Walking Out Faith As Healing Took Time

As a city dweller, Vladimir Calderon walks just about everywhere. It fits his active lifestyle. One day, that lifestyle nearly came to a halt as he was leaving his Brooklyn apartment in June 2023. “I was preparing myself to go to the gym that day,” said Vladimir. “I was going down the stairs and my ankle twisted all the way to the right and right there, I just saw stars…It was so painful. Felt like a big stabbing in the foot.”

The 28-year-old figured the pain would wear off, but after a few days, his foot and ankle started to swell, and he decided to see a doctor. “They gave me an X-ray and told me that the foot was all fine,” recalled Vladimir. “One doctor gave me a hard boot where it wouldn’t move, but it wasn’t even working. It was actually making it more painful.”

After two months, his foot still hadn’t gotten any better, so Vladimir went back to his doctor who gave him a brace to wear. “They told me there was nothing wrong with it. I kept taking Advil’s over and over again. Even with the brace, the boot and the pills, I still couldn’t do what I wanted to do,” explained Vladimir. 

He tried to ignore the pain and live each day the best he could. “Most of the times I would stay home,” said Vladimir. “It was just so painful; I couldn’t go out. This injury was controlling me in a way where I couldn’t do what I normally would…go to the gym, take a walk, go get groceries. It made me feel like an invalid person. Pretty much just defeated.”

Vladimir admits his faith started to weaken. “I was just like, ‘God, my pain is really, really strong. I cannot bear it anymore.’ I felt like my prayers were just bouncing off and just not going through,” explained Vladimir. “I felt discouraged that God wasn’t gonna heal me. He probably had more better priorities.”

On the morning of September 19, three months after the injury, Vladimir discovered God did care. “I was in my room sitting, staring at the T.V. but it was not on,” he said. “And then the Lord spoke to me in my heart and said, ‘turn on the T.V. Put on The 700 Club.’ I turned on The 700 Club.” Vladimir continued, “What made me sit still and watch was the anointing was so real. It was so strong. It felt like a warm blanket just came over me and wrapped me up.”

Then host Ashley Key gave a word of knowledge. “The pain is in the middle of your right foot,” said Ashley. “You’re not able to really put pressure on it, but He sees you and He loves you and He’s healing this for you in the name of Jesus. The pain will no longer be there. You’ll be able to walk normally. Test it out even right now, in Jesus’ name.”

“When she said that, it blew my mind,” recalled Vladimir. “I was just like, whoa, am I dreaming? It was so real. I remember me just moving my leg. This is amazing, I just got healed and at that moment, I was able to walk.”

Vladimir was soon back to enjoying his active lifestyle and has had no pain since. He also says the experience strengthened his faith in God. “I felt like I got restored back to brand new, like a factor reset,” said Vladimir. “That pain was no longer restricting me. I felt like I was able to do anything. I feel God’s love even stronger in my life. I see it more visible now. God can heal, and you definitely have to believe. And I’m definitely a testament to that.”