By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Lucille Burger, a nurse from Durbanville and her husband, Jaco experienced a miracle inJanuary when they discovered their 2-year-old's lifeless body floating in their swimming pool. Here is Lucille's testimony:

Lucille: "While I was breastfeeding our 10-month old baby that morning, my 4-year-old son, Noaand 2-year-old daughter, Annabel sat in front of the television watching a story. As a family, we are safety conscious. For this reason, we installed a slam lock door as well as extra features at the sliding door to keep the kids safe from the pool. That morning Jaco let out the dog as usual. When he pulled the slam lock door shut, it made the same sound as when it locks, but unfortunately a part of the sliding door got in the way, leaving both doors open.

When Noa told us that his sister was not with him, we immediately started looking for her. To my shock I discovered that both doors were open. I rushed to the swimming pool to discover Annabel's body floating in the swimming pool. It felt as if the whole world stopped in that moment. I pulled her out of the water. There was no breathing nor pulse. Her pupils seemed lifeless and her body was cold and blue. Doctors call it a dry drowning when her vocal cords close up. Even if no water entered her lungs, she basically suffocated due to the fact that no oxygen entered her lungs.

Beside the pool, I started CPR compressions. I cried out to Jaco who came rushing to the pool. His first words were: "Lord, not my daughter!" In retrospect, I realized that while I called my husband, he called out to God, and this is where the change came. We mobilized our church members to pray with us while we waited for the ambulance.

Being a nurse, I know when to stop trying to revive a patient. Annabel was way past that stage, but my mother-heart continued with compressions. I went on for more than a quarter of an hour.

Only when the ambulance arrived at the scene, did Annabel start to show signs of life. They took her to the hospital. In my mind I wondered what we would get back. It takes four minutes without oxygen to suffer brain damage. Later on, thepediatrician estimated that Annabel might have been without oxygen for between 8 and 12 minutes. However, God intervened. In the emergency room, Annabel regained consciousness. She looked at me with the words, 'Mom, I'm afraid.' It was a miracle that she responded.

Later that day, Annabel sat up in bed and ate some food. The next morning, she was transferred to the regular pediatric ward and after being discharged from the hospital the neurological tests done wereall normal. Next to the pool, we experienced a true miracle from God. I know He was with me. All honor to him."

In Job 14: 5, we read: "Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass." And in Isaiah 54:17 it is written: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper . . . This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord . . . ,” says the Lord."

I AM still does miracles and amidst hardships, we can remind ourselves that He has the final say in every situation. Let us not become anxious, but instead trust Him to protect us - and also do a miracle in our lives. God bless.

Father God, thank you for protecting my life as well as the ones I love. Help me to neverlive in fear but to put my faith and trust in you. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

ASSIGNMENT: Where in your life did you receive a miracle? Ask God to lead you through His Holy Spirit to share it with at least one person today. 

FEEDBACK: Please send your feedback, testimonies of God's goodness or any questions on the topic to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.