The Virgin Spares and Brings Peace
Aruba: November-December 1999
These were the headlines reported in the local newspaper during the November-December 1999 tour of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima while on the Island of Aruba (located in the Dutch Indies). I was very blessed to accompany my husband on this recent tour of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue.
In all the carefully laid plans, we arrived around 8:30 p.m. at the Airport in Aruba with the IPVS statue, expecting, as was planned by the local sponsors, to be greeted by a couple thousand people, the governor and his wife and the band playing "Dear Lady of Fatima". Entering the terminal, to our surprise, not a soul was present to greet us. Luckily, the airport personnel were involved with the welcoming committee and informed us we were a day early. By this time a large number of people were gathering around the statue. We were advised to keep our arrival on the island a secret until the next evening. However, the morning paper read "Virgin Statue Surprises Aruba".
The second day we were there the weather service reported an approaching hurricane. But, the next day they said the hurricane seemed to be breaking apart (something they never do over warm water) with one part going to the mainland of South America and the larger veering off to the north, missing Aruba. It was named "Hurricane Lenny" and caused severe damage at St. Maarten and other islands. The people of Aruba and their news media quickly gave Our Lady, through the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue, credit for breaking the hurricane in two and sparing their island. The following morning the newspaper read "Virgin Spares Aruba". Many consider this a great miracle of Our Lady of Fatima.
A few days later, the headlines in the paper read "Virgin Brings Peace to Aruba". We were told that the government, for a number of years, was undergoing many difficulties. All of a sudden, a wave of peace came over the island. This was also considered a great miracle of Our Lady of Fatima.
Our Lady definitely was at work in Aruba through her miraculous statue. One TV station that video taped the statue for their newscast called to ask "how is it possible for the statue's eyes to go from side to side and to blink its eyes". This taping was shown on television.
Why is the statue so sad? Why is the statue smiling? The mantel on the statue was "white" why is it now "green"? These were constant questions being asked. This Image is considered the "most miraculous sacramental in the world".
Rose Marie Malburg