“Mollie Patterson, you have tested HIV Positive in the state of New York…”
Diagnosed with AIDS and given two weeks to live, today, almost twenty years, later Mollie Patterson is alive and well and happily married as proof of God’s faithfulness amidst our unfaithfulness.
When I first read Mollie’s story, I was in awe at the mercy of God, and it helped to change my perspective. Here’s my understanding. Sometimes, we enter difficulties because of our disobedience and in that state, we find it hard to reach out to God. We believe He is angry with us and that we have got what we deserve and as such, there is no need to seek God’s help or healing, as we must pay for our wrongdoing. Well, that is a lie of the devil. Jesus has paid for it all. No natural parent (unless evil) would wish their child would become sick or afflicted because of disobedience. And if we who are evil want good things for our children, then a good God wants better for His children. God does not want us to be sick even when it is a consequence of our disobedience. He wants to forgive us and remember our sins no more; He wants to touch our bodies and heal us and remove the pain and discomfort. He wants to fulfil the number of our days so that we can fulfil the purpose for which He created us and bring glory to His name. His thoughts for us are always good and contain no evil. Yes, He is a kind and loving Father, and when we fall, we must arise and return knowing that the Father is always waiting with open arms. I was deeply inspired by Mollie’s story, and I am sure that you will be too.
Tell me a little about yourself. Where were you born? Where did you grow up?
I was born in Rochester N.Y then my parents moved to Cameron Mills N.Y when I was two. My father and mother were alcoholics. My mother was also a drug addict too. They fought all the time, and one night I caught my father trying to kill my mother I was terrified, and my mother told me to go back to bed, but I didn’t listen. I stayed there, and my father took his hand from around my mother’s neck. My father and mother separated after that then my mother was then in a car accident that almost took her life. This was the first time I prayed to God. I asked Him to save my mommy and let her live. He did she was finally out of danger and sent home the following day. We lived in Cameron Mills until I was five my mother met a younger man and started dating him. He talked her into moving to Hornell N.Y. That is when we moved to 32 Stephens Street in Hornell N.Y. The young man lived with us and physically abused me and my sister then my mother became pregnant with our youngest sister. After she was about 1 or 2, he started abusing her too. Then at age 8, I was molested by his father. For years I was terrified of men, because of the abuse and sexual abuse. I met my best friend Donnelle, and she helped me cope with the abuse, but one night I tried to take my life by trying to jump out my second story bedroom window. My mother caught me in time and was very understanding, but drank all the time, so she did not know about the physical abuse her boyfriend put us through. (me and my two younger sisters) I prayed to God for my mother to stop drinking and to catch her boyfriend abusing us. My prayer was answered again shortly after that she started going to AA meetings and came home early and caught him abusing us. She kicked him out of the house. God saved my mom from the drugs and alcohol. He also saved us from all the abuse. That’s when my mom started dating another man, her cousin Andrew and they married. I did not trust men including him, but he was one of the best step dads I ever had. He did not abuse us but loved our mom and us girls unconditionally even though we were not his children. He took care of us as if we were his own. I grew very close to him, but then he and my mother got a divorce. I went back to not trusting men again. My two sisters moved in with our grandparents, and I stayed with my mother. I went to intermediate then high school in Hornell N.Y. I met my first boyfriend Michael and started dating young. I grew up in Hornell until I turned 14 then my mother and I moved to Arkport N.Y. to get me away from my boyfriend Michael. That did not last long because he walked to Arkport N.Y to find me. He cheated on me as well as physically and verbally abused me for 2-3 years. I became pregnant in August at age 16 and had my son when I was 17. I became a mother at a very young age.
Were your parents Christians? When and how did you become a Christian?
My mother was Catholic, and my father was into witchcraft. I always attended church with my mother and grandparents but did not get Saved until I was 19 years old. I went to church with my uncle in Virginia Beach and accepted Jesus as my Savior and then a year later was told I had AIDS with two weeks to live.
Apart from your salvation, what is your biggest testimony of God’s faithfulness?
I would have to say that the healing of my AIDS. I suffered for many years but held onto my faith in God. He healed me in 2008.
When and how did you discover that you had HIV/AIDS?
I was 20 and was having severe pain all over my body and hemorrhaging badly. I also was throwing up, and nothing stopped it. I told my mom to call an ambulance, and she did. In the ER after they took my blood test they started talking about me, and I could hear them saying, “her platelets have been dropping for years.” They admitted me and gave me a blood transfusion. They also referred me to a hematologist. He said my body was trying to kill itself and ran some tests, but they couldn’t find anything wrong. Then they asked me to take a AIDS test. It came back less than a week. I remember that day clearly like yesterday. This lady was holding a purple folder and then asked me how I was feeling. I told her “not well,” and she said, “Let’s get a doctor to look at you.” I told her that the doctors would say nothing is wrong with me. She said, “Let’s see,” and she asked a doctor to see me in room 8. My mother was there with me, but she stepped out for a cigarette. The lady asked me if I wanted my results and told her yes. She read, “Mollie Patterson you have tested HIV Positive in the state of New York.” I started to cry and screamed, “No!” My mother came back in from having a cigarette, and when she saw me crying, she fainted. The nurses revived her, and she walked over to me. I asked her, “God must have a plan for my life right mama?” She answered, “I think so honey.” Two weeks later I went to Rochester, N.Y to see the HIV specialist and she told me that I had AIDS with two weeks to live. I cried again and went home to tell my family. I couldn’t tell my son he was three years old.
How did this discovery impact on your life?
This discovery hugely impacted my life. I thought I was going to die. There were times the pain and bleeding were so bad that I wanted to die. I ended up with PTSD and anxiety from finding out all this in such a short time.
In hindsight, what would you do differently?
I wouldn’t do anything differently because I wouldn’t be the Christian Woman Author I am today.
When and how did you discover that you were healed?
In 2008 I went to bed after reading my Bible and the I felt strange. I started puking and releasing fluids all over the place the whole night. The next day I felt so dehydrated, so I went to the ER, and they confirmed that I was dehydrated and gave me IV fluids for a few hours. I went for bloodwork for my platelets on a weekly basis and had an appointment the following week. When I saw the hematologist, she said something weird. She said, “I am going to miss you, and I am letting you go.” I thought maybe I did something wrong, but then she said: “your platelets are normal. I don’t know what you did, but your blood counts are over 200,000.” I was in shock for a moment, and that is when I realized that Jesus had indeed healed me that night I lost all the fluids. It doesn’t end there! I had another appointment to see the HIV specialist the following week, and she said: “Mollie your blood counts are all normal, and your viral load is undetectable.” She asked, “Are you sure you are not taking medication?” I told her “Yes I am not taking any meds they make me sick.” I told her it was Jesus that healed me and she believed me. My appointments went from once a week to once every three months. Jesus healed me that night, and I owe Him so much. My platelets are still above 200,000, my viral load undetectable, and my T-cells (immune system) is over 300,000 today.
How long did it take before you were healed?
It took ten years before the Lord completely healed me from the AIDS. From 1998-2008. I was told that my platelets were normal in 2008 and they have been normal since then. I haven’t had a blood transfusion in 9 years.
Looking back on your illness and your healing what would you say is God’s plan for your life?
I would say that God’s plan for my life is me writing books for His kingdom, putting my testimony and story in this magazine and the rest I am not sure yet. Just taking it one day at a time.
How has God received the glory through your healing in particular and your life in general?
God has received the glory through my healing because I am telling everyone what He has done for me.
When and how did you meet your husband?
I met my husband years ago, but in 2011 we ran into each other again in Bath, N.Y. We started out as friends, and it turned into more. We got married July 25, 2015. I am so thankful for God bringing my husband into my life.
What is the most rewarding thing you have done thus far, and why it was rewarding?
The most rewarding thing I have done is the writing of my book, Tears to Joy Finding God’s Love Through the Heartache as well as writing my story for this magazine.
Tell me a bit about your book. What prompted or inspired you to write it?
I promised God that if He let me live I would tell everyone what He did for me. When I was in my 20’s one of my Christian friends gave me my first journal, and I started keeping track of everything God had done for me. One day I just started putting it all together and looked for a publisher. I found Outskirts Press, and they published my book. My book is about the heartache I went through from abuse, heartaches, and sickness. It is my life story!
What else would you like people to know about you?
I have been through a lot, but my faith in God has always remained. I lost my mother almost four years ago, and that was the worst heartache I ever experienced. I love to travel and listen to music. I also enjoy drinking root beer soda and tacos, and Italian are my favorite foods. I also love chocolate, and my favorite colors are pink and blue.
What are you most grateful to God for helping you to do?
I am most grateful for a few things that God has done for me. When I was sick, He gave me the strength and faith to endure it until He healed me. I am also most grateful for God giving me this opportunity to tell everyone what He has done for me and writing my book.
What is your highest aim in Kingdom work?
My highest aim in Kingdom work is to tell the whole world about what Jesus has done for me and that He heals today. I would also like to start a Christian Ministry for woman who are suffering from abuse and terminal illnesses.
Where can people get more information about you and your achievements?
People can get my book and information on amazon.com as well as Outskirtspress.com. I also have a blog at.wordpress.com called Healing Hands of Jesus.
