" A SMALL NUMBER GO DIRECTLY TO HEAVEN. "

10 JANUARY 1983

1-------       MIRJANA---ONE OF THE SIX VISIONARIES FROM MEDJUGORJE  

" I SAW HEAVEN WITH MY EYES.

HEAVEN WAS LIKE A VIDEO UNFOLDING BEFORE MY EYES.

I SAW HAPPY, HEALTHY PEOPLE, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.

THE GRASS WAS OF A BEAUTY I CAN'T DESCRIBE.

THE FLOWERS WERE SO BEAUTIFUL I CAN'T DESCRIBE THEM. "

WHY DID THE BLESSED MOTHER WANT YOU TO SEE HEAVEN ?

" SHE TOLD ME MANY PEOPLE ON EARTH DO NOT BELIEVE HEAVEN EXISTS.

SHE SAID GOD HAS CHOSEN US SIX VISIONARIES TO BE INSTRUMENTS OF HIS LOVE AND MERCY. I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN HEAVEN. IT EXISTS !  I'VE SEEN IT! THOSE WHO STRAY FAITHFUL TO GOD TO THE END WILL SEE HEAVEN AS A REWARD FOR THEIR FAITHFULNESS. "    

2-------       IVANKA---ONE OF THE SIX VISIONARIES FROM MEDJUGORJE

" THIS YOUNG WOMAN HAS SEEN, HEAVEN, HELL, AND PUURGATORY.

SHE HAS ALSO HAD FOUR VISITS FROM HER DEAD MOTHER.

HER FAVORITE ENCOUNTER, SHE SAYS, WAS MOST UNIQUE.

" THE THIRD TIME WAS SO HAPPY. I HAD COMPLETED A DIFFICULT ASSIGNMENT FOR THE BLESSED MOTHER. AS A REWARD, SHE BROUGHT MY MOTHER TO ME. I HAD SEEN HER TWO OTHER TIMES, BUT THE THIRD TIME SHE CAME OVER TO ME, AND EMBRACED ME AND SAID, " DEAREST IVANKA, I'M SO PROUND OF YOU ! "

WHEN IVANKA TELLS THE STORY SHE HAS TEARS OF JOY AND LONGING IN HER EYES. "

3-------       JACOV---ONE OF THE SIX VISIONARIES FROM MEDJUGORJE

" TELL US ABOUT THE THINGS OF HEAVEN, JACOV. I AM A SIMPLE MAN. I HAVE BEEN THERE. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT IT .

JACOV IS IT DIFFICULT TO LIVE ON EARTH ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN IN HEAVEN ?

" THAT IS A UNDERSTATEMENT.

JACOV, YOU SAID THAT IF YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HEAVEN TOO MUCH, YOU WOULD DIE OF LONELINESS. "

4-------       VICKA---ONE OF THE SIX VISIONARIES FROM MEDJUGORJE

" VICKA HAS BEEN TO HEAVEN, SHE DESCRIBES AS A PLACE THAT IS NOT BEYOND THE HORIZON. SHE SAYS IT IS NOT TOMORROW. VICKA SAYS HEAVEN IS ALL AROUND US, AND INDEED WITHIN US, EVEN ON EARTH, FOR THOSE WHO LIVE RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF GOD'S WILL---THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE AN AWARENESS OF GOD'S PRESENCE, IN EFFECT, EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN ALL THAT IS.

THOUGH VICKA SAYS THE EXPERIENCE IS NOT CONSTANT ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, SHE CLAIMS THAT, FOR THOSE WHO REALLY KNOW GOD, HEAVEN IS POSSIBLE TO EXPERIENCE WHILE STILL ON EARTH. ALL THIS IS THE FRUIT OF GOD'S LOVE, HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY, SHE SAYS.

VICKA DESCRIBES HEAVEN AS A VAST PLACE ; CONCEPTUALLY, SHE SAYS IT IS

" UNLIMITED. " SHE DESCRIBES PEOPLE, VERY HAPPY PEOPLE. "

THEY ARE SO HAPPY. YOU CAN SEE IT ON THEIR FACES. "

" THEY ARE FULL OF HAPPINESS. "

" THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE HEAVEN.

YOU JUST HAVE TO EXPERIENCE IT. "

" HEAVEN IS A REWARD FOR THOSE WHO STAY FAITHFUL TO GOD UNTIL THE END, SHE SAYS. "

VICKA ANNOUNCES NOW THAT WHEN OUR BODY DIES, NOTHING CHANGES FOR US EXCEPT THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE A BODY. WE ARE EXACTLY THE SAME PERSON, SHE SAYS, EXPECT THE PHYSICAL BODY IS GONE. "

ALL OF THE ABOVE QUOTES ARE FROM THE BOOK

" THE VISIONS OF THE CHILDREN " BY JANICE T CONNELL