walk and do all the chores as normal people did. She had then never stopped serving God by visiting patients (especially the cancer ones) and praying for their healing. She has been fervently and actively served in God’s ministries since then until now (more than 28 years after being struck by first symptoms of bosom cancer). God had completely healed her. Even though some symptoms have since raised their ugly heads at times, she would pray and cast out the symptoms in the name of Jesus. She always claims the well-known bible verse: “…by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Praise the Lord that He has granted Suwimon more than she had asked for: 25 years of living. She has not only seen her youngest son graduate from a university in Bangkok, and now further his study in the US; she has also seen her first grandson growing up and helped raised him until he is at present one year and nine months old (August 2010).



Even though she had been absolutely healed of bosom cancer; during the long journey of life since then, she was also plagued with another diseases and sicknesses, and was completely healed (by God) of them all. First, hemorrhagic fevers; second, losing of the iris on her left eye; and finally, gallstone. And although she would not know what the future holds; she has convincingly believed that she will never die of cancer because the Bible says, “…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). Praises be to God forever and ever.