Seeing is believing: Family sees proof of prayer

Esmeralda Garza considers herself a blessed person.

A mother of four with a beautiful home and a loving husband, Garza credits God for all her blessings.

Garza said the décor in her home reflects that credit, as a variety of crosses and statues of the Virgin Mary adorn the
living space.

The Weslaco resident said she has experienced many things as a Catholic, but Garza said she will never forget July 21, the day she experienced what she can only describe as a miracle.

On that summer day, Garza said she was about to go into labor with her fourth child, Giovanna. At age 39, Garza said the pregnancy, although complicated, was a blessing in itself. But when doctors told her that the umbilical cord was wrapped around Giovanna's neck, a complicated pregnancy turned potentially tragic.

"My doctor has been one for 10 years and he told me he'd never seen a case like this," Garza said. "What really scared him was that the umbilical cord was as tight as it could've been."

Throughout the ordeal, Garza turned to the one thing she said has guided her through life's tribulations - faith.

At about 5:40 p.m., Garza said she and her three girls, Jacqueline, Gabriella and Andrea held hands and prayed to bring a healthy Giovanna home. During those moments, Garza's cousin Sylvia Maldonado Lopez snapped a picture of the group, hoping to capture a loving snapshot of a family banding together in troublesome times.

The family acknowledged that there was something unique about the prayer they joined in during their time of need.
"It was just something different," Gabriella Garza said. "It felt good different."

The next afternoon, Esmeralda Garza gave birth to a healthy Giovanna.

It wasn't until a few days after the birth that the Garzas saw what they consider their miracle in the photograph - a bright ray of light shining down on Esmeralda Garza's head and onto her three girls.

"Oh my God, Oh my God, this is a true gift," said Esmeralda Garza, when asked about her first thoughts regarding the light, which curiously does not reach the ground in the photograph.

In those months, the sun is still high above the sky and sunset is still more than two hours away. Despite that, Esmeralda Garza said by those hours, there is absolutely no sign of sun by the front of the door, which is located on the east side of her home.
"Our house at that point of day is shaded," Esmeralda Garza said.

Esmeralda Garza said those who see the photo are equally shocked.

"Every time I show it to people, they're stunned because it's clear," she said. "That is called a miracle picture. Some people can't see it, but I tell them to just pray about it."

Lopez recalls the moment she took the picture and remembers thinking how bright her relatives were when the picture was snapped.
St. Pius Catholic Church Rev. Pat Seitz said he saw the photo, and while he said he isn't sure it's necessarily the work of God, Seitz is happy that one of his parishioners believes her faith made a difference in her life.

"For her, it was a private revelation," Seitz said. "What matters to her is God is speaking to her."

Esmeralda Garza said she will continue to live her life the only way she knows how - with faith.

"I feel that this gift that happened to me and my family is because the power of prayer," Garza said.