The beneficiary was Mr Juwa, Shuar, from the community of Nunkui Nunka, Ecuador. Born in 1975 in Tuutin'entsa, in the Province of Morona Santiago, he is married to Natalina and father of six children. On 2 February 2015 at 10 a.m., a farmer and carpenter by profession, he was working in the Amazon rainforest to sharpen the blade of his machine, and a piece of the grinder broke off, hurling a large stone fragment at the front right side of his head, causing a deep skull fracture with the loss of brain matter.
He was immediately rescued by his son and two associates, and later by a nursing assistant from the Nunkui Nunka Health Centre, who alerted the Taisha Hospital to send an air ambulance. A stretcher was improvised and, after fording the Macuma River in a canoe, they arrived at the Yasnunka airstrip after half an hour.
Juwa was in a very serious condition. He arrived by helicopter at the Macas hospital where, after first aid, he was referred to the hospital in Ambato. He arrived there at 17:30. He was diagnosed with an “open encephalic head injury, with exposure of brain tissue, in Glasgow 6T over 15”. The neurosurgeon immediately pointed out that the situation was very serious and life-threatening.
After the operation, Juwa was taken to intensive care: the diagnosis was left hemiplegia and absence of speech, and a depressed area 12 cm in diametre and 5 cm deep remained in the right side of the skull. On 18 February he was discharged and taken to a rented house in Macas. His brothers-in-law, even before the operation, had entrusted him to the intercession of Blessed Maria Troncatti, together with the educating community of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of Tuutin Entza, Juwa's home town.
In addition, a large painting of the Blessed was placed in the room in Macas, in front of Juwa's bed, and the family encouraged him to entrust himself to her, who had worked so hard for the Shuar people. The family was also encouraged to pray to Sister Troncatti for Juwa's recovery. No rehabilitation took place.
In the night between late March and early April 2015, Juwà dreamt of Sister Maria Troncatti reassuring him of his recovery. The Blessed asked him where it hurt and with an ointment she massaged his neck and left leg. She assured him that he would be able to walk again the next day, then she asked him why he did not speak and, with a flick of her mouth, told him that he would speak and walk the next day.
She asked him if he had a tortoise shell, because she wanted to put it where the bone in his head was missing, but Juwa lacked one. She also asked him about a picture with her image on it, which had been folded and placed in a cardboard box when he changed houses. She invited him to put the picture back in front of the bed and then bid him farewell.
Waking up, Mr Juwa immediately had the feeling that he was cured. His leg no longer hurt. He asked his wife with signs to help him walk and said a few words. Thus began a gradual improvement.
After the dream he experienced an unexpected change in his condition. His radical change was witnessed by his family members and those who visited him. He recovered first his speech and then his movements. On 5 April 2015, with the help of his brother-in-law, he went to the Cathedral of La Purissima in Macas and returned there alone on 6 July 2015 to participate in the Eucharist.
The doctor who had operated on him was amazed, because he thought he was looking at a resurrected dead man. He saw him again in 2017 and found him perfectly healed.
Juwà is now 50 years old and is very grateful to God and Sister Troncatti, who restored his health and serenity, so much so that he now carries out his activities with absolute normality. His healing was not only physical, but integral, because since the miracle, his life has “completely changed” in his relationship with his wife and children - as he himself said in an interview.
Blessed Maria Troncatti, through the miracle obtained from God through her intercession, confirms her vocation as a ‘madrecita’, a missionary for the Shuar people, to whom she had dedicated her entire existence.
The video with the interview, in Spanish, with Juwà Bosco is available here
For further information, visit the site specially created for the canonisation of Sister Maria Troncatti: https://www.mariatroncatti.org/
