Sandra Gregory & Cleo in Bangkok Prison

Colin Melbourne

© 98-08 Born-Again-Christian.Info

Read Part 1

Sandra Gregory was sentenced to death for drug-smuggling, later commuted to 25 years in Bangkok Prison.

Once back home, we gently unwrapped the sad bundle.

"She is still alive." we gasped.

Her front leg hung limp, cheesy-pus oozed from an infected wound. I examined it, and found it was not broken, just severely infected, producing septicaemia. About 6 cm, of rectum, and blood-gorged bowel, stuck out behind her like a sore finger, as Sandra had described. It is a common problem for vets, and easy to deal with. Simply wash it off, grease it, and ease it back inside.

That is the good news.

The bad news is the cause is much more serious. Most cases of prolapsed rectum are due to an over-active small intestine "swallowing itself", causing an intussusception.

(Imagine the finger tip of a rubber glove pushed in on itself. Something like this happens in diarrhoea occasionally. The bowel treats the inverted part as food, and tries to move it down the gut. Intense colic results, shock, and eventually part of the rectum is pushed outside.)

This was "Cleo's" greatest problem. Palpating her tummy, I could feel the turgid intussusception inside.

In 17 years as a veterinary surgeon, every similar case I'd seen had required surgery. The abdomen is opened, the telescoped bowel pulled back to shape, often a damaged section needs to be cut out, and the severed ends sutured together.

High powered surgery in a tiny kitten, even in ideal conditions.

When Jesus sent us to Asia, He sent us to preach, not continue vetting. So I had no equipment to attempt such a task. And even if the kitten survived surgery, infection and shock would surely kill her.

So instead, we cleaned the leg, applied a bandage, washed and reinserted the prolapsed rectum. Gave her an antibiotic injection, and asked the Lord to sort out the inverted bowel inside by a miracle. (I could still feel it was present).

Jesus promised believers who go into all the world, and preach His Good News, that when they lay their hands on the sick, they will recover. Mk. 16:15-18

Do you believe that? We took Him at His Word and laid our hands on the little bag of bones, asked for a miracle in Jesus' Name, believed He'd answered us, and put her limp body into a clean cardboard box overnight.

Next morning, I was awoken by the sound of crashing pots and pans in the kitchen.

"Cleo" was zooming around playing soccer with a ping-pong ball. Smashing into anything that got in between her, and World Cup glory. She had no limp, no prolapse, no colic, no diarrhoea, and when I palpated her tummy discovered no intussusception. Praise God!

We looked at one another in wonder. Ruth is a vet nurse, and she too knew we had seen a miracle. "Cleo" ate, and ate, all we could give her. Perfectly normal. Her bandage fell off, the leg was healed.

It is one thing getting a kitten out of prison, it's entirely another getting the same one back in. But we believed that the same Jesus who healed her would get her back to Sandra, as a witness of His power and love.

On the train to Lard Yao, we had a struggle to keep "Cleo" in the box. The difference was so remarkable I worried that Sandra might think we had found a new kitten for her.

The guards were very suspicious. One even suspected I had put drugs inside the cat to get them into the jail.

Finally, as we prayed, and waited for two hours, a kind guard summoned Sandra to the main gate. There Ruth put "Cleo" in Sandra's arms, saying,

"Jesus has healed her for you Sandra. She is perfectly well."

Sandra was utterly overcome, speechless, and in tears.

Oh it was beautiful. You should have seen her face. She was amazed, and moved by the love of God. Her hard heart melted.

Read how Cleo got her name
© Chick Publns. Used by kind permission

"Cleo" became a constant reminder of Christ's care for Sandra, and her closest companion in Lard Yao. Until that is, Sandra was sent back to the U.K. in 1997 following a successful application for a prison transfer.

Sandra had still not received Jesus as Saviour by the time she left, but she had witnessed a wonderful miracle, from the God who cares for sparrows, kittens, me and you.

He is the same today, as always, full of love, full of grace, and full of power to fix any problem you will ever face.

If you are a Christian, please pray and believe for Sandra's release from prison, and salvation from sin and let's wait for her autobiography•.

• Note: The account above has been on the internet since 1998. Sandra has published the story of her ordeal in June 2002. It's available in the UK, and is called : 'Forget You had a Daughter'.

Postscript:

Royal pardon for woman jailed in Thai heroin case

The Times headline July 22nd. 2000
© 2000 Used by kind permission

SANDRA GREGORY, a convicted heroin smuggler, walked free from jail yesterday after she was granted a royal pardon by the King of Thailand.

Gregory was in tears as she walked from the gates of the jail to be met by her mother who had travelled from her home in Scotland. She said: "It is absolutely marvellous. I only found out yesterday when my mother phoned me. I had not expected it at all and I am humbled by it."
She added: "I have learned an awful lot in the past seven and a half years. Thailand is a marvellous country. I broke the law. It was my fault. I accept full responsibility for what happened."
Reported by C. Urquart, G. Harris and R. Ford

Wonderful news for a gutsy lady, and her loving parents.

Let us continue to pray that Sandra and her family will accept the Ultimate Royal Pardon. The one that comes to everyone who repents and believes in Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and His sacrifice on their behalf.

BBC News about Sandra.

17 Jan 00 Thai authorities urged to review sentence

18 Jan 00 Minister rejects drugs woman plea

05 Feb 00 Vigil for jailed drugs woman

21 Jul 00 Royal pardon for drugs smuggler

21 Jul 00 Tribute to parents as smuggler walks free.

June 2002: Sandra interviewed by Tim Sebastian on BBC World TV, HardTalk. She appeared on BBC national and World Service radio. Her story was serialised in British tabloid newspapers, and her book published.

Oct. 2006: Banged Up Abroad: The Sandra Gregory Story, UK TV programme. Sandra now has an Oxford University degree in Geography, and is working back in her home town in Yorkshire.